* Let me state that I realize the oxymoron/paradoxical nature of this blog. I do not mean to promote what I am opposing. I just want to make a point, but in this certain situation, by making a point, I am partially doing what I object too.
Yesterday there was a mall shooting in Omaha. The shooter was a 19 year old male who had serious mental issues. I only watched about 10 minutes of the coverage that the morning shows were giving the event. A piece that I did see mentioned the suicide note the shooter left. In the letter he mentioned something about how his actions will make him famous. I think he should have written infamous, but that isn't my point.
Let's think about this. The shooter wanted to be famous, seeing no other way, he selfishly took the lives of innocent people and injured several others. He knew that his actions would send the media into a whirlwind of coverage about him and his life. Bam, he got what he wanted. The whole nation focused on him. This makes me think.
If the media didn't offer such "in depth" coverage of shooters who do acts of destruction similar to the mall shooting, would he have chosen to act this way to become "famous?" Why do we give shooters (school shootings, mall shootings, hostage holders, etc) so much power by putting their actions/words/thoughts/family on television? Aren't we merely playing into their game. They get what they wanted, publicity. Often times, they kill themselves to "insure" their names become "famous."
I am not saying that the media shouldn't care about the innocent bystanders, but do we really need to focus 2 hours of our morning shows on the shooter and their background? Why does the news focus on such bad situations? I know that in our day and age, the world is full of bad situations, I just wish the media coverage tried to balance the good with the bad. I know several parents who don't let their children watch the news because the coverage of such bad things gives their children nightmares. Case and point, I have a niece that once watched and interview of Elizabeth Smart (after she was home and safe) and since then she has been terrified that someone will break into their house and take her. This terrified her to the point that she would no longer sleep in her basement room. She now sleeps up stairs with her two sisters.
Why do we play into their game? I realize this blog post is giving the shooter "power" but I just wanted to throw my thoughts out there.
2 comments:
I would venture its because it sells. The media does not do anything that is not motivated by ratings.
Now, the reason that it sells...
Many, many people in this nation have no purpose to their lives; no reason for being, beyond pleasure. Because of this, their lives are stale and boring. Because their lives are stale and boring (work all week and party all weekend, wash, rinse and repeat), the seek to gain vicarious thrills through television (think of the number of "reality" shows on now).
So its because people are unfulfilled and purposeless that this kind of mental and emotional "junk food" is so popular.
My $.02
Todd, I agree. Well put.
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