Our Obsession with Patrick Bateman.
Wanting what we shouldn’t have. Desiring the things that are not meant for us. The temptations of life. Or maybe we just enjoy good laughs.
Regardless…what is it about this man that brings us all in?
From a female perspective.
If you’re unfamiliar with who I’m speaking about, Patrick Bateman is a fictional character created by author Bret Easton Ellis and brought to life by Christian Bale in Mary Harron’s film adaptation of American Psycho. As the title so clearly points out he’s…crazy…And what do girls love more than crazy? Nothing! Girls like excitement. We hate boring. The things (or people) that present themselves in an unattainable manner are what excite us.
“The unattainable is in some sense rare. Rare things are valuable.” (Psychology Today)
So we’re watching this movie right, and obviously, the whole gimmick is that Patrick Bateman is this conventionally attractive man who works in NYC and makes a lot of money…essentially becoming the ideal partner. Except he’s literally psychotic…but, we as women can never turn away from a challenge! Hence cometh the “I can fix him” mentality. Which is very real, let me tell you. So, it really is very simple to understand…
Women love Patrick Bateman because he presents as the ideal man and his shortcomings are still found to be “attractive” in a sick and convoluted way…
From a male perspective.
In walks the ultimate alpha dude. My friend Abhi explained it like this…
“Guys like Patrick Bateman in the same way they like Heath Ledger’s Joker…they see guys like him as the ideal badass role model.”
Masculinity is an essential cornerstone in the male ideology…whether you like that or not, it’s the truth. So the things that they enjoy and look up to when shaping who they are can very much be shown through someone like Patrick Bateman. Now, I’m not claiming that the guys you know are all psychopaths but I am saying that the ideal man is not just ideal to girls it’s seen as ideal to guys too. It’s two sides of the same coin.
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Some things are simply funny.
Not everything has to be that serious, though. The rise of Patrick Bateman memes should go to show that we find this guy to be, at the bare minimum, hilarious. His face and different sequences from American Psycho are found everywhere. Made into Instagram reels, and TikToks. Used to make fun of gym rats, business majors, and everything! We all enjoy good laughs, and that’s something maybe we can all share. As a final quote, here is how my boyfriend, Michael, sees Patrick Bateman.
“He honestly has no redeeming qualities, other than maybe he’s a smart ass…he just makes for a really bizarre and funny guy.”
How do you see him? Are you a fan? Is it just fun and games for you? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading! Share with those who might enjoy. :)