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Since the release of Jeremy Meeks’ ‘sexy’ mug shot on Facebook, women around the country have been seduced by this convicts strong facial features and piercing blue eyes. Women have commented saying things such as, “I am in love,” or “Sexy!”
The question is, why are these women attracted to a man who has committed a crime? It seems rational to associate a mug shot to ‘no good’. Yet, many women could care less what this man has done, and instead can’t resist how attractive he is.
Jeremy Meeks is a convicted felon who was arrested for having a gun illegally. In fact, this is not his first time behind bars as he has been convicted before and served many years in prison. He is truly a bad guy, and not your average bad guy; this one is behind bars for good reason.
The thing is, women often have an idolized image of their ideal man. The visual image of someone who meets their expectations overrides any rational thinking. When you can’t have the man who meets your expectations, you want that person even more. This is the most common reason women want the bad boy. It’s a chasing game of the emotionally unavailable guy.
Women may also feel that the bad boy can be changed with their feminine qualities. Women are essentially rescuers who face the challenge of reforming a bad boy. The thought process often is even though the bad boy gets into trouble, he can be changed. This inflates a woman’s ego when she feels she can be the one to transform a guy. Unfortunately, most women find out later that it is an unrealistic expectation, and that a bad boy is just that a bad boy.
Looking further, many women who are attracted to the bad boys are looking for excitement, thrills, and the sense of danger that a bad boy brings. This can be especially true for those who have been ‘good girls’ their whole life. For a girl who has always followed the rules, breaking them and ignoring responsibility can be enthralling.
In short, as we often see in life, emotion can override rational thinking. For the women liking, commenting, and sharing the Facebook post of Jeremy Meeks mug shot, they are ignoring the fact he is a convict because of their attraction to his picture. Whether these women are searching for their ideal man, trying to rescue the bad boy, or looking for a thrill, it’s significant for them to realize that the bad boy is not going to fulfill their needs. The bad boy may be good for a short amount of time, but it never lasts. When it comes to Jeremy Meeks, every woman is better off looking the other way.
By:
Bart Rossi, Ph.D
Political Psychologist
