To not understand why people watch people being murdered on youtube and similar?

[lottieandmia]

I know it's human nature to have an element of morbid curiosity (which I will admit to myself)

But why do some people watch horrible videos of people being beheaded or shot over and over? I will never ever watch these videos - once you've seen it you can't unsee it can you?

It disturbs me that stuff like this is freely available these days. But nothing can be done about it. I just hope my children never see it...

[andubelievedthat]

yup, "expatinScotland" said >sick fuckers ! morbid fascination ? a.k.a. >sick fucker!

[lottieandmia]

floaty - how awful! What happened to you illustrates my point entirely - you were at school not looking for this stuff and even then you ended up exposed to it. I really worry about my girls.

That children can end up watching these videos is plain wrong and a real threat to their mental health. And something needs to be done about it.

Years ago, when I was in my early 20s there were pro-anorexia websites popping up and quite a few of them were shut down. I don't understand why the same can't happen with websites that people set up showing these vile videos.

[floatyfloni]

You're so right begonia you dont have to be looking for it at all. We were on a school computer so was heavily censored and regulated and all the top notch security but some things slip through the net.

Whoever posted it disguised it as something seemingly fun and innocent. That is probably the most disturbing thing about it to me now.

[BegoniaBampot]

floaty that's awful, no wonder it really affected you. I clicked on a link once innocently and it was very disturbing picture (won't go into details as i wouldn't want to put the image in anyones head) and i reported it. this is what i worry about when my kids use the internet - there is so much stuff out there and you don't have to be looking for it.

[floatyfloni]

That last bit meant to read 'all fine now'.

[floatyfloni]

When I was at school, some others from my class and I were watching silly videos on the internet. Harmless things like skateboarders doing amazing stunts and babies falling asleep while eating dinner, that sort of thing.

We clicked on a video with the title 'dancing penguin'. It wasn't. It was a hideous video of a man having his head cut off. The noise, the sounds, the blood. That really fucking stuck in my head and it disturbed me for a long time. Think we were maybe 13/14?

Anyway eventually moved on from it, and blocked it from memory.

Then something made me think of it a year or so ago and all the old emotions and disturbance came rushing back. I could not get it out of my head; to the point that it was ruining my everyday life. I remember crying to my dp about how much he haunted me. It was a real regression back to childhood.

All fine, i can think about and not be so emotional. The internet has a real darkside.

[BegoniaBampot]

Thank god i'm not the only one who doesn't like watching people being hurt on YBF. I've turned into such a woose, don't even like reading the horrible stories regarding children or torture etc in the papers.

Someone sent a group email once or it was FB on James Bulger supposedly listing everything that was done to him under the guise of concern and justice for james. i was furiuous - who sends this shit to people.

[MerkinMaker]

When dh was younger he shared a room with some other men, one who often watched these videos.

Dh watched one , at first he didn't know what it was and then I think an element of being frozen by the horror of it and peer pressure kept him watching. (he was only young)

He said it was awful, he felt sick and couldn't sleep properly for a long time. It still makes him feel sick 12 years later.

[Thumbwitch]

YANBU. I don't understand it at all. I am, however, very sensitive about shit like this because it stays with me - I read a couple of Karin Slaughter books and can't get some of her stuff out of my head, it lurks like poison - and I get upset about it. Real life stuff is of course even worse than fictional accounts.

I can't even derive enjoyment from things like "you've been framed" where people have obviously hurt themselves. Cats falling into baths/ loo bowls, no issue - people falling off things/over/hitting their heads etc., just not funny. Especially little children.

There is a video on youtube of some weird woman doing "Russian yoga" or somesuch with a young baby - swinging it around like a ragdoll - that upset me for days.

I avoid stuff like that as much as possible and can't even watch horror movies any more.

[piprabbit]

There's a BBC news link here that you might find interesting. Its been in the news this week because Facebook finally agreed to ban one of these beheading videos having previously refused to take action.

