As many of you may already know, a few months ago a 13 year old girl committed suicide because of a fake myspace that one of her ex friends had made. This old friend had created a fake page, pretending to be a boy that was interested in her. This "boy" then told her that he didn't want to be friends with her because she wasn't nice to her friends, then started calling her things like a slut and fat. The girl took this to heart and ended her life.
The girl that made this fake myspace was assisted by her mother. So, basically, this woman helped her daughter bully another girl so badly she killed herself.
The news just said today that this mother has had her charges dropped and conviction removed.
I cannot explain how infuriating this is.
A full grown woman succumbed to middle school drama, created a fake myspace, and got another girl, her neighbor, killed.
If you look at their terms of service (which very few people do) it even talks about things like this.
"This Terms of Use Agreement...constitutes legally binding terms and applies to your use of the MySpace Services."
"The following are examples of the kind of Content that is illegal or prohibited to post on, through or in connection with the MySpace Services. MySpace reserves the right to investigate and take appropriate legal action against anyone who, in MySpace's sole discretion, violates this provision, including, without limitation, removing the offending Content from the MySpace Services, terminating the Membership of such violators and/or reporting such Content or activities to law enforcement authorities. Prohibited Content includes, but is not limited to, Content that, in the sole discretion of MySpace:
8.1 is patently offensive or promotes or otherwise incites racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual;
8.2 harasses or advocates harassment of another person;...
...8.7 constitutes or promotes information that you know is false or misleading or promotes illegal activities or conduct that is abusive, threatening, obscene, defamatory or libelous;... "
Telling someone that they are worthless and that people hate them until they kill themselves should definitely be considered harassment.
You can read both of the articles, the one discribing her death, and the most recent one, by clicking on the links above.
Showing posts with label suicide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suicide. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
We Only Come Out At Night
If you haven't noticed yet, I have a slight problem with the media and the way it portrays things. The media has a habit of either warping things to seem really bad, or making really bad things seem like they're okay. Either that or they publicize something to the point of where it is dangerous. [See "Wasn't That A Stardust Fantasy", "Teen Commits Suicide Live On Webcam" or "Though I Did Love Who Wants To Be A Superhero" ]
More and more recently the media has been publicizing certain kinds of people that have been glamorized into being seen as "cool". My first example is pirates.
Since Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean, pirates have been views as cool, funny and even sexy. People want to be pirates, people want to dress like pirates, people think that pirates are these wonderful, glamorous things. In reality, pirates are just thieves, murderers, rapists and generally criminals. They were outlaws that killed people and stole their things, raped women, burned down buildings and many other acts of violence. If someone were doing that today, they would not be viewed as a hero, they would not be viewed as funny, and they would not be viewed as glamorous. Granted we really don't see people sailing around and acting like pirates anymore, but the fact that they are viewed as something cool is really just damaging.
The next, and probably more extreme example, is vampires.
Vampires, as according to myth, are the spirits of people that either: 1. Committed suicide; 2. Were murdered and want revenge. Granted that there are several other myths, I'm going to generally stick to the "evil spirits wanting revenge" one for now. There are so far no real "positive" reasons why vampires would exist. Aside from that, vampires are scary things. They're meant to be scary. They go and kill people, drain them of their life and energy, and are generally very dark. Vampires have been given the image of sexy and seductive, which is more or less true based on the 'forbidden' factor, also their hypnotism, but the fact that they are now seen as "good" things, is really a horrible misconception. Vampires are not teen heartthrobs, nor are they happy and friendly creatures that want to be "bffz" with everyone.
To make matters worse, we have vampire people coming out in the open. Not only are they coming out in the open, they're killing other people. The publicity of vampires and vampirism is making it seem like being a 'vampire' is cool. I'm not going to get into full detail about the subject, but the idea of it is frightening. People are coming out and acting like vampires, and killing other people.
I really must pin a lot of this on the media of today. Between the news and entertainment, we're fueling people's minds with violent ideas and letting them think its okay. So, if you just so happen to be reading this, I challenge you to go look at the news and find something positive that has happened recently. And I don't mean "Man Saves Dog With Broken Leg" or "Kid Sells 5000 Boxes Of Cookies". Just try it.
More and more recently the media has been publicizing certain kinds of people that have been glamorized into being seen as "cool". My first example is pirates.
Since Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean, pirates have been views as cool, funny and even sexy. People want to be pirates, people want to dress like pirates, people think that pirates are these wonderful, glamorous things. In reality, pirates are just thieves, murderers, rapists and generally criminals. They were outlaws that killed people and stole their things, raped women, burned down buildings and many other acts of violence. If someone were doing that today, they would not be viewed as a hero, they would not be viewed as funny, and they would not be viewed as glamorous. Granted we really don't see people sailing around and acting like pirates anymore, but the fact that they are viewed as something cool is really just damaging.
The next, and probably more extreme example, is vampires.
