Serious post time, but does anybody else think there’s too much death around at the moment?
I’m a necrophobe, I hate death, and seeing dead things. I saw a seagull on Colwyn Bay beach dying, and had to cross the road. Even in movies A minion dies in a film and occasionally (particularly if I’m not into the movie) my first thought is “aww….think of his family!”. I do not like death.
I understand that others are not like me – others embrace death. Large sections of the world proudly display the body of fallen heroes in state for people to pay their respects. One such case was James Brown, who was displayed for the world to see and pay their respects should you wish to, in the Apollo theatre.
Another such case was the hoo haa around Saddam Hussein’s execution, and the release of unauthorised footage, which depicted his hanging. Now, I’m not going to start a discussion on whether it’s right to hang an evil man, or to film it (personally I don’t on both accounts), what I am going to talk about is this.
On my way to work, I walk passed a few shops, one – a newsagents – has the papers for all to see. One day between Christmas and New Years, on a slow news day (I believe it could’ve been the Friday), the front page of The Scum. My blood ran cold – I felt uncomfortable. Others would say he looked peaceful, and the Sun lead with a no doubt sensationalist headline. Now, I’m not having a go at James Brown personally, or his wishes to be lying in state. I just am against said image being broadcast on the front page of (unfortunately) one of the biggest papers in the UK.
Another such incident was in what is (again, unfortunately) the paper in Wynne household – The Daily Wail. Not only did they post images of Saddam hanging, they also posted a “comment” talking about the footage, and how it shouldn’t have been released. Nice going geniuses. I didn’t like those pictures, which is a first. Usually it’s things that I do and find enjoyable (drinking, having teenage girlfriends, violent video games, breathing) breathingthat the Mail wants to ban. This time, it’s something I want to censor of theirs.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that whilst people are comfortable with death, I’m not. If people want to see James Brown lying in state to pay last respects, fine. If people want to see the footage of Saddam hanging, fine. Just please, don’t put it on the front of the newspapers for all to see.
Just think of their families.
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Comments: 9 Comments
Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay. 
Bravo, Rhys! I so agree with you. Death is still a sacred thing in many many parts of the world, and it should be treated as personal.
I remember when there was a time when the papers or TV were not allowed to show dead people at all, unless their faces were covered, but now there seems to be no such regard anymore.
Orson Scott Card wrote an article on this very subject recently, that you may wish to have a look at: http://ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2006-12-17-1.html
I think its about time we wee given a choice on what we would like to see on the news and what was rather left to our imaginations, if we so chose.
Nal
you do make a good point but im sure most people would come back at you and say
“people need to see this to know whats really going on in the world”
i partially agree – ive had the unfortunate experience of quite a few family members dying and being there when they turned off the machines for my dad – i wont lie its not nice but i think the real problem today is films
i personally have watched the sadam hussein video and whilst feeling a bit weird watching it, it still doesnt strike me as someone dying – ive seen it in films so many times that i find it hard to take it seriously.
as you say everyone is different… death no longer bothers me, i know its coming so i try not to let it worry me!
while I dont have a problem with death itself, I do have issues with dead ‘things’, I cant stand the thought of being in the same room as a dead person and you know how I feel about the ‘b-word’.
but talking about showing off dead people, I quote from the guide book of china.
“watch as the masses queue up to view their pickled leader”
I understand how you feel, but I don.t neccessarily agree. However, re the papers, why don.t you do your little bit to help. Forget the shining thing in the sky, and the thing the postman brings (No—not junk mail) but buy your local paper, national news plus good local news, great, sensible opinions etc I refer of course to the Daily Post. Mike P.S. Once upon a time the post NEVER put anything sensational or lurid on their front page.
An interesting subject. The only certainty in life is death but I agree that it should be private and respected – no matter who it is, even Saddam H.
I’ve gone through life having only seen one ‘real’ dead person – my mother. The strange thing was that it didn’t appear to be her any more – if that makes sense. To me it looked as if she had moved on, but that’s a whole different debate.
Mike.
How bad do I feel…
I laughed all the way through the post, not because of what you were writing, but because I couldn’t stop thinking about the Henchmen’s family’s sketch in Austin Powers.
Sorry
tis a fantastic sketch thou =D
Yeah….I was kinda thinking about that sketch when I wrote that. It’s funny – in a “Take the piss out of the crazy welshie and the way he thinks” kinda way.
Bless your little socks!
I think many people are just de-sensitised by the whole death thing.
I myself aren’t phased by it. Of course if it was a member of my family I’d be different.