Today I spent hours watching criminal behavioral analysis instead of writing college apps. Ted Bundy, Dahmer, Ed Kemper, Chris Watts. I watched this TED Talk about understanding simple human behavior. Just three main things: the eyes, the lips, and the shoulders. It was the most fascinating thing, trying to guess when someone was lying or withholding truth, spotting people’s true selves through glimpses of movement.

It’s very similar to analyzing a section in a book—only instead of analyzing words, you’re analyzing the patterns of facial movement. Suspect looks away when talking about societal expectations but makes sudden and direct eye contact when talking about things they enjoy. Suspect looks at the camera. And oh my god, the things I learned about lips. Serial killers almost never frown. They have a gruesome face of glee even when attempting to manipulate others. They can’t control it. Their head shakes their answers before they can even form the words on their lips.

I’ll never be able to look at someone pursing their lips mid-conversation again without suspecting them of some deeper meaning. Today, eye contact and interaction have taken on a whole new meaning. It’s like philosophy, calling into question things you normally internalize and automate. Distinction between right and wrong, but then suddenly faced with the question of justice.

Anyways, I think I might read a book on it, or at least watch more psyche-behavioral analysis.

The specific TED talk I watched was called "Reading Body Language" By Janine Driver.

The specific phsyche-behavioral analysis I watched was by Dr. G Explains and are part of a series called Flashbacks Forensics.