Are people desensitized to death/suffering these days?

[Arkitech]

We live in a time where we have access to a tremendous amount of information and various forms of media. A lot of the media available has a remarkable amount of situations dealing with gratuitous violence. Books, movies, music, video games, comics and even the news feature a lot of content dealing with death and violence. As a result I think a lot of people are so desensitized to death, pain and suffering that it's no big deal to hear about the loss of human life. In fact for some it's funny or a form of entertainment. If you can find humor in the suicide of a 15 year old girl or if you get kicks out of posting autopsy pics of underage females how much of a stretch is it before you find yourself justifying taking the life of another person for reasons beyond self defense.

Then there's the endless fascination with guns and martial arts/fighting. What does it say about our society (or possibly human nature) when people find joy about owning and using instruments that are created for the sole purpose of ending the life or maiming other living beings? I realize that we live in a world where we need to protect ourselves from criminals and predators, but why would you find pleasure in owning death dealing devices? I can't count the number of YAGT posts and how many posters here have an unusually fascination with owning and wanting to use firearms.

It seems to me that in 2012 and the years to come we are seeing an all time high in a lack of respect for life and compassion for other people we share this planet with.

 

[dighn]

I think people are just desensitized to hearing about such things. if they witnessed or were involved in such things in real life, they'd still feel shock.

as for the guns... here we go again...

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I think people being bleeding heart tree huggers will be far more detrimental to our society on the world stage then someone enjoying gun ownership.

I don't own any guns.

 

[Arkitech]

I think people being bleeding heart tree huggers will be far more detrimental to our society on the world stage then someone enjoying gun ownership.

I don't own any guns.

You're quite the character, are'nt you?

 

[AMCRambler]

Judging by the amount of necro threads on here lately, yes.

 

[RelaxTheMind]

the internet is all a battle of wit, shock value, and epeens... unfortunately, people are so impressionable that it carries over to real life.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I'm being totally serious. Our country as a whole is going down the tubes because each generation becomes more and more reliant on others to do things for them. It's nice that every kid gets a trophy, but it doesn't prepare them for reality.

 

[Arkitech]

the internet is all a battle of wit, shock value, and epeens... unfortunately, people are so impressionable that it carries over to real life.

The internet gives people the opportunity to express their true opinions without fear of backlash since they can do so anonymously. And sadly many people's opinions are down right callous.

 

[Arkitech]

I'm being totally serious. Our country as a whole is going down the tubes because each generation becomes more and more reliant on others to do things for them. It's nice that every kid gets a trophy, but it doesn't prepare them for reality.

This thread has nothing to do with personal achievements and merit. I fail to understand why you even thought that had anything to do with the topic at hand.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I won't try and explain and derail your thread further. Enjoy the discussion.

 

[SheHateMe]

You don't like looking at pictures of dead people? :sneaky:

Also, why do I have to be sensitive about the death of some slutty girl I didn't know? Everyone is all head over heels for Amanda Todd when there are kids out there that were actually innocent and either killed themselves or we're murdered.

I just don't have sympathy for a 15 year old girl that slept with tons of guys at each school she went to, masturbated, stripped, and whatever else on cam for guys, and was starving for attention.

Ask me about an innocent child that never wronged anybody and had their life taken...ask me to care then.

 

[ManBearPig]

Dude, as far as guns at least, that's an awfully shortsighted view. Have you ever shot a gun at a range? It's a ton of fun. I like guns but I'm probably the most non-violent person ever lol.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Yes. Nobody used or owned guns 100 years ago. The world wars are figments of our imaginations, as are lynchings and genocide. Yes, the world is much more violent today. Everyone knows this.

You don't like looking at pictures of dead people? :sneaky:

Also, why do I have to be sensitive about the death of some slutty girl I didn't know? Everyone is all head over heels for Amanda Todd when there are kids out there that were actually innocent and either killed themselves or we're murdered.

I just don't have sympathy for a 15 year old girl that slept with tons of guys at each school she went to, masturbated, stripped, and whatever else on cam for guys, and was starving for attention.

Ask me about an innocent child that never wronged anybody and had their life taken...ask me to care then.

Who did she wrong? Answer: nobody and you're just resentful.

