Anniversary of live suicide (rant)

[Akuko]

I heard on the radio today that it was the anniversary of the death of Chris Chubbock (pronounced Hubbock), a news reporter for a Florida city, that happened in 1972. She reported a few news stories including a shooting and then said something like "in keeping with blood and guts I am going to report a live suicide attempt" and shot herself behind her right ear on live tv.

The creepy thing is I googled her name and found hundreds of requests to view this incident. What is wrong with our society that we value death as entertainment? We have been so desensitized with violence on tv and movies and video games glamorizing it.

I myself do love scary movies with violence and that kind of thing but I enjoy it because know it is just a movie and not real, but what bugs me is that this was a real person and yet we have this morbid curiosity to see this violence.

What has happened with our society as a whole?

[Ming]

I don't think it's so much that our society values death as entertainment (to some extent anyway). I think it's more like what you mentioned later on in your rant, that it's some sort of curiosity. I guess it could be a "morbid" curiosity, but I think it's more a curiosity in general of seeing something that we normally don't see.

[Sciler]

Well, people used to do it a long time ago in arena's and called it a sport?
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator for an example

I myself have no interest in seeing stuff like this. I get sad if I see a dead animal, I go into hysterics if I witness/hit one myself.

Ive had people link many horrible links to me or posted on websites over the years, and thankfully I have always resisted seeing them. Many have viewed the beheading video, I still have not, and do not plan to ever if I can avoid it. Its too upsetting to me.

And I think its has more to do with how I was raised to respect everything and everyone around me, not so much what I viewed or played growing up, considering I've played video games since I was 4, played Mortal Kombat and other violent games well before the appropriate age, and watched many movies growing up involving death and violence that I probably shouldnt have...but my parents taught me about things, so that I WOULD remain sensitive and empathic to the pains of the world, and I thank them for that.

[Blackmage]

[Silver Adept]

We have choice, BM. Because of parents like that, we have options to not view or find alternate things to watch, rather than all peering around at the latest snuff whatever.

[RivaOni]

[Sciler]

yeah I was a tad confused myself lol...because that wasnt my point at all, I'm very much against censorship myself.

[BWS-1]

Not too far off from the old days where people would fill the Colosseum to see gladiators chop their heads off.

We've refined our ways for the most part, found different forms to keep us entertained. Fundamentally still, we haven't changed - read ''evolved'' - much since the old days.

[Doot]