NBC Has Answered Cho's Psychotic Dreams

[Bobbieo]

His face and actions have been plastered across every TV set and newspaper in the world. Now, how many disturbed people who have seen these images will want to follow in his footsteps? SCARY!!!

[Possumpoint]

1. Amen

K&R

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. This ought to be a real boon to the gun industry.

[NYCGirl]

3. Of course, he'll never know this. NT

[Bobbieo]

10. City girl - I think he knew exactly what he was doing when

he went the post office!

[NYCGirl]

27. Sure, but he blew his head off — so he'll never see any of this "coverage." NT

[CJCRANE]

4. He's an icon now n/t

[AZBlue]

9. And a role model to others who suffer like him.

Stupid move, NBC.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. They've answered their advertiser's psychotic dreams

Which in turn means they've answered the public's psychotic dreams.

[soothsayer]

15. Their ratings shot up to a 7.4 share last night. HUGE.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. Yup.

So if you want to blame somebody, blame the people who watch it.

[AZBlue]

19. Disgusting. I'm embarassed for my fellow Americans.

[blm]

6. No doubt about it. Just like Bush answered Bin Laden's dream of a Saddam-free Iraq

and THAT important detail is what the corporate media won't tell the American people.

My call is that NBC is doing this to help cover the crimes of office reGonzalez and Bush's involvement in those crimes that SHOULD be the news of the day.

[bryant69]

7. Well we can curse NBC all we want

The truth is that we as a society will reward them for their decision to broadcast this.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[AZBlue]

12. It's true. I posted similarly in another thread that it's a sad comment on our society that we are

so entertained and fascinated with blood and gore and death.

[Ioo]

8. agreed - I am SO OVER THIS

[valerief]

11. Yeah, but not a whisper about Gonzo hearings, right? nt

[AZBlue]

17. I was impressed that Gonzo was the lead story/picture on msnbc.com

Perhaps a mea culpa of some sort?

[gatorboy]

13. Though what they did was crass and nothing but an attention grabber.

In all fairness, can anyone think of another news organization that wouldn't have done the same?

[Bobbieo]

As a retired journalist, I understand the motivation, here, for the world's media

but it doesn't mean I approve of their actions. I'm glad to be out of the rat race.

[monk24]

30. It's all about ratings

You hit the nail on the head. If Cho had sent his package to any other "news" organization, it would have aired this junk as well.

A network that consistently lags behind its two major competitors is not going to pass up such an opportunity--see soothsayer's post about the boost to NBC's ratings. The only way to stop broadcasts of such material is for viewers to not watch. It is an indictment of us, the audience, as much as it is the media.

[soothsayer]

14. He's raised the bar with his multimedia take-time-out-between-sprees

campaign, that's for sure.

[ends_dont_justify]

18. NBC disgusts me now to no end

I tried to go to MSNBC's website for the gonzales hearings, and after a bunch of downloads (they asked me to upgrade firefox to watch it) they said my browser isn't supported (WTF? Why ask me to update it then?) and then immediately gave me feed showing this psychopath's face again. They're not just publicizing this but forcing it down our throats, I refuse to watch NBC/MSNBC after the publication of this madman's rantings, their political cartoon about 'any last wishes?' 'yeah, that I had a gun' and now censoring what software I use so they can force more of this BS on me I didn't even want to look at.

[Rocknrule]

20. This is one potential cause of school shootings that no one mentions

Kids want to be famous, to become icons. Hell, I've heard people compare Columbine to Pearl Harbor, 9/11, and JFK's assassination in terms of historic significance. Giving them this kind of attention will only encourage more of them.

[CJCRANE]

24. Yes

without the images he would have been forgotten eventually, and only the event itself remembered.

[uppityperson]

26. Yup, go out in a blaze of glory and your face will be remembered fora long time.

[KharmaTrain]

21. But What Did He Say???

Any idea? Yes...we're seeing the image...an image of a very troubled and disturbed man who reached out many times and was ignored...left to fester and his illness to grow and this is what it became. Damn right it's scary...it should be...because sadly this isn't an isolated face, it's one that could be brewing in another Cho...similar reasons, different circumstances...and again, neglected as mental illness is something that many in this country either find scary or revolting or someone elses' problem.

There's no logic as to what made him that violent or reach the breaking point, just as there wasn't for what happened in other massacres. Someone hellbent on going out in a blaze of glory doesn't need to see the pictures on the tube to "rationalize" their rage...it's there and our ignorance in recognizing it is our true peril.

[Bobbieo]

25. My neightbor, 3 doors down, has a son who is is most anti-social.

He is a high school student, six feet tall and lanky who wears a long black coat and dark make-up - guess Gothic is still in. He won't talk to anyone or look anyone in the eye. He is scary !!!

[KharmaTrain]

28. I Prefer To Say "Alienation"

They've withdrawn from society either because they've been rejected or can't deal with the expectations or pressures. Many find solace in their own "reality" that can evolve characters who either understand them or are out to get them. There are some very good post around DU today from people who've either had a mental illness or has been around it. Damn right it's scary and one that people would rather avoid than confront because they can't understand it. There is so little education about what mental illness is, and even worse, many still see it as a "weakness" or a shame.

Someone posted about how Cho's Korean background could have contributed to his schizophrenia. They have a very regimented society that all but expects comformity...in direct clash with "western" culture....and that it's possible his parents were "shamed" to reach out to their son or to admit there was a problem. It's so easy to blame the gun or video games or rap music or name your cause, but I sense we'll learn this a combination of many factors. Not that everyone who keeps to themselves is a lurking killer, but there is a sign of alientation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. There are certain events that change a culture

I suspect these many shootings, one every 18 moths, will change the culture

Just a smidgen of a suspicion on my part

[Marnieworld]

23. Yep

And when they do it will equal more ratings. Rinse and repeat. So sick.

[cwydro]

29. I completely agree. eom