Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Copycat Hanging

Hmmph. File this one under “my how things have changed since the olden days.” Probably most of us can recall at some point when we were young and gave it our best effort to copy some action or actions that we had seen a parent or other admired adult-figure do. That’s part of growing up, isn’t it? And, that’s how you learn some of the lessons that prepare you for life.

Granted, back in those days there were no video games, the extent of the violence I can recall from television was purely “G” rated “slapstick” and likely done on a Monkee’s episode or on Gilligan’s Island; I cannot recall a single episode of Lassie that contained any violence, slapstick or otherwise [some injury or sadness, perhaps, but not violence]. No one had a computer in their home, the
Internet was an infant, and certainly You Tube wasn’t even a remote idea.

Who would have thought, that several years [decades!?!] later, the combination of home computers, the Internet and You Tube would produce a generation of copycats that try their own version of stunts they first see on
Jackass or that a 12-year old would hang himself to copy Saddam Hussein? This boy is not the first; according to today’s article in Arab News, FOUR youngsters have successfully demonstrated expert plagiarism skills, if that was their intent.

Copying test answers or the dust-jacket of a book for a book report,
without getting caught, would have been more than adequate. Not to make light of the fact that three young boys and a teenaged girl have met their demise, it is just sad that the degree of violence saturated in today’s world of video games, television programs and movies, and the internet has hardened us in such a way that our reaction to an incident of this nature is “Oh, gee, isn’t that too bad.”

7 comments:

  1. I harp on these them ad nauseum but our young are being raised without the ability to think things through to the conseqeuences. Couple that with the mindless violence of video games and films and the insane worship of "gansta" rappers, and this is the next step in the progression.

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  2. oh the sadness...

    of course, who are they going to blame?

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  3. Oh, HNAV, way, way too obvious. They are going to blame the same person they always blame. I feel sorry for him, actually. Did you see him yesterday? Sad. I wonder what it's like to be the 9th most hated person in the world. He can come here for coffee anytime. He just needs someone to discuss "life" with and for a "normal," "real" person to tell him he's doing a FINE job!!! Thanks so much for stopping by, HNAV!

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  4. How does one makes such an inane blame leap? (forgive the pun)
    It would appear totally obvious to anyone with half a brain cell working, that in a culture that worships death through violent means, children endoctrinated in babyhood by wild twisted clerics and hate-filled school primers would certainly try to gain the love and admiration of their elders. Dubious as this is, children the world over think they are immortal and invulnerable, they just do not get that dead is DEAD. Remember the superman capped-kid who jumped off his house roof? Same logic, other heroes; this totally sucks!

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  5. Our President has many more supporters and people praying for him than the mainstream 5th columnists are ever going to admit. He derives his unbelievable strength and resolve from his abiding faith and the unwavering love of his wife, children and family.

    We are blessed to have this good man as our President.

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  6. OK, I know I should be sad, but they seem like candidates for the Darwin Awards to me!

    Who's the 9th most hated person in the world??

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  7. Looks like a candidate for the Darwin awards to me

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