Vampires, as according to myth, are the spirits of people that either: 1. Committed suicide; 2. Were murdered and want revenge. Granted that there are several other myths, I'm going to generally stick to the "evil spirits wanting revenge" one for now. There are so far no real "positive" reasons why vampires would exist. Aside from that, vampires are scary things. They're meant to be scary. They go and kill people, drain them of their life and energy, and are generally very dark. Vampires have been given the image of sexy and seductive, which is more or less true based on the 'forbidden' factor, also their hypnotism, but the fact that they are now seen as "good" things, is really a horrible misconception. Vampires are not teen heartthrobs, nor are they happy and friendly creatures that want to be "bffz" with everyone.
To make matters worse, we have vampire people coming out in the open. Not only are they coming out in the open, they're killing other people. The publicity of vampires and vampirism is making it seem like being a 'vampire' is cool. I'm not going to get into full detail about the subject, but the idea of it is frightening. People are coming out and acting like vampires, and killing other people.
I really must pin a lot of this on the media of today. Between the news and entertainment, we're fueling people's minds with violent ideas and letting them think its okay. So, if you just so happen to be reading this, I challenge you to go look at the news and find something positive that has happened recently. And I don't mean "Man Saves Dog With Broken Leg" or "Kid Sells 5000 Boxes Of Cookies". Just try it.
Friday, December 26, 2008
"Wasn't That A Stardust Fantasy?"
Again, with the Little Miss Sunshin-ery.I forgot about the actual beauty pageant part of the movie, and how they have actual pageant girls.
Can I just mention how absolutely horrifying pageant girls are?
The ones that are six or seven years old and they have more makeup on than a drag queen.
The fact that these parents dress up their little kids like rodeo-princess Barbie and make them sing and dance and brainwash them into thinking that what they're doing is truly what they want to do is sickening. Being told from that young of an age that they need to wear make-up, they need to be skinny, they need to look perfect and beautiful and that they need to win. What miserable life are they going to have to live because of their mothers what want their daughters to be something they could never be. What kind of irresponsible parent would try to live vicariously through their child? They couldn't achieve their own goals, so they push their children to live an unhealthy lifestyle. It makes me truly and honestly ill. People wonder why anorexia, bulimia, intentional self mutilation syndrome, depression and anxiety and suicide are so common. It is because of things like this:
"To be a total package child, you must make sure ever part of your look is prefect."
They are expected to be a "total package child" and live up to impossible standards. Each one trying to "out-pretty" the other, because that is what their parents want them to do. It is so unnatural for a child to act the way they have to act and dress the way they have to dress. Turns out that aliens really do exist.
"Everbody just...pretened to be normal, okay? Like everything is normal here."
The suicidal gay uncle, the heroin addict grandfather, the over-achieving father, the mute son, the daughter that just wants to please, and the mother that tries to cope with it all.These are all extremes, but really every family is like the main characters of Little Miss Sunshine.
I continue to think about this as I watch the movie. Every one's family is so crazy, but so normal at the same time. Every family has problems, every family has a slightly unhinged member, every family goes on some kind of whirlwind adventure at one pointt or another. Its really very interesting to think about it. Not every family has a gay suicidal uncle that is depressed yet scholarly, but they still have the family member that will desperately need some kind of help but is no longer trusted. Everyone may not directly have that mute son, but there is still the family member that wants nothing more than to get as far away from everyone as possible. Every family has someone that has an addiction, or a problem, but they still want the best for everyone else. But everyone does not have heroin addict grandpa. As I watch this movie, I think about how despite the dramatization, the Hoover family is just like every other family. Just as crazy, just as disheveled,just as problematic.
The only difference is that every family doesn't have a yellow Volkswagen bus.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Mall/Maul
I've been to the mall twice today, buying nothing either time. Wait, no. I actually bought food both times. Anyway.
While walking by HotTopic, I felt the need to stop and stare at the store from across the mall. That used to be the place to be. That was where it's at. At least amongst all the "alternative" kids. But that then go me to thinking.
It started with all the 80's Guns N Roses, Billy Idol, Poison, stuff. It didn't do too well at first, but it got there. The kids that originally went there were all the industrial goth kids that followed Marilyn Mason like he was some holy prophet, or Nine Inch Nails. Either, or.
And of course, anything the goth kids do, the punk kids have to do, but in their own way.
Or something. So you have the two of them doing whatever, then onto the grunge kids that didn't wash for weeks on end. And it was all good.
Then something happened.
Somewhere between the death of emotive-hardcore and the birth of post-hardcore, the mall goths began to rise in the early 2000's. Slipknot, Korn, etc. And there was nothing wrong with this, until the constant message of death and self hate was being taken from the music.
Im not saying that the message of death and self hate is what the music was trying to communicate, but that was the way it was taken. That then began to morph into what would now be called "emo". Taking the term out of context and using it as something entirely redundant, describing an incorrect genre of music along with a kind of person. Now, mid 2000's the "emo" kids began to show up, further glorifying the idea of death. Not the idea of killing or hurting others, but the idea of killing and hurting one's self. Suicide and self mutilation became a trend. It became cool. Agony, depression and self loathing was a common theme. Within four years, the trend then evolved into what is no known as "scene". Basically the same style as "emo" (though dwelling a bit more on being elitists) but instead of cutting themselves with razors, they cut themselves with credit cards.* Just as the industrial goths followed NIN, the scene kids follow Jeffree Star, who really is just a pink-powdered, ultra-femme, sparkles and frosting covered version of Marilyn Manson.
