It's sad, but these strings of things occurring around each other makes sense. The high profile it gives the killers/terrorists inspires other mentally ill people to go out and get famous their own way. It's why the media needs to focus less on who the killers are and more on how to help the victims.
The highest quality photo we have of one of the bombing suspects. Taken with his iPhone, and the only photo he took of the bombing aftermath. The suspect is the guy in the white cap on the left side of the image, just to the right of the red box. You know it's him because he's basically the only guy who wasn't surprised by the bomb going off.
Well, we're hunkered down. My neighborhood is essentially on lockdown until further notice, as we border Watertown where the manhunt is under way. (Cue another round of Anderson Cooper jokes.)
I'm mad. Before, it sucked, but terrorism happens every day. I didn't think much about it. Now, we're on lock-down, so I can't go to Rhode Island to get my molasses root beer. I'm mad.
Indeed. Apparently this guy is running around with plenty of guns, ammo, and home made grenades. Not exactly someone you want to mess with unless you have the proper training and equipment.
Oh, and apparently he went to college in my home town, the town where my mom and most of my family still live.
Yeah, while they're not wrong, it's like...You don't need to tell us it's worse. We know it's worse elsewhere. That doesn't make our tragedies less tragic.
Those people understand tragedy. Every person in that picture has watched the homes and lives of their family and friends crumble. You mean to tell me they're being passive aggressive? Nah, that's genuine empathy. The peace signs are a nice touch, too.
Very true... Go back to 1861 or something and then maybe it'd be a fair comparison...
It's just not a comparable statement, it's apples and oranges. I don't think that the Boston bombings at all represent the horror and fear seen from your own military attacking you.
Very true... Go back to 1861 or something and then maybe it'd be a fair comparison...
It's just not a comparable statement, it's apples and oranges. I don't think that the Boston bombings at all represent the horror and fear seen from your own military attacking you.
I agree, but I don't see that image as cynical. There's nothing crazy about a bunch of people showing earnest solidarity for a national tragedy. The sign doesn't say "we've got it worse" to me, it says "we understand". It's kind of like an old man going through a divorce showing sympathy for a kid who just went through his first breakup.
Very true... Go back to 1861 or something and then maybe it'd be a fair comparison...
It's just not a comparable statement, it's apples and oranges. I don't think that the Boston bombings at all represent the horror and fear seen from your own military attacking you.
For example
Agree that it's apples and oranges. It's a completely different kind of horror when you're living under civil war vs. when you're living in a peaceful country and all of a sudden are hit by a mad bombing.
I'm mad. Before, it sucked, but terrorism happens every day. I didn't think much about it. Now, we're on lock-down, so I can't go to Rhode Island to get my molasses root beer. I'm mad.
Make your own! It's pretty simple. I've got a recipe buried somewhere in the forums.
Those people understand tragedy. Every person in that picture has watched the homes and lives of their family and friends crumble. You mean to tell me they're being passive aggressive? Nah, that's genuine empathy. The peace signs are a nice touch, too.
I agree.
The "You think you have it bad? Well, you don't, because such-and-such have it far worse than you" type of passive aggressiveness is the hallmark of people who don't have that experience at all.
That's not to say that someone with that experience is beyond using what happens to other people to get their own message out, but in and of itself that doesn't constitute passive aggressiveness.
It's one of the most annoying fallacies. "If it's not the worst it can possibly be, then it's not bad." I get the point of raising awareness of bad situations, but doing it by 1-upping is just going to piss people off. There are plenty of worthy causes to go around, and those guys holding that sign could easily be 1-upped by another group of people who have it EVEN WORSE.
I don't think anyone is trying to say "It's not the worst it can be, therefore it's not bad." I think they are trying to say is "Look at how upset you are over this bad thing. As bad as that is, this other thing is 100 times worse. How you can aren't 100 times as upset over that other thing?" I don't really agree with either.
I don't think anyone is trying to say "It's not the worst it can be, therefore it's not bad." I think they are trying to say is "Look at how upset you are over this bad thing. As bad as that is, this other thing is 100 times worse. How you can aren't 100 times as upset over that other thing?" I don't really agree with either.
Exactly. It's not that we shouldn't be sad that things suck, it's that we should keep them in perspective. I wasn't posting that picture because I agree %100, but rather to keep everyone freak out in check.
I don't think anyone is trying to say "It's not the worst it can be, therefore it's not bad." I think they are trying to say is "Look at how upset you are over this bad thing. As bad as that is, this other thing is 100 times worse. How you can aren't 100 times as upset over that other thing?" I don't really agree with either.
Why not agree with the latter?
Of course, people are only human and so they simply will not be 100 times as upset, but that doesn't mean you can't say that they ought to be.
Your thinking is flawed as the result of various effects; in this case most notably scope insensitivity. Shouldn't you make the effort to acknowledge that this is the case?
Comments
http://live.boston.com/Event/MIT_and_Watertown_shootings
And one suspect dead and the other at large right now. You Bostonians hunker down and watch out for anything suspicious.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/18/teen-portrayed-bombing-suspect/2095259/
Oh, and apparently he went to college in my home town, the town where my mom and most of my family still live.
For example
The "You think you have it bad? Well, you don't, because such-and-such have it far worse than you" type of passive aggressiveness is the hallmark of people who don't have that experience at all.
That's not to say that someone with that experience is beyond using what happens to other people to get their own message out, but in and of itself that doesn't constitute passive aggressiveness.
Of course, people are only human and so they simply will not be 100 times as upset, but that doesn't mean you can't say that they ought to be.
Your thinking is flawed as the result of various effects; in this case most notably scope insensitivity. Shouldn't you make the effort to acknowledge that this is the case?