The Survivor

Do you think that TV, music or video games is the blame or holds an responsibility to today's common teenagers committing suicide or committing acts of violence such as school shootings?

I read an article online about a girl who hung herself after listening to Good Charlotte's song "The Day that I Die " that was a suicide song according to her parents. I think the song was The Day I Die or Blink 182 song "Adam's Song" does not make teenagers go end their life. Neither do I believe Marilyn Manson's music or Eminem's music tells teens to go shoot up their school or go murder their wife. Nor do I think videogames are the cause for kids acting out what they play on the game. I think the real blame needs to be put on the parents for not being more involved with their teenager's life. The real blame and responiblity is the parents for not getting the help or noticing something is wrong with their kid.

[ 07-15-2003: Message edited The Survivor ]

Enigma, I.C.

Well ultimately responsibility lies with the individual. When approached in a broader sense, this issue is like the 'chicken-and-the-egg' question. There is no definitive answer. It could be a combination of many factors or it just could be the invididual. Who knows.

Edited because I can't spell [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ 07-15-2003: Message edited Enigma, I.C. ]

Mio

It's the parents whom don't talk nor spend time with their children.

*Lauren

Well songs have had depressing moods for ages, if they really want to look at songs with bad titles Buddy Holly made a song called "Day that I Die" (or along those lines) Are they going to stop their kids listening to Buddy Holly?

SuperDeluxe

No.

It is not to blame.

Oska

no, they're not, the individual is to blame
however it is true that without that influence, the incident - whatever it was - might not have happened.

Vampires_Bite

No i dont htink that movies/music are to blame

Its the stupid kids/parents who dont want to accept that they/their kids or themselves are responsible

It is easier to point the finger at someone/something else than to admit you are at fault!

girl in a cardigan

I am 22 years old and I have lost 5 friends/peers since I was 16. One was ruled suicide, one was ruled accidental (though I have other theories), one was brain cancer and two were accidental drownings during college activities. They were all tragic and difficult to deal with, but I don't think for one second that music/television/movies/video games had anything to do with any of them. Anyone who does has seriously misjudged reality (IMO) and needs counseling.

-shan-

I don't think they're to blame, but in some cases I think they provided an influence. If that girl hadn't been listening to Good Charlotte, maybe she wouldn't have committed suicide. However, I think it's fairly obvious that she had some other problems going on, which would have been triggered off by something else eventually.

Paceysgal

We were talking about this in the GC thread...

The Day That I Die doesn't neccersarily talk about suicide. It doesn't directly say that the singer is going to be committing suicide. It talks about dying, yes, but in actuality it's about glorifying life and living it right. Adam's Song is about suicide, but the lyrics change and in the end and then it's about holding on.

I don't see music as something that inspires me to do something. I see it as an escape, something that I can relate to. It's poetry; it's art.

I'm sorry that this family lost their daughter, but to lay the blame on someone else is irresponsible.

LittleMilkJug

Music can move me to tears and films can scare the heebiejeebies outta me but I think people who kill themselves suffer from depression caused by other things.
And dont come down so hard on parents. Not all of them are angels I grant you but have you ever read the thoughts of some parents who have lost their kids through suicide? Most of them had no idea that their kids were suffering so much, some tried again and again to get their kids to open up to them. Parents are people to.

Umm... yeah, ok...

I agree with you there. It's easy to think that the parents didn't know or just didn't care, but I guess most of them really do. They try to get inside their mind and help them, but if you're a teen you'll probably agree with me: We don't want nor do we like it when our parents try to interfere with our lives.

Maybe the reason why they killed themselves was because after hearing those songs, it just confirmed the feelings that they had for a long time and just pushed them to suicide.

No decent band would ever promote music that purposely made people feel sad and push them to suicide. I seriously doubt that GC or Blink 182 wanted their fans to kill themselves after hearing those songs.

Exactly. I'm in a band as well, and we write some upbeat songs but we also write some really depressing sings as well. When we're writing these songs, we have in mind the feelings that we felt when we were going through something, and we just want to express that and hope that people can relate and say, "Yeah, that's how I felt as well."

Just on a side note, I really really really really love Adam's Song. And Blink 182. Their new album's coming out soon!! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[img]smilies/lurking.gif[/img]

Awerie

I definatly think TV and movies contribute to our way of life, and is often responsible for alot of actions and reactions we have (including violence). Of couse, I think this is subconscious, and to blame music for people killing themselves, that says alot more about people than about the music.

Anyone who commits suicide after listening to Good Charlotte (although understandable) is either incredibly stupid or already depressed enough to do it anyway. I'd go for the latter.

[ 07-16-2003: Message edited Awerie ]

Paceysgal

I don't think anyone means to come down on parents. I can completely see where they're coming from. To lose someone to suicide is unfathamoble to me. I understand that they're hurting and that they want answers because obviously they were clueless as to their daughter's depression, but once again, it's my belief that music cannot push you over the brink.

Eminem said it best:

Ditey

I agree 100% with Awerie's post. TV, music, movies, etc. can and will affect people's way of thinking. It's one of the reasons students have required reading books in school. The books have something, either positive or negative, that will affect and diversify ways of thinking.

But to take action on these thoughts, like suicide, is more of the person's will. You can't blame a song or videogame. If the person took those lyrics to heart, he was probably going to do something drastic anyway.

That's the way I see it. [img]smilies/look.gif[/img]