We are far too comfortable with violence
What makes us tick when we see a car crash, why do we slow down, ogle like it’s a pile of unattended cash? Why does it seem easier to listen to gossip than it does our studies, ears unconsciously perked at the thought of another’s misfortune? It’s not new, that’s for sure.
Sometimes when I go online I find videos of the latest “True crime mukbang ASMR, father of 6 kills, eats family.” and other such atrocities. Wherein the narrator happily munches along (Into the microphone of course) whilst recounting the horrific deaths of very real people. These videos always have two things in common, high viewership, and monetization. On the surface, it seems intuitive that any sort of scandal would attract interest, we need novelty! While this may explain the bizarre and cruel phenomenon, it certainly does not excuse it.
As technology becomes more advanced, it becomes easier to learn, and news spreads faster. In the past, a letter took months to deliver, back and forth communication was severely limited. Now, we can talk to whoever we want with the click of a button. The same is true for information, we have access to news from around the world. Our minds are home to hundreds of thousands of stories, new input every hour. What happens then? We become desensitized. We are constantly bombarded with violent and disturbing stories that are bound to “shock the nation”. Our only option, in order to salvage our sanity, is to normalize it. We dehumanize victims, seeing them only as numbers, a cautionary tale. We talk about it online, wide eyed and scared, before moving on to the next killer. We didn’t even digest the first one properly, our technology did not even allow us the time to emotionally heal from the horror before another more exciting notification pops up.
During the late medieval period, public executions were commonplace for any town with particularly dubious residents. Families would gather for what I imagine to be a “Nice Sunday afternoon treat” to watch the local shepard get feathered and tarred, ripped apart limb from limb, because he stole an apple and was rumored to have spoken ill of the queen once. Throughout history, humans have been obsessed with dark topic matter, it is hard to say if it is more prevalent now than it was then.
Cell phones are especially designed to show you what you are interested in based on complex algorithms. In seeking these dark stories mindlessly, you are only becoming more numb to them. Acknowledging that the people were victims is not enough. Human lives are not to be mistaken for entertainment that we give into by any whim or folly. Next time you’re looking to kill some time with a true crime podcast, be mindful of how you process it, is it to satiate some morbid curiosity? Or is it to learn from and process carefully.
It is true that killers have existed since the beginning of time, and our attitudes towards them as humans have not changed very much. It is also important to understand that in order to grow, we must have the self awareness to draw boundaries with what we fill our minds with on a daily basis. We must have the strength to say “no”. We must remember to treat all living things with the same respect and dignity that they are due. And seriously, those mukbang videos have got to go…
Source:
Marin Theatre Company. (2021, October 15). Don’t lose your head: Why were executions public? Marin Theatre Company. https://www.marintheatre.org/press-release-details/160/dont-lose-your-head-why-were-executions-public
Ahotset. (2023, February 6). The views: How Stephanie Soo combined true crime and mukbangs. Ahotset. https://www.ahotset.com/web-series/the-views-how-stephanie-soo-combined-true-crime-and-mukbangs
North Carolina State University. (n.d.). History of information networks. NCSU. https://ncna.dh.chass.ncsu.edu/infonetworks/history.php#:~:text=Telegraphic%20cables%20would%20soon%20expand,and%20then%20permanently%20in%201866.&text=Telegraphy%20also%20changed%20the%20ways,other%20as%20sources%20of%20news.
Internet Just Society. (n.d.). Algorithms in social media platforms. Internet Just Society. https://www.internetjustsociety.org/algorithms-in-social-media-platforms
University of Oregon. (2021, April 8). The true crime genre and ethics. University of Oregon. https://journalism.uoregon.edu/news/true-crime-genre-ethics
