November 22, 2008

When Did Suicide TV Become So Popular?

Posted by ImitationAngel

I had no plans on posting this weekend but I soon changed my mind after getting more information on a story I saw on my local news a couple days ago.  Now if you haven’t heard the story of Abraham Biggs then I suggest you click here, here, or here to read the full story.

Warning: The story (or this post) may not be for the weak at heart.

Overview
Abraham Biggs a.k.a. CandyJunkie committed suicide live on Justin.tv after blogging about it on bodybuilding.com.  The video streamed for 12 hours while people egged him on and make various slurs. More than eight hours passed before police appeared on the scene and stopped the webcast.

First of all suicide is a very serious matter.  Many people have struggled with it at some point during their life (include me in this) but I just cannot see any reasons for this young man to take his life in such a manner.  Was he trying to be famous after death?  Who knows but he will go down in infamy for his actions.

What sickens me the most about this story is the fact that thousands of people actually watched and did nothing to help.  What has this world come to?  Are we as a people that cruel to actually sit back and watch someone harm themselves? This boy cried out for help and it seems that no one took the time to try and help him.  Reports say that he has made threats like this before in the past so that’s why no one believed he would go through with it. 

Does it really matter how many times he has made that threat? He was obviously crying out for attention and I for one would rather gave him that attention than to have him take his own life.  I just cannot understand how a person can sit at their computer and watch a suicide video for hours on end and not feel the need to take action.  Even if people were living in other areas it was not that hard to find info on him and try to contact the police.  Even someone in another country (India) was able to make a phone call to the U.S. to get help. 

Just when you think there is some hope for the people of the world we live you hear stories where people have the chance to help but don’t.  I feel so much sympathy for Biggs’ family and friends because it could have been prevented.  He could have been saved had someone took the time to notify the right people.  Instead they all gathered around their monitors as if they were watching a television show.  As if that weren’t enough those same people who watched and egged him on started changing and deleting their comments once they saw police enter the scene.  If you did nothing wrong why would you change or delete any comments you made to him or about him?  Does the word coward ring a bell?

I know that this isn’t the first time such a thing has happened.  You would think that people would know better but apparently the internet is full of people have no ones interests at mind but their own.  Was it a crime to watch him take his life?  I believe it was. 

At the same I can also be angry at Biggs.  This was a very dramatic way to end his life that didn’t have to go this far.  He could have gotten help.  He obviously had friends and family who cared about him so he should have been able to go to him for help.  Although he had no problem with people calling him very late at night to discuss problems I’m sure he could practiced the same thing with someone.

Yes it was his choice to commit suicide but no one had to make the choice to sit there and watch it happen.  Although people consider him to be an “internet person” he was actually more than that. We are all “internet people” in that we have lives online but we also continue to exist after we turn off our computers.  In the end we are more than just a profile, picture, and nickname on a computer screen.  We are real people and deserve to be treated as such.  I believe in Karma and there is a lot of work to be done in this situation.

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13 comments:

Fancy Schmancy said...

That is a true tragedy, needless and painful. It brought tears to my eyes.

11/23/2008  
Babette said...

I was shocked when I read about this news. It's sad.

11/23/2008  
The Hawg! said...

It's a sick, disturbing world. Good grief.

11/23/2008  
Diana said...

wow, I read through every link you posted. What a sad story.

11/23/2008  
Hey Shae! said...

Wow. That is twisted. I would never site and do nothing as someone broadcasts something like this. Why not send the link to 911 or your local police?

I would have thought maybe he was forced to do the broadcast, which would be murder & I wouldn't want my IP address involved.

11/23/2008  
ImitationAngel said...

It is very very sad. Shae I'm sure that if someone from India was able to make a phone call to that guys local 911 then someone else could have done something a lot sooner.

I don't think that he was forced as his father had said in an interview that he had made several attempts in the past. The thing is that he was bipolar and I'm sure that played a huge part in his actions. I will say though that I do consider what the watchers did was murder. They better hope that if they're ever in trouble people will actually help instead of sit back and watch.

11/24/2008  
t3ss4 said...

May his soul rest in peace.
*sigh*
This is the 2nd time I've heard about suicide today.
Just this morning, I was able to hear from the news that a cop committed suicide live on TV after his interview (I'm not sure if he's a cop but he's in an authoritative position who was guilty of some crime). That was even more disturbing since he shot himself with all the people to see.

When someone starts to talk about how he/she wants to commit suicide, I think that's already serious... He/she needs help... It shouldn't be ignored so it wouldn't end up like this.

11/24/2008  
Sandi said...

I have learned that a lot of online people are unimaginably cruel. While there are people out there who are kind and pretty muh normal there are those that troll forums and look for a weak person to pick on. I myself have been a target. Why? Because of my cancer. Yes...seriously. I had friends on a forum who asked how I was doing and a man repeatedly called me names and posted pictures of tumors. Seriously. I just stopped going to that site but honestly I can see those people egging this kid on. I feel sorry for him because he wasn't strong enough to fight it. Still he should not have done what he did. I totally believe the saying that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

11/24/2008  
The Fitness Diva said...

I think it's all pretty sick, myself!
People should be ashamed of sitting there and letting him do it!

11/24/2008  
mspennylane said...

I read your post a few days ago but didn't comment because to be honest it just made me feel bad. I just hate thinking about things like this, and it is impossible to imagine how those people just watched and even egged him on. I guess people can act very different when they're online.

11/25/2008  
ImitationAngel said...

@Tessa - I saw that story about the cop too. Last year a guy in the UK hanged himself live. I have no idea what's come over these people but it is truly sad.

@Sandi - You are right. People are cruel. I guess it's worse online because they don't have to look that person in the face.

@Diva - I wonder if they've been able to sleep. I really believe Karma is coming for them.

@Penny - It's okay if you didn't comment. I know this topic is a touchy issue for some. Some people are evil online and it shocks me that they can take things to level such as this one.

11/26/2008  
Isolated Existence said...

People can be so cruel these days. They don't think that this can happen to one of their relatives or friends. How would they feel? I hope the police contact them but I highly doubt it because I'm assuming there were lots of people and they won't have time to go through all them.

11/30/2008  
Angelika said...

Look for your High Five from me HERE! :-)

12/04/2008  

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