The “Incel” and the Isla Vista Rampage

Elliot Rodger is a little different from the other men I’ve outlined on my blog. But analyzing his psyche has been incredibly fascinating, so I decided to share his story with all of you. Anyways, if you do not know what an incel is, it is an important label that has been placed on Rodger. Men who label themselves as “incels” are involuntary celibates; women do not find them attractive enough the engage in intercourse with them. Elliot Rodger was a 22 year old who lived in California and attended UC Santa Barbara. His number one concern was the fact that he had never had a girlfriend, never lost his virginity, and never even held a girl’s hand. This obviously led to some intense issues later down the road.

The Psychological Profile

The interesting thing about Elliot Rodger is the fact that he most likely had Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Of course, I’m not an expert so I can’t say for sure. He truly did not understand why girls did not want to be with him since he viewed so highly of himself. He even posted videos to YouTube where he talked about this confusion and ranted about his disconnect with women. Because of this, he had a deep hatred for not only women, but men who were in relationships with attractive women. He had extreme jealousy issues. The other thing that sets Rodger apart from the other men on my blog is the fact that he had a relatively normal upbringing. He had parents who traveled the world with him and sent him to private schools in California. Additionally, he wrote a 141-page manifesto where he outlines his entire life and why he chose to do what he did. I only just started reading it, but even the first paragraph or two are extremely unnerving. It’s obvious from his YouTube channel and his manifesto that he views himself above everyone else.

The Crimes

On May 23, 2014, Elliot Rodger carried through with a mass killing spree that he had been planning since December of 2012, when he began periodically buying firearms, ammunition, and gun range visits over the course of two years. The night began with him stabbing his two roommates and one of their friends. One he stabbed 94 times, another 25 times, and the other 15 times. It was never confirmed why he decided to brutally stab his male roommates, but it was speculated that it was perhaps practice for his future victims. In his rampage, he then knocked on the door of a sorority house, but when no one answered he jumped into his BMW. He began shooting out his window as he was driving. He shot a total of 55 bullets, but he had over 550 more sitting next to him. He hit pedestrians and deliberately crashed into other vehicles. In my opinion, I am surprised by his victim choice in the end. It was random, and was not completely aimed at women despite his obvious sexism.

An Abrupt End

After a brief shootout with police, Elliot Rodger shot himself while he was driving. Ultimately, he killed 7 people (one being himself) and injured 13 others. The entire shooting lasted only 8 minutes. Luckily, it seems it did not go as far and as long as he planned. However, the killing spree sparked a national debate on gun control, since Elliot’s parents had been expressing concern about his mental illness. It also brought attention to the toxicity of the internet, since it emphasizes the social importance of losing one’s virginity and being attractive to the opposite sex, which is why Rodger was labeled an “incel.” If you’d like more insight on Elliot Rodger and his killing rampage, 20/20 did a report on him and interviewed his father.