WASHINGTON, DC—The Department of Justice released a report yesterday, detailing the findings of a meta-analysis of longitudinal and other descriptive data about serial killers and mass shooters over the past 50 years. While serial killers and active shooter situations have become sickeningly familiar in recent times, many citizens are often left to puzzle over the early warning signs missed. The research findings suggest that while there are no easy answers, food abuse before the age of five may indicate serious emotional turmoil and may be a leading contributor to violent behavior later in life.
Findings show that before the age of five, there are four deviant food behaviors or stages that, if left unchecked, may lead to serious sociopathy and brutality down the road. Parents and other adults with children in their lives are encouraged to turn these situations into teachable moments to help build empathy and develop the theory of mind, which is that everyone does not share the same knowledge or feelings.
The first of the four stages, called the incipient deviation stage, consists of decapitating or dismembering gummy bears, animal crackers, Goldfish crackers, and other small, animal-shaped foods. The results of the study suggest that it does not matter whether the children bit off pieces of the animal-shaped food or whether they used their fingers or an eating utensil to sever a body part. This stage usually exhibits itself by the age of 24 months.
The second of the four stages, referred to as the developing sadist stage, consists of moving on to larger prey with a greater degree of violence and simulated realism. Such food-based objects of torture may include dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets with ketchup and other condiments, which the children pretend to be blood and other bodily fluids. Many of these items are “finger foods,” only a slight transition or leap to removing actual fingers of victims or engaging in cannibalism when adults.
The third of the four stages, called the anthropomorphized victim stage, typically includes more human-like foods in the downward spiral toward repeated homicide. It may involve escalation to syrup smiley faces on pancakes, arranging pretzels to look like a stick figure human, the binging of gingerbread men, impaling the character on a Cookie Monster cake with a toothpick, and so forth. This stage exhibits itself by age four.
The fourth and final stage, called the mature gore stage, is sometimes considered an offshoot or subcategory of the anthropomorphized victim stage as human and facial representations become more complex on sugar cookies. Smashing jack-o-lanterns have been associated with this stage as well as fascination with gooey foods. Additionally, violence against foods with proper names or associations increases in frequency. It is not uncommon for troubled youngsters to peel the skin off of Granny Smith apples slowly, pretending that it is human flesh, particularly of an elderly lady.
Parents are encouraged to take an active role in the physical and psychological development of their children by modeling proper relationships with food and other people.