Buzz
Ted Kaczynski, widely known as the Unabomber, was an exceptionally intelligent individual who used his expertise to design and deploy bombs, which left the FBI scrambling for answers for 17 years. A former mathematician turned eco-terrorist, Kaczynski used intimidation tactics to secure the publication of his 35,000-word manifesto in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Many, including his own family, have labeled him a mentally disturbed recluse who had been at odds with society from a very young age.
But this piece isn’t focused on the Unabomber's identity or past actions. Instead, it raises questions about what might have been. Could Ted Kaczynski have been a subject of a brainwashing experiment by the CIA? Were the bombings part of a grand government plot? Could he have been involved in more deaths than we realize? Or was he responsible for any murders at all? As we examine his story through the lenses of climate change and the increasing infiltration of technology into our lives, we must ask ourselves: Did he have a point?
10. Hives
“Baby home from hospital and is healthy but quite unresponsive after his experience,” Wanda Kaczynski wrote in her eldest son’s baby book on March 12, 1943. Nine-month-old Theodore John Kaczynski had been hospitalized after developing a severe case of hives. During his stay, he underwent harrowing procedures that were standard practice in hospitals at the time. He was undressed, strapped down in a spread-eagle position, and examined by several unfamiliar individuals, with his parents kept away from him. This ordeal continued for an entire month before he was discharged.
His mother recalled that initially, he would cry and reach for her. A hospital photograph from his first examination clearly shows him in a state of fear, tears streaming down his face. Eventually, this distress gave way to an unsettling lack of reaction. Children kept in isolation often develop hospitalism, a condition where they lose all interest in affection and, in extreme cases, may suffer irreversible damage or even death.
Kaczynski did not seem to recover as he grew older. Throughout his schooling, he avoided interacting with other children. Some believe that the hospitalism and lasting psychological trauma played a role in the crimes he would later commit. While this is likely a contributing factor, it’s important to remember that his treatment was standard practice at the time. Not every child subjected to such horrific isolation would turn into a terrorist. Kaczynski may have simply been unlucky.
9. A Psychological Experiment
In 1958, a 16-year-old Ted Kaczynski entered Harvard, already feeling isolated and vulnerable. He had been labeled a freak by his high school peers and received little support from his family. At Harvard, he was placed in a dormitory with younger students, where most of the boys kept to themselves. In 1959, Kaczynski became part of an experiment designed to study the effects of stress on the human mind, led by psychologist Henry A. Murray.
Murray's experiment involved several stages. First, participants were asked to keep a highly personal diary detailing their dreams and aspirations. They believed this diary would be used in future debates with other students. Second, when they showed up for these debates, they were instead subjected to an interrogation. A professional interrogator would use their personal diaries to degrade them, while their responses were recorded on an EKG machine and a camera. Lastly, the students were called back to repeatedly watch the footage of their own humiliation for further analysis.
One subject, referred to in the study as 'Lawful,' was a favorite of Murray's due to his honesty and willingness to engage. He responded intensely to the experiment, providing Murray with valuable data to analyze. That particular participant was Kaczynski, whose life began to spiral out of control around the time of his graduation at the age of 20.
8. MK-ULTRA
What was the ultimate goal of Murray’s experiment? On the surface, he was studying human reactions to stress. However, in a less obvious sense, he could have been working toward developing mind control techniques. The study took place during the same period that MK-ULTRA was being conducted at roughly 80 institutions across the United States and Canada. Given Murray’s past association with the CIA’s predecessor, the OSS, during World War II, there is suspicion that he may have had ties to the agency.
Kaczynski himself has dismissed any claims of mind control, asserting that the experiment was only unpleasant for about 30 minutes and that no part of it involved torture or brainwashing. Of course, that’s exactly what someone under mind control might claim. Some believe that Kaczynski could have been given LSD during the experiment, as MK-ULTRA focused heavily on testing various drugs to determine which could be effective for controlling minds.
