Media Gives Mass Murderer His Dying Wish

[kurto]

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"Do you honestly think there is some guy out there who would be the type to go on a murderous rampage, but would refrain from doing so if NBC had not aired this guys' video?"

Not sure. But there may be someone out there who would if NBC does air the video. TV news is still a bigger deal than internet websites.

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I think that's unlikely. If someone's going to go on a rampage, its going to have very little to do with NBC or this guy.

[Vagos]

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I'm ok with NBC airing the tapes. The reason is that they are newsworthy. The whole country is asking "Why?" and this guy gives us the answer. I don't like the analogy to running onto the field because that isn't newsworthy and is a clearer case of attention whoring than whatever drove this guy.

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I think I actually agree with Iron on something [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

I hear what Borodog is saying but it all comes down to the fact that we're talking about the BIGGEST mass shooting in the history of the country. Like goodsamaritan said, the guy is gonna be famous no matter what. And for him to have made a video of his mindset and motives just minutes before the actual rampage occured is something that no news organization is going to refrain from airing.

I think maybe they could have waited a few more weeks, out of respect for the victims, their families and the fact that this tragedy is only 3 days old. But that being said, this is a huge event and the kid knew these videos would get out somehow, at some point. And any copycat knows the same.

[Steve00007]

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What do you suggest they do instead of running the incredibly news-worthy tapes of a killer preparing to go on the biggest killing spree in US history--show photos of a cute bunny rabbit?


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Show photos of him dead after he shot himself. It would be bloody and sick to look at, but it might discourage copycats from doing something similar.

[Steve00007]

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I'm ok with NBC airing the tapes. The reason is that they are newsworthy. The whole country is asking "Why?" and this guy gives us the answer. I don't like the analogy to running onto the field because that isn't newsworthy and is a clearer case of attention whoring than whatever drove this guy.

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I think I actually agree with Iron on something [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

I hear what Borodog is saying but it all comes down to the fact that we're talking about the BIGGEST mass shooting in the history of the country. Like goodsamaritan said, the guy is gonna be famous no matter what. And for him to have made a video of his mindset and motives just minutes before the actual rampage occured is something that no news organization is going to refrain from airing.

I think maybe they could have waited a few more weeks, out of respect for the victims, their families and the fact that this tragedy is only 3 days old. But that being said, this is a huge event and the kid knew these videos would get out somehow, at some point. And any copycat knows the same.

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While he would be famous anyway, showing the tapes and pictures have made him even more famous than he would have been if they hadn't been shown.

I don't know how many copycats there will be as a result of this. However, if this just results in one more copycat, even that could be a disaster. As the shootings at VT showed, even just one guy can kill over 30 people.

[Nielsio]

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The way the media is exploding the notoriety and infamy of this psychopath is revolting. They are giving him exactly what he wanted, and in my opinion by doing so they are greatly increasing the chances of copycats.

And no, I will not provide a link to the pictures or video. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

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The media are the drum beaters of the state.

[Kaj]

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The way the media is exploding the notoriety and infamy of this psychopath is revolting. They are giving him exactly what he wanted, and in my opinion by doing so they are greatly increasing the chances of copycats.

And no, I will not provide a link to the pictures or video. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

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And let's stop making movies about the Holocaust too.

[GMontag]

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How can the media be exploiting anything - aren't they simply providing their consumers what they want in the market? I thought there was no such thing as an "incorrect outcome" in the market?

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Nice anti-AC hijack btw... This thread isn't at all about capitalism, but you just had to go and turn it into that, didn't you?

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The irony in this post is amazing.

[hmkpoker]

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How can the media be exploiting anything - aren't they simply providing their consumers what they want in the market? I thought there was no such thing as an "incorrect outcome" in the market?

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Who said they were "exploiting anything"? Who said it was an objectively "incorrect outcome"? Am I not free to say that Macy Gray sucks just because she sells a lot of albums? Am I not free to criticize the choices made by a private business just because I believe in free markets?

Or is this just a chance for you to make a snarky remark?

Also, welcome to last year.

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I agree that this is one of the worst things about the free market. There is a line between aggression and free speech, and that line is marketing. Obviously freedom of speech only goes so far before you are actually harming someone; if I went out and started shouting mean things at someone passing by on the street with a megaphone, most libertarians would agree that that's aggression.

Marketing is disturbingly similar, albeit to a lesser degree. Sellers play mind games with their consumers all the time, and commit aggression against them in very, very subtle ways to make them buy their product. They aim to make women feel fat and ugly if they don't buy this shampoo, and make men feel inadequate and unsuccessful if they don't have the right car. And very often, it works.

I think the best thing we can do is to understand and teach people how marketing works, and try to instill a real, practical set of values so that people aren't constantly being led to feel inadequate when they walk by Calvin Klein ads.

Is marketing aggressive? Maybe. It's a very grey area. However, I think giving consumers the tools to protect their own psychic well-being is much, much better than stopping marketing, which will just result in a massive infringement of free speech.

[AlexM]

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How can the media be exploiting anything - aren't they simply providing their consumers what they want in the market? I thought there was no such thing as an "incorrect outcome" in the market?

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Nice anti-AC hijack btw... This thread isn't at all about capitalism, but you just had to go and turn it into that, didn't you?

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The irony in this post is amazing.

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Not really, no.

[stormstarter28]

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"Do you honestly think there is some guy out there who would be the type to go on a murderous rampage, but would refrain from doing so if NBC had not aired this guys' video?"

Not sure. But there may be someone out there who would if NBC does air the video. TV news is still a bigger deal than internet websites.

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I think that's unlikely. If someone's going to go on a rampage, its going to have very little to do with NBC or this guy.

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I disagree. I can see why a psychopath would have the desire to kill people, see the videos of Cho (who basically encourages others to do the same), and decide to go through with it because he found the Cho's message encouraging.

That being said, I still think NBC was right in showing the video; it's their TV program; who are we to say they shouldn't?