Canadian 'incel' killer found guilty of murder over Toronto van attack

[MedusasBadHairDay]

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/03/toronto-van-attack-guilty-murder

"Speaking with police following his arrest in 2018, the accused told officers that he belonged to an online subculture of men who blame women for their sexual frustration – and that he drew inspiration from others who used violence as a form of retribution for “being unable to get laid”.
But in her verdict, Molloy disputed the notion that he was motived to commit murder on behalf of the “incel” – or “involuntarily celibate” movement.
“I am sure that resentment towards women who were never interested in him was a factor in this attack, but not the driving force,” she wrote. “Instead…he piggybacked on the ‘incel’ movement to ratchet up his own notoriety.”
Instead, Molloy pointed out that Minassian was “profoundly lonely”, saw himself as a failure and spent hours looking at “depraved” internet sites.
“Why did he do it? There is a long answer,” she wrote. “But there is a short answer, a bottom line: he did it to become famous.”"

I'm not sure what I think about her reasoning.

I don't really understand her rationale. He straight-up admitted his motivations, by the look of it.

Unless she thinks he copied Elliot Rodger? Which is a possibility, I suppose.

I think she believes he lied about his motivations, because his real goal was to get in the news and he thought it would make for a better controversy.

I would think that perspective must be based on some of the evidence that came out in the trial, but not having read it I don't know whether or not I'd agree.

I don't see how she can separate out the desire to be famous from the incel movement, other incels hero worship incels who get into the news for murder.

It's not just about women rejecting then IMO, but a far bigger misogynistic position on women's lives being worth less. And women just being a means for them to make themselves feel more important. In this case he was using women not for sex, but for fame. They were still merely objects whose role was to assist him.

@MedusasBadHairDay

I don't see how she can separate out the desire to be famous from the incel movement, other incels hero worship incels who get into the news for murder.

It's not just about women rejecting then IMO, but a far bigger misogynistic position on women's lives being worth less. And women just being a means for them to make themselves feel more important. In this case he was using women not for sex, but for fame. They were still merely objects whose role was to assist him.

Some people just want to see their name in print and be talked about, or be famous as a murderer.

It's not the incels who would be making him more famous, it would be the media who like to talk about incels because it makes for better copy. He'd be betting something like, he might get one mention per paper if he was just a nutter who ran his car into people, and five mentions per paper if he said he did it because he was an incel.

I mean, yes, he is using women instrumentally here. Would he use men the same way if it met his end? We don't know.

I think she's wrong. He did it out of resentment, he picked his target deliberately because he had been radicalised. The resulting fame is part of the package.

@Thelnebriati

I think she's wrong. He did it out of resentment, he picked his target deliberately because he had been radicalised. The resulting fame is part of the package.

What makes you think this?

It's possible obviously, but I am inclined to think the judge didn't randomly decide he was lying about it.

I'm just relieved he was found guilty and is being held accountable for his actions.