“By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise.” — Adolf Hitler, one of the best sellers of a crazy idea.

When I first heard of “The Purge” reenactments, my first thought was, “Oh, this is why I kind of hate people,” but decided I should probably watch the movie, and then judge humanity.

I am a lover of horror films, but “The Purge” was definitely a movie that I am unsure of how I feel about. It’s such a mind-blowing plot: the setting is America in the year 2022 and crime is at a 1 percent rate. The Government developed an Annual Purge; where once a year all crime is legal (including murder) and all emergency response units are unavailable during that twelve hour window. Cameras running for the world  to watch malicious, penalty-free acts live in the comfort of their locked up homes.

The purpose of doing this “purge” is to release all your anger, to let your inner animal out of its cage and let yourself go insane for one night to better yourself as a human being. “Blessed be the New Founding Fathers for letting us Purge and cleanse our souls, Blessed be America, a nation reborn.” Get the jist of it? Good.

The beginning is shown from a wealthy man’s point of view who doesn’t actively participate in the Purge, but takes it very seriously, heavily protecting his home with a security system that makes Fort Knox look cozy. The lifestyle is made to look very easy and lavish for those who can afford to protect themselves.

For example, say you don’t like your boss — well, with this Purge Theory, you can kill him, then probably be sitting at his desk the next day. Or say you’re a lonely teenager just trying to make it through your day, holding your books and being shoved in the hallway while people say terrible things at your face and isolate you; you could target them all and forever be freed from the pain they made you feel every day.

Now, after killing these people, the next day when you are looking at your television eating your Fruity Pebbles and watching the news; the newscasters speak of those who died last night not as victims of a cruel and terrifying mass murder, but a sacrifice dying for a purpose. Relieved of feeling guilt; encouraged to feel immense pride that you killed in the name of your Country and mankind. God bless America, right?

After watching this movie and trying to make myself think with the mind of a psychopath, this movie made everything seem so acceptable. I said to myself “Wow, that’s kind of a good idea….  I mean, crime once a year instead of every day?”

My mom and I talked about this movie, and she said something that stuck out to me. “Violence is like a drug. Even the average Joe is susceptible — could become addicted to it.” Another thing occurred to me, the biggest issue with the people in our world who are reenacting this movie is that they don’t have much of a grasp on their own reality, just like a school shooter would simply wake up one day and just assume it is either the only option or that it was just acceptable behavior to kill everyone rather than go find someone to talk to or express themselves in a less catastrophic way. Killing is the ultimate high, you can either do it once and be done, or you are itching to do it again and again — and that is when it hit me.

The people in reality who are reenacting “The Purge” could likely be those who don’t have a way to release their anger, or don’t have anybody to talk to; the people who don’t know how to express feelings or lack sympathy or remorse…they watch this movie, hear the propaganda and get in their heads that it’s a wonderful idea. Finally someone has found a way to make them feel normal, they are desperately scratching at the walls of their brain to get out of their own mind and live the way they saw these people live. They too, have the burning desire to Purge.