Does the Media Fuel Mass Murders and Other Crimes?

Townhallsavoy · « **on:** July 20, 2012, 06:51:07 PM »

This video was brought up on another site:

The media in America made the VA Tech shooter into an anti-hero. He wanted attention? He got it. Should the media take a stance on mass shootings and not dramatize the story?

Are they partially responsible for these events?

RWS · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2012, 07:46:28 PM »

Bottom line, people are the problem. People that are nuts, or have a screw loose, are going to do stupid shit regardless. They come from all walks of life. Case in point, this guy was probably a genius. He had a degree in neuroscience, and had been going to Colorado for his PhD.

It's not the media's fault. It's not the gun's fault. It's not the music's fault. It's the decisions that people make.

Kaos · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2012, 10:52:52 PM »

Did Batman begat Joker?

Age old question with no answer.

Do super criminals gravitate to area with super heroes?

Remember that horse Batbaro? Did we get minute by minute horse health updates because we all cared so passionately or did people care because they were getting constant updates?

Are we obsessed with Lindsay Lohan's exploits because she is interesting or because we can't escape her?

And it goes further. Does Cheer really get clothes cleaner? Or do we think it does because the ads tell us so?

Townhallsavoy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2012, 11:59:35 PM »

Quote from: RWS on July 20, 2012, 07:46:28 PM

Bottom line, people are the problem. People that are nuts, or have a screw loose, are going to do stupid shit regardless. They come from all walks of life. Case in point, this guy was probably a genius. He had a degree in neuroscience, and had been going to Colorado for his PhD.

It's not the media's fault. It's not the gun's fault. It's not the music's fault. It's the decisions that people make.

What influences their decisions?

Dr. Park Dietz, a psychiatrist, claims that the media is influencing crazy people to act a certain way.

RWS · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:19:51 AM »

Quote from: Townhallsavoy on July 20, 2012, 11:59:35 PM

What influences their decisions?

Dr. Park Dietz, a psychiatrist, claims that the media is influencing crazy people to act a certain way.

Maybe he was mad at his mom. Maybe his Dr. Pepper tasted flat. Maybe he was picked on in kindergarten. Maybe he just felt like it. The problem is, everybody feels the need to rush to blame something or somebody. Blame has to be assigned somewhere. There has to be something tangible we can point to.

I watch the news. I don't have the feeling of going and shooting something up. I played violent video games as a kid. I listened to violent music. I watched violent movies. I didn't shoot up a school, or a movie theater. I didn't act those things out somewhere. If somebody decides to do something based on what they saw, or heard, that is their own personal decision. The news didn't buy his guns, load his ammo, and cock the hammer. If we're going to go with the assumption that the news encourages this type of behavior, then there are alot of things on TV and radio that will need to be addressed. It's a ridiculous notion.

GH2001 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2012, 09:34:58 AM »

I know the media sensationalizes every fucking thing. And it gets old as shit.

AUTiger1 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 23, 2012, 12:55:36 PM »

I have a real good friend that is a psychologist. We have talked at length about people and what makes them crazy. What makes the mind snap. He has told me on numerous occasions that "all humans are crazy, for all our inherit "fucked-up-ness" down the generations, some of us are able to control ourselves better than others." He honestly believes we are all nuts to an extent and have some evil ways in us. This deal and others like it make me feel like he may be right.

Saniflush · « **Reply #7 on:** July 23, 2012, 12:59:16 PM »

Quote from: AUTiger1 on July 23, 2012, 12:55:36 PM

I have a real good friend that is a psychologist. We have talked at length about people and what makes them crazy. What makes the mind snap. He has told me on numerous occasions that "all humans are crazy, for all our inherit "fucked-up-ness" down the generations, some of us are able to control ourselves better than others." He honestly believes we are all nuts to an extent and have some evil ways in us. This deal and others like it make me feel like he may be right.

I think the problem is we have a generation or two of motherfuckers that have never been told "no". Never learned right from wrong, and have never had their ass torn up for a consequence.

Vandy Vol · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2012, 01:37:49 PM »

Quote from: Saniflush on July 23, 2012, 12:59:16 PM

I think the problem is we have a generation or two of motherfuckers that have never been told "no". Never learned right from wrong, and have never had their ass torn up for a consequence.

I don't think it's a generational issue. Charles Whitman, Patrick Purdy, James Huberty, Andrew Kehoe...these type of people have been around forever.

Do we have more of these events now than we used to? I'm not sure. The media sure makes it look like it, with their non-stop coverage of anything and everything bringing our attention to these events. This may make it appear as if more of this goes on now than it used to.

But even if they are actually more prominent than they used to be, these types of crimes didn't just pop up with a recent generation.

GH2001 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2012, 01:39:24 PM »

Quote from: Saniflush on July 23, 2012, 12:59:16 PM

I think the problem is we have a generation or two of motherfuckers that have never been told "no". Never learned right from wrong, and have never had their ass torn up for a consequence.

Because a bunch of fucking hippies and liberal politician made it politically incorrect to do so. You can't tell them no. You can't whip them. You can't punish them. Everyone makes the fucking team. We're a society of fucking brats now. Shit really gained steam in the 60's with that flower generation.

GH2001 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2012, 01:40:24 PM »

Quote from: Vandy Vol on July 23, 2012, 01:37:49 PM

I don't think it's a generational issue. Charles Whitman, Patrick Purdy, James Huberty, Andrew Kehoe...these type of people have been around forever.

Do we have more of these events now than we used to? I'm not sure. The media sure makes it look like it, with their non-stop coverage of anything and everything bringing our attention to these events. This may make it appear as if more of this goes on now than it used to. But these types of crimes didn't just pop up with any specific recent generation.