Initially, these experiments were conducted on CIA agents. These individuals were secretly dosed with LSD, sometimes with fatal consequences, such as the death of one man, Frank Olsen. Over time, however, these drug tests expanded to include civilians. A particularly notorious part of the project, Operation Midnight Climax, involved a small room where agents watched through a two-way mirror as prostitutes secretly drugged men, all while the agents drank cocktails. One agent, George White, described the experience by saying, 'Where else could a red-blooded American boy lie, kill and cheat, steal, deceive, rape and pillage with the sanction and blessing of the All-Highest?'
Ethics were clearly not at the forefront of their concerns.
7. Earth First!
When Kaczynski’s campaign of terror came to an end, three people had lost their lives, and 23 more were injured by his homemade bombs. He is now serving eight life sentences for these crimes, but a few more intriguing theories emerged during his trial. His plea agreement revealed that Kaczynski had been an active supporter of the Earth First! (EF!) movement, an ecoterrorist group. EF! saw themselves as a militant faction dedicated to using any means necessary to safeguard Mother Earth from the evils of industrialization. Sound familiar?
Investigator Barry Clausen, who had once infiltrated EF!, was the one to uncover the connection between the Unabomber’s activities and the EF! hit list. Clausen had actually linked Kaczynski to these activities a year before his arrest, but his findings were largely ignored by his superiors. Adding to the evidence, Kaczynski’s cabin was filled with EF! literature, and he had copies of letters addressed to the organization as well.
Some have speculated that Kaczynski’s connection to EF! might explain why he often communicated with the FBI as though he were part of an organization, using 'we' instead of 'I' when describing his actions. However, this could have been a tactical move to divert suspicion away from himself. Known for his reclusive nature, presenting himself as part of a group might have helped him avoid being seen as the sole suspect. Nevertheless, many still believe that Kaczynski might not have always acted alone in his ecoterrorism, and some even wonder if he was responsible for more deaths than law enforcement uncovered.
6. The Tylenol Killer
On September 29, 1982, in Chicago, a series of random deaths struck multiple neighborhoods with shocking intensity. Seven people lost their lives, including a 12-year-old girl, and the only thing they had in common was that they all died after taking Tylenol. Police were dispatched throughout the area, using bullhorns to alert the public and collecting bottles of the medicine. After testing, it was discovered that someone had tampered with Tylenol bottles, replacing some pills with cyanide, and then returned them to store shelves. This incident led to the implementation of tamper-proof seals on products.
Tylenol issued a recall that cost the company an estimated $100 million, but it ultimately protected their reputation. The killer was never apprehended, although the FBI continues to investigate. In 2011, the agency requested that Kaczynski provide a DNA sample for testing. He agreed, but only under the condition that the FBI not auction off the property seized from his cabin. The auctions were meant to benefit the victims and their families, so the FBI refused. As a result, Kaczynski declined to provide a DNA sample.
A few circumstantial details likely contributed to the FBI's request for Kaczynski’s DNA. The deaths occurred near his parents’ residence in Chicago. The names of Robert Wood Johnson and James Wood Johnson, founders of Johnson and Johnson, matched Kaczynski's odd habit of targeting victims with nature-themed names. Additionally, a man who is thought to be the killer was seen in the background of a surveillance photo. This individual, shown in the image above, bears a striking resemblance to Kaczynski.
5. The Zodiac
Kaczynski also shares an eerie resemblance with the police sketch of another unsolved serial killer—the Zodiac Killer. Kaczynski lived in the Bay Area from 1967 to 1969, which coincides with the Zodiac’s reign of terror in the area from 1968 to 1969. This timeframe gives Kaczynski enough time to have settled in before the killer’s spree began. Both were cold-blooded killers who enjoyed taunting authorities and used threats against innocent people to get their writings splashed across newspapers. Interestingly, both killers also made sure their letters had extra postage to guarantee delivery.
