Why Do We Do This.... It’s so Sick?!?! ?

Right I don’t know what this says about us humans but it’s pretty sick and if you say you don’t do it then you’re a liar. Don’t worry is nothing dirty just sick. Also don’t really know what forum it belongs so if mods want to move it or even delete it as being irrelevant feel free to delete it I won’t be offended I just want to know what other ATSters think of this

So I was on a bus today and we got caught up in some really slow moving traffic so everyone starting to moan about how long it was going to take them to get to go see their girl friend or astringed son they’ve been keeping secret form the family (people really should not talk to loud on the bus eh). So anyway eventually after a good 10 or 15 minutes we get to the end of the slow moving traffic. Like a spring loaded latch everybody’s head turns left to observe the carnage of a 3 car crash, it’s disgusting there is blood everywhere, some guy on the ground with a paramedic working on him and I think someone trapped in one of the cars.

The reason our bus was going so slow for the last 10 or 15 minutes was not because this crash had spread onto our side of the road or they had a contra flow system in place, oh no. It was because us humans love nothing more than watching others suffer in very strange way. Every car slowed down to observe what was happening to these poor people like we all became voyeuristic sado masochists.

I don’t think it’s that we are thinking “he look a dead guy woohoo” rather I think it is that we are excited by it, its news in our otherwise dull life’s and because it’s not affecting us we don’t really care. Think about the adrenaline fuelled excitement we see on ATS every time there is a large scale terrorist attack or natural disaster, we love it! we spend hours speculating and talking about it.

Just wait until the next time you see somebody going through a personal crisis in public (think heart attack or stabbing) don’t look at the poor guy on the ground look at the people around you. I bet they are all secretly gagging to get home and tell their friends about it. ATS is the same, we love it because of the drama. I tried it out recently on the ATS chat i told everybody a dirty bomb had just been detonated in the DC metro system. The disappointment when i confessed i was lying was truly heart breaking.







[edit on 21-7-2010 by kevinunknown]

Well I think it would be just as if not more sick to ignore a sight like that. It might be something bad, but you shouldn't treat it like it's nothing.

How do you know that the people aren't looking for fear of it being someone they know and love being involved? You can't really paint the entire population with one brush.......

They may also be shocked or horrified by what they are witnessing, and praying everyone involved will be ok, with the hope of not seeing any unnecessary fatalities.

Yes, I am guilty of looking as well, but just so you know....... a flat tire on the side of the highway will produce an almost equivalent back up..... But you know this.
I'm certainly not praying to god that I see a scene from faces of death, and after finding out it's a flat, cussing because i was looking forward to seeing carnage. I may be a little perturbed at the unnecessary back up, but not really anything more.

I always look. It's not sick, it's information. I look to see if Mercy Flight is on the scene. I look to see how bad it is. I look to see the damage to see if I can figure out what happened. And I say a little prayer afterward that those who were injured will have a quick recovery and a prayer of comfort for the family members of those who didn't survive.

I think a lot of people look just so they can givea quick thanks that they were not involved. It's human nature to look and it serves to remind us how fragile life really is.

Originally posted by kevinunknown
Right I don’t know what this says about us humans but it’s pretty sick and if you say you don’t do it then you’re a liar. Don’t worry is nothing dirty just sick. Also don’t really know what forum it belongs so if mods want to move it or even delete it as being irrelevant feel free to delete it I won’t be offended I just want to know what other ATSters think of this

So I was on a bus today and we got caught up in some really slow moving traffic so everyone starting to moan about how long it was going to take them to get to go see their girl friend or astringed son they’ve been keeping secret form the family (people really should not talk to loud on the bus eh). So anyway eventually after a good 10 or 15 minutes we get to the end of the slow moving traffic. Like a spring loaded latch everybody’s head turns left to observe the carnage of a 3 car crash, it’s disgusting there is blood everywhere, some guy on the ground with a paramedic working on him and I think someone trapped in one of the cars.

The reason our bus was going so slow for the last 10 or 15 minutes was not because this crash had spread onto our side of the road or they had a contra flow system in place, oh no. It was because us humans love nothing more than watching others suffer in very strange way. Every car slowed down to observe what was happening to these poor people like we all became voyeuristic sado masochists.

I don’t think it’s that we are thinking “he look a dead guy woohoo” rather I think it is that we are excited by it, its news in our otherwise dull life’s and because it’s not affecting us we don’t really care. Think about the adrenaline fuelled excitement we see on ATS every time there is a large scale terrorist attack or natural disaster, we love it! we spend hours speculating and talking about it.

Just wait until the next time you see somebody going through a personal crisis in public (think heart attack or stabbing) don’t look at the poor guy on the ground look at the people around you. I bet they are all secretly gagging to get home and tell their friends about it. ATS is the same, we love it because of the drama. I tried it out recently on the ATS chat i told everybody a dirty bomb had just been detonated in the DC metro system. The disappointment when i confessed i was lying was truly heart breaking.







[edit on 21-7-2010 by kevinunknown]

That is pretty sickenening, I remember one time I heard a big bang and people screaming so I went out to see what all the fuss was about an it turns out Some man was riding a quad and got hit head on by a car coming from the opposite way, So this guy is bleeding from his head, motionless, looking like hes dead and people just line up and stare and point while his mom and sisters are crying hysterically, he died later on that day in the hospital. And would you believe me if I said even a few laughed?

reply to post by kevinunknown


kevinunknown

You actually raise an interesting point, like many of your other threads...

