The theory that the depths of human depravity and the heights of human genius spring from the same well of “biological drive” is a provocative, albeit controversial, lens through which to view history. The core of this argument—originally popularized by thinkers like Camille Paglia—suggests that the aggressive, obsessive, and often antisocial energy that produces a “Jack the Ripper” is the exact same elemental force required to produce a Mozart, an Einstein, or a Napoleon.
The Two Sides of the Same Coin
The hypothesis posits that greatness is not a polite endeavor. To revolutionize music, conquer nations, or unlock the secrets of the atom requires a level of monomania and risk-taking that borders on the pathological. Historically, this “daemonic” energy was observed almost exclusively in men.
The lack of a female counterpart to history’s most prolific serial killers was seen as “evidence” that women lacked the raw, destructive drive that—when channeled constructively—results in world-altering genius. In this view, if a gender doesn’t produce the ultimate “monsters,” it cannot produce the ultimate “masters.”
The Rise of the Female “Outlier”
However, the landscape of the 21st century is challenging this biological essentialism. As women have gained access to education, political power, and professional autonomy, we have seen a simultaneous rise in two areas:
- Constructive Advancement: Women are dominating higher education and reaching the upper echelons of science and leadership.
- Destructive Deviation: We are seeing an increase in female violent crime and “predatory” behavior that was previously considered a male “monopoly.”
This shift suggests that the “drive” wasn’t missing in women; it was merely suppressed by social structures. As the “lid” is taken off society, both the light and the dark energies are beginning to boil over.
Case Study: Joanne Dennehy
A chilling modern example of this “dark drive” is Joanne Dennehy, one of the few women in British history to be handed a whole-life tariff.
Unlike many female killers who act out of desperation, trauma, or in tandem with a male partner, Dennehy was a predatory serial killer. She killed for the “thrill” of it, displaying a cold, calculated autonomy and a desire for notoriety that mirrors the traditional profile of male psychopaths.
“I killed to see how I would feel, and I felt nothing.” — A sentiment often attributed to the detached “experimentation” of high-level killers.
While Dennehy is a figure of horror, her existence serves as a grim data point for the essay’s premise. If the “Jack the Ripper” energy is now appearing in women, it stands to reason that the “Mozart” energy is being liberated as well. The same refusal to follow social norms that allowed Dennehy to become a monster is the same refusal to conform that allows a female scientist to break a paradigm or a female leader to reshape a nation.
Conclusion: The Price of Equality
The emergence of female “monsters” like Joanne Dennehy may be the dark price of a more open society. It suggests that “genius” and “depravity” are indeed linked by a common thread of extreme individuality and aggressive drive. While the women advancing in labs and boardrooms are vastly different in character from those in high-security prisons, they may all be drinking from the same liberated reservoir of human ambition. We are finding that when you give a segment of the population the freedom to be great, you inadvertently give them the freedom to be terrible.