Death Of The Death Icon

Humans are drawn to acts of a primal nature. Raw, passionate, and vastly entertaining; primal instincts have always been at the root of human behavior. Archeologists say that the first humans were found with spearheads embedded in their ribcage. Mankind’s curiosity will always be sparked by the thought of bloodshed. Just look at the entertainment we as a species hold most dear; violent action films, movies about war, videogames based solely on the concept of killing the opponent, the list in never-ending. The fascination around violent acts is understandable. Since the invention of society, the act of killing another human has been frowned upon by the rest of society. The contrast of the acts of violence to the norms of everyday life are hard

The general public became inundated with every detail of the trial and national leaders began weighing in on the guilt or innocence of the defendant, George Zimmerman. Why? Was it the general public’s fascination with the players in the tragedy or the media’s basis towards this homicide? Bennett (2011) points out; “that people in the middle see the press as generally neutral, whereas those on the left complain that the news is too conservative, and those on the right think the news has a left-leaning bias (176).”

The press only adds to the negativity, in one case, they only talked about the murdered, Crawford, and when they talked about the victims, they spoke about them as trash and worthless. This has helped changed my thinking about the media and press and how things are displayed. Everyone is important. The further I investigated this topic, the sooner this sadness turned into confusion, on why nothing is being done.

Over the past couple of decades, school shooting have seemed to occur often-- continuously shocking the nation and reminding everyone that no community is exempt from such horror. One main contributor of this hysteria is found within the media. At the catalyst of this hysteria, lies the horrific Columbine shooting in 1999. Since then, school shootings have received ample coverage-- some argue that this has romanticized school shootings, others argue that is has provided condemning coverage of the often insane perpetrators. In the first year after the Columbine shooting, over 10,000 articles were written about the event, likely setting the stage for the nationwide desire for constant coverage of such events (Elsass et al, p. 445-446).

Homicide always will be an aspect of life, whether it is in the 16th century, 21st century or in the future. At times of extreme stress, people may turn to murder as an outlet of a greater problem they cannot fix or control. Presently, homicide has a greater value in society due to popular culture references through the media such as television, film and writing; society constantly has homicide and murder in the subconscious. In David M. Buss’ findings in The Murderer Next Door: Why the Mind is Designed to Kill,

What has our society come to these days? Everywhere we look, violence is present, at the streets, at work, at school, and even at home. Every day in the news we see reports about shootings, wars, thefts, drugs, rapes, and deaths. The worse part of seen this in the news is that all way do it’s complain about it and sit back. We do not even attempt an explanation or a resolution. Violence is among one of the most malignant act that has been increasing day by day. And why is it that we complain about other people being violent, but when we are asked if we are violent or if we have ever responded with violence, everyone says they are not violent. But if among ourselves we are not violent then who is it that makes our society a violent society?

On February 26, 2012, an apparently innocent teenager was shot as he walked home through his neighborhood late at night. The Trayvon Martin killing and trial has recently been one of the primary topics covered by the media in America. The response to the news coverage of the case has been staggering. Students have organized hoodie marches and created Facebook groups to protest the unjustified murder of the young man. However, is the American public as well informed as it pretends to be? Americans have an unsettling susceptibility to manipulation from the media. In 1991, a similar event occurred in the case of the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, where Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas, had his personal affairs put on display for

School shootings have become well known around the world due to the coverage by the media. . These shootings are a serious concern and have parents constantly concerned about their child’s safety when they are at school and also have students thinking twice about any unusual or suspicious behavior. The media appears to play a large part in school shootings and it is important to analyze the deviant behaviors of the shooters in these horrific instances and the fear they create in schools. Does the media play a large part in school shootings or does the media play a large part in the sensationalism of school shootings and the fear they create both in schools and with parents?

Viewers across the nation are affected by the social media causing stress on the subject by bombarding the public with media stories, rumors and “a sense of mass panic”. Victims have to relive that horrible moment because the media wants to

Pinker proposes a few possible answers to this question. For one, he states that better reporting and the instant access to news has made us more aware of violence and cruelty taking place in the world. A hundred years ago, a double-murder suicide in California most likely wouldn't have made it past local news. Today, the Associated Press would instantaneously have an article ready to be distributed by thousands of media outlets, and everybody would be able to read about it from anywhere with the internet. Another possible reason for the illusion of our world being more violent than ever is the advocacy market. As Pinker humorously points out, “Nobody attracted advocates and donors by saying ‘things just seem to be getting better and better’.” I suggest an answer similar to that of Pinker’s first, that the news media has helped to create this illusion. However, unlike Pinker, I don’t accredit this illusion to innocent improved reporting. I believe that the media draws out and dramatizes tragedies for the sake of ratings, and even attempts to encourage reportable behavior. For example, recently, in the attention build-up relating to the release of a video showing a white police

Eighteen years ago on April 20, 1999, two students identified as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold besieged Columbine High School in Colorado. Infamously known now as the Columbine Massacre, it was, at the time, “ the worst school shooting in U.S. history” (Obmascik, 1999, para. 1) with 15 causalities including the perpetrators themselves. Despite occurring in a small town in Colorado, the event shook the entire country. The shooting became a national ordeal as America watched "the murders being broadcast[ed] locally and nationally on live television" (Obmascik, 1999, para. 12). Moreover, as news outlets continuously published reports on the massacre, information unraveled and a story developed in real time.

i think the media and the police department somehow made the entire columbine situation 10 times worse. the police were there but wouldn’t go in and help the kids. they waited 3 hours before they helped the teacher that got shot, and started shooting at dylan causing him to go back in and kill even

A quote from well-known Scottish killer, Dennis Nilson, states exactly what his motives were for viscously killing his innocent victims. “I did it all for me,” he says, “purely selfish. I worshipped the art and act of death, over and over. It is as simple as that. Afterwards, it was all sexual confusion, symbolism, honouring the ‘fallen’. I was honouring myself. I hated the decay

When looking at the events at Columbine High School most Americans have reached one of two conclusions as to Why they did it. The first being the pair were outcasts of “Trench Coat Mafia” and were taking revenge against bullies what had made school miserable for them. The second conclusion is that this massacre is inexplicable and we will never be able to understand what drove them to such horrific violence. However the FBI and world renowned mental health experts such as psychiatrist Dr. Frank Ochberg and supervising Special Agent Dwayne Fuselier of FBI have come to very different conclusions.

Michael Moore’s flawed 2002 expository documentary Bowling for Columbine is ineffective in its goals to open Americas eyes to its very serious gun violence problem. Michael Moore sets out to uncover why the United States can’t seem to end its devastating and reoccurring mass shootings, by using deception as its primary tool of persuasion and effect, Moore attempts to vilify pro-gun activists. The humorous documentary frequently highpoints controversial decisions and actions made by the then President of the National Rifle Association Charlton Heston. Bowling also raises issues such as the ease of buying pointless high powered assault weapons just about anywhere, and American media’s film first ask later attitude towards gun crimes and social and racial issues. Americans are left even more paranoid and hostile than ever before, something the documentary should have set out to end.