The handwriting in their letters bears uncanny similarities. The shapes of specific letters are nearly identical, and both killers frequently used the same phrases. These included starting sentences with 'so,' 'by the way,' and 'to prove,' as well as using the repetitive structure of double 'is' sentences. The killers were also described in similar terms and shared common possessions. The Zodiac was said to favor one leg over the other, while Kaczynski's brother noted that he was so pigeon-toed it affected his walking style. Both killers were also known to use guns with flashlights attached to blind victims, rifles, and Winchester Western .22 Super X ammunition.
Kaczynski, a brilliant mathematician, had the skills to create a sophisticated cipher for the Zodiac's cryptic messages. He was also notably fascinated by symbols, including the crossed lines on a circle that appeared in the Zodiac's codes. He had once signed his yearbook with a similar symbol and even wrote a dissertation on boundary functions related to circles. A key focus for him was the unit circle, which also features two crossed lines at its center. Kaczynski used the Algiz rune to mark a location during one of his strikes. The rune resembles an inverted peace sign and symbolizes either the life of a tree or great terror. It's another form of a circle with intersecting lines.
Although the FBI tested Kaczynski’s fingerprints against those found at a Zodiac crime scene and found no match, the Zodiac himself claimed that the police had never actually obtained his fingerprints. A writing analysis showed different writing styles between the two. While the FBI is fairly confident that Kaczynski is not the Zodiac, it wouldn't be the first time they've been less than truthful, would it?
4. The Sketch
The famous Unabomber sketch doesn’t bear much resemblance to Ted Kaczynski, especially when compared to the sketches of the Zodiac or the Tylenol Killer. Several sketches of the Unabomber were created, with the first two closely resembling Kaczynski. However, the witness who provided the description wasn’t satisfied with the likeness. Seven and a half years later, the FBI called in Jean Boylan, an expert sketch artist who works directly from interviews rather than composites. The updated sketch (the one that became widely distributed) was eventually used. After Kaczynski was captured, many noted that the sketch didn’t resemble him all that much.
Boylan and the FBI believe they have an explanation for the discrepancy. Creating a police sketch from a witness statement just hours after an event can often lead to inaccuracies, but trying to do so after seven and a half years stretches the limits of human memory. They think that the witness didn’t recall the Unabomber’s face during her interview, but instead the face of the first sketch artist she worked with years before. The resemblance between the two is striking, far more so than the sketch's resemblance to Kaczynski. The theory is that she remembered remembering Kaczynski, which left her with a confused image.
3. A Prophet?
In his extensive manifesto, Kaczynski argued that technology had caused more harm than good and that society needed to dismantle it before it expanded any further. He reasoned that as technology grew, so would its negative impact. He also claimed that progress had only improved the lives of the wealthy in the First World, while worsening conditions for the poor around the globe. Kaczynski insisted that the masses would never willingly give up on progress, but would continue to patch up its faults and destroy the planet in the process. Ultimately, he argued, a small group of committed environmentalists would have to use any means necessary to tear down society.
Much of the first part of this narrative holds some truth, but the pivotal moment is at the end. It's easy to imagine an angry and frustrated reader reaching that final part and feeling that they are part of the chosen group who must save the Earth—even if that means resorting to violence. Perhaps especially if it means violence. This is exactly what occurred with several groups who identify as anti-civilization, or 'anti-civ.' Kaczynski is seen as a visionary figure by anti-civ groups across the political spectrum—a fact that would surely enrage the anti-left bomber.
While some of Kaczynski's followers are less dangerous, the most dangerous group appears to be Individualidades Tendiendo a lo Salvaje, or ITS, which translates to 'Individuals Tending Toward the Wild.' This Mexican group of Kaczynski admirers has closely emulated him by sending bombs to college campuses and individuals they deem responsible for harming the environment.
