Why do some people kill? Getting into the mind of a murderer is lucrative business for the entertainment industry. On Netflix, there’s literally a hit series called The Mind of a Murderer. Recently, Netflix made waves with a cerebral action-flick directed by David Fincher that takes us into the mind of a professional assassin.

The Killer begins with a lengthy internal monologue, as the titular character ruminates on his job. He’s appallingly blasé about his horrific occupation. He tells us, “I’m not exceptional. I’m just…apart.” What is so stunning about this opening, which is narrated over the tedium of watching the Killer (that’s the only name we get for him) prepping for a hit, is that we can relate. Who doesn’t feel “apart” sometimes? Who doesn’t have a job that can be tedious?

The hitman also wants to let us in on a secret. There is no rhyme or reason to the universe. “One is born, lives their life. And eventually, one dies.” He notifies us that while every second “1.8 people die,” another “4.2 are born into that very same second. Nothing I’ve done will make any dent in those metrics.” Translated: in our overpopulated world, the Killer might even be doing........

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