talkpolitics | (no subject)

My only source for news is the Internet. Currently, most of the media outlets (websites) I'd visit in the event of a big news story have a photograph of the Arizona shooter's face on their main pages (The New York Times, Fox News, CNN, Huffington Post, Drudge Report have it up; MSNBC and NPR don't).

This leads me to ask, Does the prospect of fame incentivize mass killing / killing of famous people?

Let's say we lack empirical evidence to answer the question. Is it not enough that making criminals famous may incentivize others to commit like crimes for media outlets to consider, you know, not making criminals famous?

How do decision makers in media justify making criminals famous? A journalist's duty is to provide the public information that the public is interested in?

What I'm saying is— cover the story, just do it in a tactful manner. This makes me consider why I'm able to see the Virgina Tech shooter's face in my mind's eye, or Tim McVeigh's, or Charles Manson's. Maybe there's a parallel dimension someplace with a society that doesn't repeatedly and consistently make insane people who do big bad things famous.

I'm sure many, maybe most, will disagree with my premise, but I'm looking at the portrait of that guy right now— at his crazy Manson eyes and his smirk, and I can't help but think that he appreciates and enjoys the attention, as McVeigh did, I'm sure, and Manson did and does. So, why as a society do we all agree to reward behavior most of us do not want?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Not in this case, it doesn't affect the issue.

So you're only precise on a case-by-case basis? Sloppy, man, just sloppy. Have some pride.

And when you're talking about Linux, then it's a distinction that doesn't matter.

And that proves to me that I should disregard your comments entirely because either a) you don't know shit about Linux or b) you just like to talk out your ass like Hipster Man. Just go ahead and repeat that sentence to a Slacktivist or the Debian Project. Or anyone who actually uses Linux. They'll rip your head off and shit down your neck. The flames would resemble nuclear Armageddon.

Yes, I know it matters to someone who's drank the kool-aid. I use linux as needed, I don't evangelize it. It doesn't matter in most cases which flavor you want to use.

Please. If it doesn't matter, then upgrade Slackware 12.2 to Debian Squeeze. Then get back to me on how well that does you, 'k? K.

I wouldn't use either of those, so whatever dude.

Sure, Comrade Equivalence, sure.