I was sickened this morning when I woke up to the news from MTL. A couple were in court for starving their 2 month old baby to death. The child weighed only one pound. This couple are heavy drinkers. They are free today with 2 years probation and have four other children... How on earth could they have not have been sent away for murder?? I just can't believe it.
― Gale, Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:15 (twenty-two years ago)
Gale, first off, nice to have you back :)
Second, also in the news today, four children were found shot in Detroit. Quite a miserable day for news of that order. :(
― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)
Two sad awful child abuse cases recently in Australia also - both involving muggings, seems people now think its handy to mug people with babies in prams or strapped against them, as they're obviously more vulnerable. One man carrying his baby was knocked down and beaten up by thugs, and another guy was attacked by c**ts who held a knife to his babys throat in its pram! :(
The world is fucked.
― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)
Wait, the second one was a mother i think, not a father. Anyway. It still sucks.
― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)
Just a reminder of something you almost certainly know already.
In a world of six billion people, there is never any shortage of such sad news, provided you look for it. Newspapers and other news organizations do look for it. They always have a reporter covering the police beat, for the very reason that such news makes you sad.
Much of what makes any piece of news "newsworthy" is its ability to engage your emotions. In this case, there is only one way to play such a story, but whenever there is a choice between two or more "angles" on the same story, a shrewd editor always chooses the angle that will kick up the strongest emotional response. Fear. Sorrow. Greed. Anger. Schadenfruede. Morbid curiosity. These are the staples of the news world.
It is important to come to grips with the wickedness, stupidity, cruelty and cupidity that exists in the world and the reasons for it. But eventually, I hope, you will recognize that you can no longer squeeze any further enlightenment from such morbid stuff. Compassion is a terrible thing to waste. When it is pointless and puirposeless, it becomes just another sink into which your energy drains away, like bitching about politics.
― Aimless, Thursday, 21 August 2003 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)
Actually in a sense I agree, aimless. I've had to start filtering global news/"bad news" out of my mental radar, as there's too much I cant do a damn thing about, and to worry over it all would send me even more mental than I already am.
I try and just make my own life and thus the immediate radius around me that I influence a better place, its all I can do really...
― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 21 August 2003 04:36 (twenty-two years ago)