The Kaczynski phenomenon isn’t confined to just a few obscure groups. It has also found its way into mainstream media. In 2013, Keith Ablow wrote an article for the Fox News website titled 'Was the Unabomber Correct?' In the piece, Ablow concluded that Kaczynski was right about many things, even suggesting that he might have been a prophet in some ways.
Paul Kingsnorth, a former environmentalist who had lost faith in the possibility of change, shared his unsettling experience of reading Kaczynski's manifesto for the first time. He admitted to being frightened by the realization that he might agree with Kaczynski’s ideas, a thought that had the potential to alter his life in profound and unsettling ways. Given Kaczynski’s extreme methods, this was a deeply troubling realization.
2. Insanity
During Kaczynski’s trial, he staunchly rejected the plea deal offered to him, which required him to admit insanity. Kaczynski felt that not only was the diagnosis false, but that agreeing to it would undermine the legitimacy of his manifesto. His brother, David Kaczynski, who had alerted authorities to Ted’s whereabouts, believed that Ted was disturbed and should not face the death penalty. Many, though not all, of the psychiatrists and psychologists who assessed Ted concluded that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. In the end, Kaczynski accepted the plea but publicly denied the diagnosis, vocally rejecting it throughout.
There is some evidence supporting this theory. When Kaczynski enrolled at Harvard at just 16 years old, a nurse who evaluated him during his freshman checkup described him as stable, well-liked, and somewhat shy. For men, schizophrenia typically emerges in late adolescence or early adulthood, often between the late teens and early twenties.
Although schizophrenia often leads to significant challenges in employment and social life, Kaczynski managed to perform well in his work and studies until he chose to leave everything behind and retreat to his cabin. His personal life suffered, but his professional life remained intact. Schizophrenia typically affects speech and cognitive function, but these symptoms are not evident in his carefully crafted manifesto. In fact, the judge at his trial described him as calm, lucid, and intelligent.
So why did Kaczynski's defense team opt for an insanity plea? For one, it was a tactical decision. An insanity plea can be a means to avoid the death penalty, something any skilled lawyer would aim for. Secondly, the plea altered the narrative surrounding him. Setting aside the brutal nature of his actions, Kaczynski’s manifesto wasn’t groundbreaking. At the time, many people were already concerned about the negative effects of technology and industrialization on the environment. This remains a common concern. However, if Kaczynski was declared insane, it would diminish the credibility of his arguments, making it easier for others to dismiss his ideas.
1. The Nathan R. Note
A website called unabombers.com is dedicated to uncovering the truth about Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, and J. Ray Dettling. According to the site, Kaczynski has been framed for the crimes, and the composite sketches play a central role in uncovering the truth. They suggest that the first sketches resemble Kaczynski because they are digitally altered images created using a NASA technique originally designed to correct atmospheric distortion.
The website points to various similarities between the allegedly altered sketch and one of Kaczynski’s college photos, including lighting anomalies and a faint afterimage of the background. Essentially, they claim to be able to identify these signs through their experience with photo morphs. If the image has been manipulated, it would imply that Kaczynski was framed, and the witness initially rejected the first sketch because it didn't match the man she had seen. But why would this happen?
The site also features a statement supposedly made by Daniel Pride, a friend of J. Ray Dettling. Pride begins by discussing the Nathan R. Note, a small memo written on the envelope containing the Unabomber’s announcement of the bombs sent to Epstein and Gelernter before they detonated. He claims to have written the note while sitting at Dettling’s desk, revealing that Dettling is the actual Unabomber.
Pride continues by describing how he read the Unabomber Manifesto on Dettling’s computer three years before it was published. Dettling referred to it as fiction at the time. Dettling appeared to take great pleasure in discussing the Unabomber and frequently debated the manifesto’s points with Pride. Despite earning no income except for five US patents linked to government agencies, Dettling enjoyed a lavish lifestyle in a grand mansion. The website ultimately claims that Dettling is the real Unabomber, while Kaczynski was merely a convenient MK-ULTRA scapegoat.
