The new episode of "Taboo" on the National Geographic channel tomorrow night focuses on a collector of "murderabilia", items connected to famous criminals such as the Unabomber. It airs at 10 pm Eastern time. I plan to post a review afterward, and we can also discuss the show as well as your views on murderabilia here.

Personally, as someone who's obviously interested in true crime, I don't find such collections apalling if the items were obtained via legal means. I also don't think selling murderabilia should be banned, unless the proceeds go to the criminal, as they should not benefit from their crimes.

That said, I wouldn't own any murderabilia items myself, as I don't want to bring any negative energy into my home. I can also see how murderabilia could upset the victims' survivors, though.

Of course, depending on how this particular collector is portrayed tomorrow night, I may have more to say about him. On the previews, he did seem quite a bit more excited at being in the same room with the Unabomber's stuff than I would. Almost like he was meeting his favorite actor or musician...very fan- or groupie-like.

I pretty much have the same impressions after viewing the show. Additional thoughts:

I found it funny that the guy's name is Gein, like Ed Gein.

It sort of bothered me that he said the victims didn't enter into his thoughts at all. He also seemed to treat getting the dirt from the dump site the same way another person might collect sand from the beach.

The doll made by Charles Manson was creepy and I wouldn't want it. Then again, I wouldn't have wanted my dad corresponding with Manson, either.

I saw the effort to ban the sale or profit of murderabelia. I didn't notice any talk regarding "Hollywood" profits as in the Ted Bundy story or any of many sensationalized crimes on TV or the Movies. I don't think I would buy the murderabelia, Doesn't mean I would ban it. People buy that stuff. They go to movies, and our society seems to have a macabre interest in the stuff.

Good point, Kyary On, welcome to the forum! Hollywood definitely profits the most from famous crimes, I think. Mr. Gein certainly isn't a millionaire from his sales.

I think some of the interest, at least for me, in true crime is learning about what makes a person into a killer or other type of criminal. There's also a bit of fascination about what the human body can do. For example, you'll see a news story where someone was impaled through the HEAD, yet lived. Then look at cases like Selena or Brandon Lee, where one small wound claimed their lives simply because it was in the right place to do so. It's a reminder of our own mortality, but a safe one because the story on the screen or in the book happened to someone else.