Charles Bronson (real name Michael Gordon Peterson), the most famous prisoner in Britain, he is serving his sentence since 1974 (41 years, of which nearly 37 years in solitary confinement). Charlie was born in a wealthy family, he was a good student, was friendly and polite, he had a lot of friends in childhood. The most famous of his crime — the robbery of the post office in 1974, stolen £26,18, he was imprisoned for 7 years, the rest years Charlie "earned" by his behavior.
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My home is a prison
In the first days in prison, Charlie realized that this place would become his home for the rest of life. It is impossible to understand why he did it, but from this moment he starts fighting with prisoners and guards, because of it he spends most of his time in solitary confinement.
Whether from boredom, or from genius, he constantly comes up with new provocations of guards and satisfied fights with them, one against a 2-3 man, then 4-6 man. The penal system moves him from one prison to another (each time with a more strict regime). In 1978 he was sent to Broadmoor Hospital (a sort of English Arkham).
Charlie didn't like it, he said that antipsychotic drugs suppress his will, he becomes weaker and stupid. In protest, he escapes to the roof of the hospital, barricaded all inputs and breaking the tiles. It is going on for quite a long time, under the supervision of journalists and settled only by the special forces. Charlie repeated this trick two more times.
image source: Bronson in Broadmoor
Total damage from the protests £750.000. Obviously the court decided that it is cheaper to keep him in a normal prison... Charlie was recognized sane and returned to the prison, he was continuing to be happy to fight with security. Bronson was in 120 different prisons. (In some he also ran out on the roof)
During the years spent in solitary confinement, Bronson has developed his own method of exercises, which proved very effective. Charlie can straighten the cage bars with his bare hands, he can punch through a bulletproof shield, he has several world records in push-UPS (2000 times).
He also has good imagination, some of the best-known cases of provocation on his part: He smeared all body with "oil" and naked attacked the guards, severely mauled few people until SWAT calmed him. Took in hostages of the lawyer, other prisoners, teacher (who criticized his drawings). When he got bored he just released them.
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At first glance, Charles Bronson looks absolutely crazy. But he has a very strong ideology, which he constantly adheres to. He is not a stupid butcher.
He never inflicted physical harm to ordinary citizens, only to guards and other prisoners (optional). He didn't killed nobody, or made someone invalid. He treats to the guards like to cogwheels in the flawed justice mechanism, thereby fighting against it. He constantly proves that he doesn't give up, he doesn't want to get out of prison.
He developed an effective system of exercises and in his opinion everyone can achieve such a physical strength if strong in spirit. He hates industry of healthy nutrition and bodybuilding with anabolics. After he reached his strength on a horrible prison grub. "All the power is in your head, so nothing is impossible." Charlie tries to get his message to the masses through books.
He has received seven Koestler awards for his drawings and poetry, his work has been posted (illegally) on the London underground and published in several Newspapers and magazines (all proceeds were donated to an orphanage).
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Many of Charlie's fans explain his actions with a philosophy of anarchism. On his example, he tries to show that it is impossible to fully control personality neither in the physical nor in the spiritual sense.The system can't solve many problems and usually chooses the lesser of two evils (the situation with the mental hospital). Not sharing the seriousness of offences and not adequately assessing the level of risk from some people. First and foremost, the system is designed to keep people who are dangerous for her, not for citizens.
Obviously, Bronson was initially unique. But still, can't deny that solitary confinement affected him, making even more eccentric. At first glance it may seem he used it with benefit to himself, but a number of observations and studies of this phenomena show to the contrary.
The effects of solitary confinement
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According to research by Terry Kupers (forensic psychiatrist at the California Institute in Berkeley.) Almost 50% of suicides committed by people who are held in solitary for more than a few months. This is one reason that many people suffer from anxiety, paranoia and obsession. These prisoners have no opportunity to test the reality of their emotions and value their thoughts.
Surveys of prisoners show that they had lose control over their actions, aggression increases, morale decreases. Some of the prisoners purposefully start an open confrontation with the guards to confirm their existence, to remember who they are. (you can learn more here)
This causes to hallucinations, and impaired functioning of the brain as a whole. Also recent studies have shown that the boundary of time erased in solitary confinement, the growth of cells (which are responsible for the formation of memories) stops. This is especially detrimental effect on the brain of young people, which is in the active growth stage and the formation.
The brain of a man, who is isolated from contact with other people able to make a strange metamorphosis of consciousness.
Maybe Bronson was not able to avoid such a fate. Over time, he began to complain of his sight, he claims that he could not endure natural light, because he feels headaches. Also he strengthened the concept of personal space in paranoid stage. With his words the last years he barely tolerate being around other people. Their breathing seems to be too loud, and all the other smells repulsive.
My eyes are bad due to the years of unnatural light I have had. My vision is terrible; I have to wear shaded glasses even to read. Years of solitary have left me unable to face the light for more than a few minutes. It gives me terrible headaches if I do ... Years of loneliness in small cells have left me paranoid about people invading my space. I now can't stand people getting too close, crowding me. I hate people breathing on me and I hate smelly bodies coming near me. -Bronson
Although in 2014, he surprised everyone by taking a new name: Charles Salvador (in honor of Salvador Dali) and stating that he would no longer fight, he found a peace. Now he wants to deal only with art. However it is worth noting that for 3 months before these words, he has been in a fight with 10 guards, after losing his beloved football team... in this fight he broke several ribs (he was 62 years old).
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This man gives me mixed feelings. Or he's just a psychopath and being alone worsened his condition. In fact, he mutilates ordinary state workers for his pleasure. But on the other hand I want to believe that this is a man with tremendous fighting spirit, which found his place in this world (weird place for other people). One has to admire his achievements and commitment to the development of physical and spiritual components in such limited conditions.
P.S. I recommended you to watch movie about him.
some sources:
Charles Bronson the most violent man in england
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I write not about famous people, but about people, with unusual life paths, who didn't try to change history, but left their own an unrepeatable footmark in our time.
James Hunt.
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