I suppose that it is simply natural for older generations to fear for the younger, but honestly I do a lot more than just fear for the generation after me. A low price has already been put on life by my generation and the one before, and it seems to be rapidly going downhill. I am terrified to know what the next "trend" is. The next "cool" "hip" thing. I really am afraid to know what is going to happen next and what horrific fashion will appear in the next two years among those "alternative" kids and among the "scene". We will all find out sooner to later. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. All we can do is hope for the best.
*thanks to Jenny's friend Ian
While walking by HotTopic, I felt the need to stop and stare at the store from across the mall. That used to be the place to be. That was where it's at. At least amongst all the "alternative" kids. But that then go me to thinking.
It started with all the 80's Guns N Roses, Billy Idol, Poison, stuff. It didn't do too well at first, but it got there. The kids that originally went there were all the industrial goth kids that followed Marilyn Mason like he was some holy prophet, or Nine Inch Nails. Either, or.
And of course, anything the goth kids do, the punk kids have to do, but in their own way.
Or something. So you have the two of them doing whatever, then onto the grunge kids that didn't wash for weeks on end. And it was all good.
Then something happened.
Somewhere between the death of emotive-hardcore and the birth of post-hardcore, the mall goths began to rise in the early 2000's. Slipknot, Korn, etc. And there was nothing wrong with this, until the constant message of death and self hate was being taken from the music.
Im not saying that the message of death and self hate is what the music was trying to communicate, but that was the way it was taken. That then began to morph into what would now be called "emo". Taking the term out of context and using it as something entirely redundant, describing an incorrect genre of music along with a kind of person. Now, mid 2000's the "emo" kids began to show up, further glorifying the idea of death. Not the idea of killing or hurting others, but the idea of killing and hurting one's self. Suicide and self mutilation became a trend. It became cool. Agony, depression and self loathing was a common theme. Within four years, the trend then evolved into what is no known as "scene". Basically the same style as "emo" (though dwelling a bit more on being elitists) but instead of cutting themselves with razors, they cut themselves with credit cards.* Just as the industrial goths followed NIN, the scene kids follow Jeffree Star, who really is just a pink-powdered, ultra-femme, sparkles and frosting covered version of Marilyn Manson.
I suppose that it is simply natural for older generations to fear for the younger, but honestly I do a lot more than just fear for the generation after me. A low price has already been put on life by my generation and the one before, and it seems to be rapidly going downhill. I am terrified to know what the next "trend" is. The next "cool" "hip" thing. I really am afraid to know what is going to happen next and what horrific fashion will appear in the next two years among those "alternative" kids and among the "scene". We will all find out sooner to later. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. All we can do is hope for the best.
*thanks to Jenny's friend Ian
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Teen Commits Suicide Live On Webcam
This was the first news update to catch my eye. A kid, a little bit older than myself, took a lethal dose of medication and killed himself on a website called Justintv.com. Apparently it's a bodybuilding site. He had been blogging about his thoughts of suicide for hours before. This particular article struck me, for some reason. Maybe because it mentioned the word "teen", meaning it could possibly relate to me in one way or another.I really find events like this to be quite astounding. Sudden, spur of the moment occurances that no one can do anything about. A kid ODing on a body building webcam, a british man hanging himself live online, another man shooting himself in the head. All of these were meant to be seen by whoever was watching at the time.Things like this scare me, to be honest. It shows how serious people really can be. It shows how desperate someone can be, looking for help.Some people say that its looking for attention. Maybe that iss the case with some. But I really don't know.The fact that someone actually went through with it is terrifying. And the fact that there could have been hundreds of people watching, unable to do anything. It is said that some of the people that were viewing contacted the admin of the site, who located where he was and then sent police, though it was too late by the time they got there.It is also said that some people encouraged him to kill himself.I am at a loss for words.I wonder. Are we desensitized? Do we not believe that people really wont do things like this? Is this the new way to slake our boredom?It is said that intelligent people become bored more easily then unintelligent people, simply because their minds require more things to keep them entertained.I would not call this intelligence.I believe that at this day and age, people have simply become cruel.There are no two ways about it.People have become cruel.For their own entertainment.Has this ever-present threat of suicide become so monotonous that every attempt or suggestion of it become farse?No.We all should know now more than ever that it is a very real thing that really can happen.Egging someone on could very well cause them to take that last pill, tie that knot, or pull that trigger.We should all know this by now.Now more than ever we have proof that it does happen.People become unstable, they get lost, they feel hopeless. It. does. happen.We have a detached sense of reality. We have less and less to live for.We have destroyed ourselves and everything around us.And it is not getting better.Wake up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
