posted on May, 30 2012 @ 07:59 AM
I was reading a thread about a guy who had a vision 9 years ago that when he finished reading the LOTR trilogy, the world would end. This, coupled
with the face eating and "man throws intestines at cops" incidents, reminded me of a very disturbing dream I had about two years ago.
The dream is essentially just a television screen portraying a CNN-style 24 hour news network. The reporter's demeanor as he introduces what he
describes as "gruesome new footage" of a public murder-suicide is reminiscent of an E! News reporter spilling all the latest celebrity gossip; the
man was giddy with excitement about the footage he was bringing to the airwaves. Then, without warning anybody about what they are about to see, the
CNNesque station launches the footage as the same reporter provides commentary worthy of a UFC match.
*If you are squeamish or likely to get images stuck in your head, don't read this next paragraph.*
The footage begins in medias res as a middle aged man screams and beats his chest on the sidewalk of what looks like a mid-sized city or college
town. He is talking about not being able to get his way, people not listening to him, and it seems to be directed at a young boy standing near him.
Suddenly, the man produces a knife, a big one, and starts to very violently stab the child. The boy is probably about 10-12 years old and heavy-set
with dirty blonde hair shaggy over his ears. He cries and screams horrifically. Once the man has stabbed the boy a dozen or so times in the chest and
neck area, he turns the knife on himself. This is the part of the dream that stays with me vividly; he stabs himself about the face and head and
shoulders with such force and reckless abandon that it seems like it wouldn't be physically possible. The sound of the knife plunging into his flesh
was sickening. Just when he seems like he must succumb to these wounds, he produces a 9mm pistol and places it under his chin. The fountain of gore
ejected from the top of his skull made Mortal Kombat look like Street Fighter.
The clip ends and it jumps back to the reporter who happily explains that both the victim and the attacker died, so no investigation is needed.
This type of nonchalant ultra-violence seems to be becoming more acceptable to show on television and to children. Recently in Grand Rapids, MI we
had a shooting spree. My nephew and niece were visiting with my sister from southern Indiana and hadn't ever seen anything like that outside of
fictional shows and movies. The big three CBS, ABC, NBC affiliates all broke prime time programming to show live camera feeds of where the killer had
been that night as well as constantly recount every gory detail of his killing spree. I watched as my mom and dad, sister and brother-in-law sat
around the tube, transfixed, while the kids listened to the reports and grew more and more disturbed and upset. It's like everyone wanted them to see
it, even though my niece was much too young and my nephew suffers from autism spectrum disorders and has a hard time processing that kind of stuff. My
sister doesn't even let them watch SpongeBob for crying out loud! But there she was, basically hypnotized by the news. I finally took the kids
outside just because I myself was sick of hearing the story repeated ad infinitum.
So, in summation; I'm not saying that this dream was prophetic or that the killing spree coverage proved it or anything. I do, however, think that
it's indicative of the declining standards of decency in America and indeed the "civilized" world in general. This coming from a pot smoking rock
and roller who probably has standards more relaxed than most.
What say you, ATS?!