The other day someone posted a link on Twitter of a young man committing suicide. I clicked on it, but thank GOD, the video was stuck in the middle and could not be viewed. Still...the vision of seeing him lying in bed lifeless as he took a pharmaceutical overdose was more than enough.
It reminded me of the movie Untraceable, starring Diane Lane. The movie centers around a FBI computer specialist who traces online crimes. What reminded me of this movie, is how the people were dying while being viewed LIVE online. Though this young boy took his own life...it made me wonder as to what is becoming of this forum. The Internet, which can be a positive tool for socialization, research, entertainment and other forms of pass times...can also be a place for the worst kinds of things. I fear for our society where people are more apt to film their worst crimes and post them...or in this case, the taking of his own life. Abraham Biggs was merely 19...and it bothers me that someone so young would feel like this was his only option. That life was too much and therefore he had no use here. That his breath was useless and he was better off gone.
One of the reasons why I don't stay glued to news channels and sites, is because a lot of things become sensationalized and therefore desensitizing to the public eye. What was once sacred, or held in a private and confidential vein...is now public and rampant to the degree of normalcy. Do we crave "knowledge" and voyeurism so badly that we ignore the humanity of our fellow people? Do we need to be in the know, live vicariously or desire an escape from our own realities so badly that we ignore that "switch" in our heads and spirits that say NO...do not partake?
I guess its something like rubber-necking. You know...when an accident takes place on the highway and though you know you may see the most gruesome sight possible...you can't tear yourself away? Will we get to that point like in some movies of past...where death sentences are carried out nationally televised? Where everything that was once personal is now a "reality show" to be viewed, consumed and digested...eventually to be shat out and reduced to nothing? If so, I'm afraid for this world's collective soul.
2 scopers scoping:
You know it's crazy. I used to work at a television station and we would get calls all day about why we didn't cover this shooting, or this accident. I grew up watching the news every day like it was a soap opera. When I finally got to work in the arena I began turning the tv off when I got home. The news CAN get depressing, especially if all that you are really reporting is murder this, robbery that, baracades, standoffs, you get the picture. I have yet to decide if I want to go back. It has been 8 years. Sometimes I miss it and sometimes I am like."nah, hell naw". Plus I am more focused on specialized formats so we will see. One thing is for certain: you don't see the television industry being cut back like the blue collar worker.
Wow...but you're right. The parts of industry that still make money like television are continuing forward b/c it serves the nation a purpose. If TV were purely for our entertainment, you'd see the cutbacks for sure.
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