[MyBaby1day]

I think any things like this should be universally banned from the internet. I like scary films if they are just acting but leave it there. HATE the vulnerable (or anyone) being hurt. I'm very compassionate.

[HollyBerryBush]

I was given a link to a sharia law punishment once. Never again, and I never watch you tube unless I'm googling very crap 1980's music

[thebody]

Yes lottie take your point.

I just feel such evil people must be ill when in fact they are just evil. No excuse. Very scary.

Horrible op agree with you.

[lottieandmia]

thebody - iirc, some senior members of the SS who were caught were found to be 'normal' and not psychopathic.

[LEMisdisappointed]

lottie that is a good point about the SS and hitler, i think its about depersonalisation - they are indoctrinated to believe that the people they torture and murder are somehow subhuman so do not matter. Its horrible.

[LEMisdisappointed]

I find it disturbing enough hearing about atrocities on the news, i do not have ANY morbid curiosity whatsoever. I have a cast iron stomach when it comes to blood and guts but the taking of a human life, or hurting someone (or an animal) is not entertainment and i woudl question the morality of someone who thought this was ok to watch.

As someone said upthread, once you have watched this you can't unwatch it.

I struggle with violence in films and on TV, even though its not "real" why would anyone want to watch that?

[thebody]

Yes expat agree.

Lottie, many psychopaths have wives and families. As do rapists and paedophiles. Doesn't mean they arnt psychopaths just means they are able to disassociate and not empathise,, so psychotic.

[BegoniaBampot]

I really fear for my children growing up with all of this round about them and it will probably only get worse.

Remember a case years ago where a woman's date or boyfriend made her watch the Ken Bigley beheading in his flat. he was prosecutted and i think even possibly imprisoned. Ken Bigley was someone's son, husband, father etc - folk watching it and having a laugh are beyond me.

[expatinscotland]

'I do, however believe that watching stuff like this could cause psychological damage. I despair that we can do nothing about it.'

It desensitises human beings from the pain and suffering of others. The way porn does, so it becomes entertainment, 'interesting', 'fascinating' or even something they can do/film themselves.

[expatinscotland]

'When my dd and her friends were injured, covered in blood and being rescued from an accident lots of good people helped.

Some stood and filmed, I hate those people so much it physically hurts.'

And now, think of them posting it for gawpers because it's 'interesting' 'just an accident' and how warped you have to be to completely dissociate their pain and misery from your own life.

[lottieandmia]

But, thebody - the SS guards were not psychopaths, a lot of them. Many of them would have led ordinary lives, had it not been for the rise of Hitler.

It's much easier to distance yourself from people who partake in violence in some way by writing them off as sick or psychotic but this is not the case, I fear. Which is why this issue need to be addressed.

I do, however believe that watching stuff like this could cause psychological damage. I despair that we can do nothing about it.

[thebody]

Expat totally agree with all of your posts.

There are some sick, psychotic bastards out there who perform this just as SS guards did.

There are weak but viciously inclined cowardly bastards who watch and so promote this stuff just like those who post, watch and send this filthy horrible vile stuff the same people who would watch Jews being Herded into cattle trucks.

When my dd and her friends were injured, covered in blood and being rescued from an accident lots of good people helped.

Some stood and filmed, I hate those people so much it physically hurts.

[expatinscotland]

'Compare it to porn: the more pornographic acts became mainstream the more extreme porn become en masse. Now that some of those extremes are becoming more normalised the more hardcore porn has to be to create demand.'


Exactly.

[expatinscotland]

'I cannot watch stuff involving animals or children, or anyone vulnerable.'

I guess Chinese Baby Dying Rooms are somehow different. Anyone who can disconnect this sort of them from themselves and their lives needs a head check or locked up, because that's what scum who do this sort of thing do to carry it out, film it and post it on the fucking internet for sick tourists to watch.