If Eric swapped bodies with a jock...

Let's say Eric woke up one day and had swapped bodies with a white-hat-wearing athlete. He is no longer an outcast, and is now a jock.

Judging by Eric's journal entries and how he treated people throughout his life: When in the same shoes as the jocks, does Eric become the bully? Does he abuse his newfound social status and stature and run around shoving smaller kids into lockers? Does he join Hoffschneider's band of sociopaths and get off on ruling the roost? Basically, would he have been just as bad?

Or does Eric not turn into an abuser, and treats people pretty much the same way he always did (but now enjoys less bullying and more girlfriends)?

I think he would abuse his status, since he was a total hypocrite.

I've always maintained that what Eric and Dylan were after wasn't to get back at bullies, but rather become the biggest, baddest bullies around. Everything about their behavior concerning the killing spree, like wanting to kill more people than McVeigh, firing at police officers, taunting people as they shot and killed them, points to this.

So yes, Eric would probably fit right in with Hoffschneider's crowd if he had the chance.

I think being suddenly switched into one of the jocks Eric would go on to bully and abuse his power like the rest of them. If he instead originally became one without ever being their victim himself he might not, although I do not believe one becomes a part of such group without being inheritly abusive and evil to a certain extent but say someone without such natural traits became a part of that group I do not think he would necessarily abuse his power.

"oh noooo, don't let the weird ERIC looking kid come along!"

Eric hated himself and being a jock would have absolutely turned him into a total Hoffschneider-type douche. It also would have made the massacre a lot worse.

Or this:

"Then again, I have always hated how I looked, I make fun of people who look like me, sometimes without even thinking sometimes just because I want to rip on myself. That’s where a lot of my hate grows from."

But maybe he wouldn't hate himself if swapped bodies with a jock, but instead consider himself even more "godlike"

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

Eric hated himself and being a jock would have absolutely turned him into a total Hoffschneider-type douche. It also would have made the massacre a lot worse.

What do you think Eric would have done differently?

Presuming in this scenario that all of Eric's prior life experiences still held; everything he'd been through, thought of, felt, etc., I actually don't think that it would make him more of a bully (he'd done some bullying already).
I do think that if people started treating him differently/ better it would fuel his anger and his disgust for "human nature." If he were the same person inside but now people looked up to him and gave him the respect he so desperately wanted just because he'd woken up in a brawny, athletic body, I think he'd be pissed. It would affirm his belief that it doesn't matter who you are as a person, all society cares about is what you look like, how much money you have, and what your social status is.

Quote :

Whatever I do people make fun of me, and sometimes directly to my face. I’ll get revenge soon enough. Fuckers shouldn’t have ripped on me so much huh! HA! Then again, its human nature to do what you did… so I guess I am also attacking the human race. I can’t take it, Its not right…true…correct… perfect. I fucking hate the human equation.

I think it would have solidified his hatred for mankind and made him more determined to destroy it.

sympathyforEandD wrote:

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

Eric hated himself and being a jock would have absolutely turned him into a total Hoffschneider-type douche. It also would have made the massacre a lot worse.

What do you think Eric would have done differently?

Wild guess? He'd have shot more people because he'd be trying to live up to that "kill as many people as possible" thing. He'd have shot other jocks too, because his competitiveness would have been shot through the roof. He'd be the jock version of Patrick Bateman, all territorial and sick.

Oh hell, I don't know. I bet he wouldn't have hung around with ol' Dylly-dally.

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The guy on the left had a girlfriend:
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Would Eric have remained faithful to her, or would he have dumped her and played the field?

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Hahahah I was waiting for something like this!

“I've always maintained that what Eric and Dylan were after wasn't to get back at bullies, but rather become the biggest, baddest bullies around. Everything about their behavior concerning the killing spree, like wanting to kill more people than McVeigh, firing at police officers, taunting people as they shot and killed them, points to this.”

I can’t see any quote button to quote you, but I agree. What they did was pretty much the definition of bullying. They terrorized weaker people. And enjoyed it. The fear they incited filled something inside of them. Typical bully.

Lunkhead McGrath wrote:

Wild guess? He'd have shot more people because he'd be trying to live up to that "kill as many people as possible" thing. He'd have shot other jocks too, because his competitiveness would have been shot through the roof. He'd be the jock version of Patrick Bateman, all territorial and sick.

Oh hell, I don't know. I bet he wouldn't have hung around with ol' Dylly-dally.

I think Jock Eric would have still hung out with Dylan. I can't see him being all, "I can't be seen with you anymore, Dyl. Gotta think about my street cred." He wouldn't do that to his best friend. They were a package deal. Though I can see him ditching the duster and black band tees in favor of whatever jocks wear.