In the television series, “Dexter”, the titular character is a serial killer who also works as a forensic technician who specializes in blood splatter analysis. However, Dexter also harbors a dark secret, because he has homicidal and psychopathic tendencies. Aside from working for the side of justice, Dexter is also a serial killer who goes after criminals who have slipped through the justice system. Dexter is a type of hero who has questionable morals, just like Tony Soprano in the television show “The Sopranos” who lives a violent life and is prone to depression and panic attacks. In the article “A Moral Never-Never Land: Identifying with Tony Soprano” by Ljbeckenstein, a very interesting notion is brought up: whether or not it’s ok to like and even identify with evil characters. Indeed, like Tony Soprano, Dexter is a well-liked television character. So there is a problem with how so much people identify with evil characters, because there is a possibility that doing so will make them evil too. However, it can be argued that even though people identify with evil characters, it is not necessarily a bad thing, because seeing the extremes of the human capacity for evil can help in making people realize their own potential for evil and set limitations.

In the television show “Dexter”, Dexter Morgan is a man who struggles to fit in with society, because he hides a dark secret. Dexter is a serial killer whose victims are criminals who have been able to evade the justice system (Manos). So here we have a man who is seemingly normal on the outside, but in reality does not abide by the law and kills other people, not because it is the right thing, but because it serves a way for him to act on his own evil tendencies. In short, Dexter is evil. He just manages to use it in a way that seems good, because he is killing criminals. But in reality he is a psychopath, one who disregards the right of others, in particular the right to live. So indeed, as it was mentioned in the article, there is a problem with this, because many people identify, or at least like what is portrayed in the television series. In the article, the problem that is presented is based on the idea that if people “would be corrupted by identification with morally corrupt characters or writings” (Ljbeckenstein). Dexter is a corrupt character, there is no doubt about it. In fact, he is not only corrupted, but also mentally unstable. But would identifying with him make a person evil as well? There is a possibility, because watching Dexter act upon his inner desire to kill may trigger a person who is watching to do the same. However, we have not seen people in the news citing Dexter as an influence for acting on the desire to kill others, which is a good thing. This then bring us to the idea that even though people may influenced by evil characters like Dexter, or even Tony Soprano, it is in acting upon these influences that makes a difference. A person can act in two ways, first is to do them, and the second is to realize that they have those tendencies and provide limits. Watching evil characters does not make one evil. Instead, it allows a viewer to realize that they too have their own malevolent sides. It is acting where the problem lies. We all have our own evil desires, but that does not make us evil. When we act upon them, then that is the time that we become evil.

Watching something does not make a person evil, but it does make them realize that they are capable of evil. In this respect, the article written by Ljbeckenstein tells us that we should trust the audience more. We cannot stop them from watching anti-heroes, just because we think that they will emulate them. People are not that highly susceptible. If that were the case, then we would be living in a world of violent, immoral people who became what they are just because they binge watched “Dexter” or “The Sopranos”. It does not work that way, you are not what you watch on television.

Works Cited
Ljbeckenstein. A Moral Never-Never Land: Identifying with Tony Soprano. 11 September 2014. https://tvmathesis.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/a-moral-never-never-land-identifying-with-tony-soprano/. Accessed on 31 May 2017.Manos, James Jr. Dexter. Showtime Networks, 2006.