Violent death

[Jessa]

It seems that yet again, someone is circulating a video clip of some Iraqi rebel getting blown to bits. The first time ones of these went around, I got conned into watching it. Most of the vids that get posted to the other messageboards I read are funny, harmless things. Thank goodness, the vid I saw was poor quality, and in nightvision, so you didn't actually get a good look at the gore.

What the hell is wrong with people? Even assuming the people dieing in these vids are really, truely awful people that deserve to die, they are still human. Getting off on watching thier violent deaths is completely barberic and senseless. What really gets me is not that some jerkoffs are passing this crap around. There are calous people who are into the shock value, or maybe even the sadism of it. I know that. What really gets me is what a large percentage of readers not only watch it, but claim to enjoy and want more.

[Dedeley]

I think the answer to your question is right in your original post - we are human. While there are those of us who are sickened by seeing things like that, there is also the type of person that somehow gets off on watching. Same reason for violent movies, video games, gossipy supermarket newspapers, and Girls Gone Wild videos. There is always a segment of the population out there that enjoys things like that.

I think your question brings up a very important issue, though. When is something too much, and when do we take action against it? And how do we do that without resorting to censorship?

[Jessa]

I enjoy many violent movies, and play violent shooter video games. The more rediculous blood splatter in the game, the better. Its fun, only because it is fantasy. No real people are being harmed.

To enjoy watching genuine violence like that seems, to me, that the viewer no longer counts the victem as a real person. To be able to just dehumanize someone like that is somewhat frightening. Also, most of these clips don't have any reliable information as to the source. For all we know, the scene played out might involve friendly fire, civilian death, or might not even be taking place in Iraq. The only certainty of it is the violence.

I'd draw the line of "too much" at the point at which real people or animals are being hurt. Many of us do have violent and competitive instinct. Indugling that in a fantasy setting - like SCA sword play or violent video games - is a harmless outlet. The critical difference is when you no longer place a value upon life.

People must be instilled with morality and civility. The least civilized person will count only himself as important. Next, s/he will count thier closest relations, and still be willing to kill anyone else. A fully civilized person, by definition, is one who can value a person without reguard to their family or nationality.

[Eric McTavish]

the problem is human nature... the same thing that causes people to slow an look at car accidents or wont allow you to look away from an accident happening, it's a small animalistic portion of your brain storing that information to learn from others experiences (we don’t need this portion of our psyche any longer however we all still have it to some degree.)

[Lady Laurel]

I think it is truly horrible. I lived in Dharan Saudie Arabia a few years ago. They just love thier beheading and if a American just happens to be in the market place they push them up to the front.
I am sorry I think they should never publish such cruelty and horror.

[biker]

II am sorry I think they should never publish such cruelty and horror.

what you are looking at is part of a terrorist plan though. got you scared didnt it? Guess that part of their plan worked.

Some of the footage you may view is actually stuff taken from the military planes ets, not really meaning to be sent to the general public, but like all stuff that's not classified it gets out.

[Lady Laurel]

Yes it certainly does terrify me. I was 5 miles away from the barracks when Kobar was attacked. We were getting death threats every day at our compound. Yes I was and am still afraid, it is human nature. What I am more afraid off is they will never stop and we will never defeat them.

[biker]

"What I am more afraid off is they will never stop and we will never defeat them.

correct they won't stop and we won't defeat them. We are trying to get something to stop that has gone on for many years, AND we are trying to fight a battle using the wrong tactics.

The military needs to reopen Gen. "Black Jack" Pershing's book of tricks again.

sorry about the threadjack.

[Psyche]

I think it is sad that people are desensitized to it. I know I am. I have seen so many clips online and on television that they do not even effect me anymore. And that desensitivity translates into the real world where things that happen right in front of the desensitized do not even really get a response.

It is worse for the children... When you hear a child say "Oh, that's nice. I have seen worse", it puts a cold chill into ones soul...