I travel alot across the UK by car and I am a Daily user of the motorway network.. I see the same reaction with crashes on the motorway. The term 'rubbernecking' is coined by the media and it amazes me every time I see it happen........ In response to hhcore - if someone is driving then they should be paying attention to the road they are travelling on and not potentially causing further accidents.....

Whenever I see this I aways wait for the brakes of the car infront and then drop a gear because by the time the fool has started to look ahead then I have the acceleration to pass them whilst they still dordle (is that a word) about..... It's not as if we can do anything across the central reservation of a motorway and believe me I could being involved in the healthcare side of things...

Regards

PurpleDOG UK

Uh, ugly story. I really hate that mental feature about humans. I think the word you're looking for is hypocrisy. We read the news everyday and 90% of it is about how different people suffer or die in different ways. And it's supposed to be tragic. When we know it's not.

It's all about excitement, entertainment.

Imagine yourself, or someone you love, or both, trapped in a car after an accident, with your bones broken and organs shredded and you know your life is destroyed. And what do the people do? They come close to see how exciting it is.

One thing I've noticed the past year or two:

Everytime some "young beautiful person" died in my hometown and it was in the news, there always seemed to be at least two people close to me that were his friends, relatives, or somehow knew him/her, or at least knew someone who knew the person. Why? We're looking to set ourselves in a position like "Hey, I've been through tragedy, I'm a stronger than the rest of you."

[edit on 21-7-2010 by Jonas86]

reply to post by kevinunknown


Slowing down for car accidents isn't sick, it's human nature.

People say 'curiosity killed the cat', but it is because of this curiosity that we have so many amazing advancements in human technology and medicine etc.

Yes, there is the 'gore factor' - people wanting to see if there is anything gruesome on show - which is why horror movies are so popular with many, once again, human nature.

Then there is the 'I wonder if I know anyone involved' factor - which sometimes can be a sign of human kindness and compassion. Most of the people I'm sure are hoping for the best when slowing down - 'Oh dear, I hope nobody is seriously hurt.'

People are just curious. 'A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education' - I can't remember who said it, but it's true. Human nature at work.

reply to post by kevinunknown


kevinunknown

I guess it's probably the HERD mentality at work because like a herd, flock, or other grouping the relief is that it is someone else !!!!!

PurpleDOG UK

It's just the way most humans are, we do get excited being spectators to destruction and mayhem...if you are a part of it then it's a different kind of rush entirely, but if you are not or it's something that happened in the past then it's fair game. It's not that people enjoy what is happening or what they are seeing but there is a strange attraction to it...Why do you think we split up most of human history in to when wars were fought?

[edit on 21-7-2010 by Solomons]

But to those who laugh, need to be seriously beaten into a bloody pulp.

reply to post by reesie45


I have seen that before i once gave medical help to a man who was drunk but he fell over a cracked his head open, allot of people found that funny. Didn’t really see the funny side of a grown man on the ground with a face covered in blood crying but it seems for some that is entertainment on a Saturday night.

Originally posted by kevinunknown
reply to post by reesie45

 

I have seen that before i once gave medical help to a man who was drunk but he fell over a cracked his head open, allot of people found that funny. Didn’t really see the funny side of a grown man on the ground with a face covered in blood crying but it seems for some that is entertainment on a Saturday night.

Ehh, I like to believe karma will catch up to them eventually.

I think another reason that people slow down is to pass by the scene of an accident carefully. Many people get nervous when passing by anything unusual on the side of a highway or road. When you see a bunch of cars lined up on the shoulder with lights flashing it's a pretty normal response to slow down and pass with caution. Looking at the mess is just a natural occurence when passing it.

Originally posted by kevinunknown
I have seen that before i once gave medical help to a man who was drunk but he fell over a cracked his head open, allot of people found that funny. Didn’t really see the funny side of a grown man on the ground with a face covered in blood crying but it seems for some that is entertainment on a Saturday night.

It is this thing about humanity why I sadly don't have much hope left at all for us The majority of people are still asleep. What can we do to change it fundamentally. Looking after our own lives seems to be difficult enough at times. Luckily there are us small sector of population who try to make it different.

I think the "toughest guy" is the one who can be just wild as others but when someone is in need of help he helps.

[edit on 21-7-2010 by Jonas86]

Originally posted by reesie45
But to those who laugh, need to be seriously beaten into a bloody pulp.

...at the side of a busy road..so everyone can slow down to watch...

To be honest with you every one does this, but most people don't have a choice to go any faster as there is a queue of 30 cars in front travelling at a snails pace.

I think it's that old morbid fascination, or maybe a feeling of being glad that you're alive. Having said that I think it would be really weird to just burn past an accident at high speed.

The worst is when you get rubbernecking for a few miles then you get past a point and there is nothing there... I actually feel OK about being in a traffic jam if there is a genuine cause for it.

As for funerals I still bless myself everytime I pass the Hearse, part in parcel to the OCD

Originally posted by RMFX1

Originally posted by reesie45
But to those who laugh, need to be seriously beaten into a bloody pulp.

...at the side of a busy road..so everyone can slow down to watch...

EXACTLY, Thats what I call justice served.

reply to post by reesie45


reesie45

Do as to others as you would want done to yourself....

I agree, I hope KARMA catches up with them...

Regards

PurpleDOG UK

Originally posted by PurpleDog UK
reply to post by reesie45

 

reesie45

Do as to others as you would want done to yourself....

I agree, I hope KARMA catches up with them...

Regards

PurpleDOG UK

True true, Im not the type to cause another human being harm as much as id like to sometimes. I just dont have it in me.