Back then those were the exceptions. Now its too much the fucking norm. People need to get the shit beat out of them more. Its about time we hang people again and start whipping people with bamboo sticks like they do in the orient.

Vandy Vol · « **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2012, 01:59:24 PM »

Quote from: GH2001 on July 23, 2012, 01:40:24 PM

Back then those were the exceptions. Now its too much the fucking norm. People need to get the shit beat out of them more. Its about time we hang people again and start whipping people with bamboo sticks like they do in the orient.

Just every day schmucks going crazy and shooting up random establishments? Again, we appear to see that more nowadays, but I don't know how much of that is due to media exposure, or how much of that is due to an increase in these crimes.

Aside from that, why would massacres committed today be due to a generational issue, but massacres committed a few generations ago are not? Serial killers from the 1970's are somehow less crazy or less repulsive than those today?

I just don't get the blame being put on a generation when this type of thing has occurred multiple times in the United States over the past century. Mass murder of defenseless citizens in a public place is not a new fad being touted by MTV.

Saniflush · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:00:22 PM »

You trying to tell me that you wouldn't like to see some young men's ass exposed for some caning?

Vandy Vol · « **Reply #13 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:02:55 PM »

Quote from: Saniflush on July 23, 2012, 02:00:22 PM

You trying to tell me that you wouldn't like to see some young men's ass exposed for some caning?

I've got all of the caning in my basement that a m-

Nothing. I have nothing in my basement.

GH2001 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:04:56 PM »

Quote from: Vandy Vol on July 23, 2012, 01:59:24 PM

Just every day schmucks going crazy and shooting up random establishments? Again, we appear to see that more nowadays, but I don't know how much of that is due to media exposure, or how much of that is due to an increase in these crimes.

Aside from that, why would massacres committed today be due to a generational issue, but massacres committed a few generations ago are not? Serial killers from the 1970's are somehow less crazy or less repulsive than those today?

I just don't get the blame being put on a generation when this type of thing has occurred multiple times in the United States over the past century. Mass murder of defenseless citizens in a public place is not a new fad being touted by MTV.

I agree the media sensationalizes it (like they do everything else), but its more random now and they are starting younger. And it just isn't limited to killers, it's just society as a whole. There are way too many kids and young adults in this country that haven't gotten their asses kicked enough. A lot of children of that hippie generation too. They are the same little league parents today that start fights at games now in their late 30's to mid 40's. These parents learned from the best to be shallow jerk offs who could do and say anything they want when not satisfied without consequence.

Seriously, caning with bamboo. Hangings. Firing squads.

Townhallsavoy · « **Reply #15 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:14:36 PM »

Quote from: GH2001 on July 23, 2012, 02:04:56 PM

I agree the media sensationalizes it (like they do everything else), but its more random now and they are starting younger. And it just isn't limited to killers, it's just society as a whole. There are way too many kids and young adults in this country that haven't gotten their asses kicked enough. A lot of children of that hippie generation too. They are the same little league parents today that start fights at games now in their late 30's to mid 40's. These parents learned from the best to be shallow jerk offs who could do and say anything they want when not satisfied without consequence.

Seriously, caning with bamboo. Hangings. Firing squads.

Can you name a generation that had an adequate amount of kids who got their asses kicked?

Vandy Vol · « **Reply #16 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:21:52 PM »

Quote from: GH2001 on July 23, 2012, 02:04:56 PM

I agree the media sensationalizes it (like they do everything else), but its more random now and they are starting younger. And it just isn't limited to killers, it's just society as a whole. There are way too many kids and young adults in this country that haven't gotten their asses kicked enough. A lot of children of that hippie generation too. They are the same little league parents today that start fights at games now in their late 30's to mid 40's. These parents learned from the best to be shallow jerk offs who could do and say anything they want when not satisfied without consequence.

There's a bit of a leap there; I think there is a huge difference between someone starting fights and someone plotting to murder a room full of complete strangers.

One may be very well due to a generational issue, but the other is clearly related to a mental issue. No amount of ass beatings as a child is going to fix crazy.

Saniflush · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:31:58 PM »

Quote from: Vandy Vol on July 23, 2012, 02:21:52 PM

There's a bit of a leap there; I think there is a huge difference between someone starting fights and someone plotting to murder a room full of complete strangers.

One may be very well due to a generational issue, but the other is clearly related to a mental issue. No amount of ass beatings as a child is going to fix crazy.

I know plenty of motherfuckers that qualify on a diagnosable crazy scale but they learned established limits by ass beatings.

Vandy Vol · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2012, 02:39:40 PM »

Quote from: Saniflush on July 23, 2012, 02:31:58 PM

I know plenty of motherfuckers that qualify on a diagnosable crazy scale but they learned established limits by ass beatings.

GH2001 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2012, 03:24:54 PM »

Quote from: Vandy Vol on July 23, 2012, 02:21:52 PM

There's a bit of a leap there; I think there is a huge difference between someone starting fights and someone plotting to murder a room full of complete strangers.

One may be very well due to a generational issue, but the other is clearly related to a mental issue. No amount of ass beatings as a child is going to fix crazy.

It all goes back to people being desensitized to another's life or consequences of actions. I believe mental issues can be formed over time by dysfunctional behavoir.

THS - yes. Any generation before the current got more. You can stand in any generation the last 50-60 years and make that statement. If you deny we are more in a nanny state mentality now than ever, you are delusional. Did you not agree with the commencement speech from the English teacher in Ohio? he was dead on. And everything he said is true. All goes back to the general concept of the value of things and consequences of actions. That shit is getting worse every ten years and has been since around the mid 60's.