 

[Newbian]

Who did she wrong? Answer: nobody and you're just resentful.

As more and more of the story comes out it sounds like she was trying to become another internet celebrity and couldn't handle the negative attention instead of stopping the first few times.

 

[Wheezer]

Are people desensitized to death/suffering these days?

No.

It just seems that way since we have the ability get information almost instantaneously 24/7 at our finger tips. People forget about history. For instance, there was a time when people would pack picnic lunches and make a day out of public hangings. Public execution always seemed to draw a crowd. How desensitized do you have to be to decide to pack the kids up with lunch and go watch someone swing from the gallows?

Public executions always drew crowds. Sometimes into the tens of thousands.

Not only does that indicate being desensitized to a certain degree but it also shows a certain toughness in a society that we have lost.

The question is have we become desensitized to violence or just more pussified as a society?

 

[BladeVenom]

Violent crime has been decreasing for the last 20 years in this country. I blame first person shooters.

Complaining about the decline of society has been going on since ancient Greece.

 

[Texashiker]

Are people desensitized to death/suffering these days?

No, I do not think so.

Have you ever walked through a graveyard? Did you look at the birth and death dates?

Go back 100 years in a graveyard, look at how many children died.

 

[alkemyst]

I think people are just desensitized to hearing about such things. if they witnessed or were involved in such things in real life, they'd still feel shock.

as for the guns... here we go again...

QFT...people play the parts, but when they see the things in real life they almost always react different and usually that's quite opposite the person they think they are.

Seeing someone's guts is much much different than being asked to help hold those same guts in.

 

[Cutterhead]

We all feed on tragedy, it's like blood to a vampire.

 

[mizzou]

We are desensitized to violence. I don't know about death, I think everyone still pretty much fears death the same if not more then we have in the past.

 

[z1ggy]

The world is just as violent as it's always been. It's just more readily viewable to regular people like us, because of TV, radio, internet, etc.

Back in the day, you fought a war with swords, knives, axes, etc. You had to hack a person to death instead of just pulling a trigger like you can now. Anybody today who would be forced to kill like that would be just as affected I think.

 

[amdhunter]

I think people are just desensitized to hearing about such things. if they witnessed or were involved in such things in real life, they'd still feel shock.

as for the guns... here we go again...

I've seen 4 dead bodies this year, two directly out my window. First thought in my head? Good for him.

Does that mean I'm desensitized?

 

[purbeast0]

We live in a time where we have access to a tremendous amount of information and various forms of media. A lot of the media available has a remarkable amount of situations dealing with gratuitous violence. Books, movies, music, video games, comics and even the news feature a lot of content dealing with death and violence. As a result I think a lot of people are so desensitized to death, pain and suffering that it's no big deal to hear about the loss of human life. In fact for some it's funny or a form of entertainment. If you can find humor in the suicide of a 15 year old girl or if you get kicks out of posting autopsy pics of underage females how much of a stretch is it before you find yourself justifying taking the life of another person for reasons beyond self defense.

Then there's the endless fascination with guns and martial arts/fighting. What does it say about our society (or possibly human nature) when people find joy about owning and using instruments that are created for the sole purpose of ending the life or maiming other living beings? I realize that we live in a world where we need to protect ourselves from criminals and predators, but why would you find pleasure in owning death dealing devices? I can't count the number of YAGT posts and how many posters here have an unusually fascination with owning and wanting to use firearms.

It seems to me that in 2012 and the years to come we are seeing an all time high in a lack of respect for life and compassion for other people we share this planet with.

that is one of the dumbest conclusions i've ever seen drawn on this forum.

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

The sole purpose of a gun is not to maim or kill. Correct me if I am wrong but don't we have an Olympics rifle team? Yeah, thought so. Last time I checked they were shooting for accuracy on a target, not at someone or some animal.

Do a little research.You will see guns used in history for things other than violence.

 

[Iron Woode]

that is one of the dumbest conclusions i've ever seen drawn on this forum.

what did you expect?

this is an obvious troll thread.

Back to the topic at hand:

I, for one, am sick of this public, group mourning that has been going on for the last 10 years or so. It just screams of 'hey look at me, something bad happened to our family and you need to care about it too and if you don't you will be mocked or shamed into it'.

This annoys me so much.