i recenlty saw a movie, Untraceable and it got me thinking about how desensitized to violence the world is today. the movie was about a man who shows people being killed on the internet and the more hits he gets, the faster the victim dies. even after the police in the movie, tell the people its real and to stay away from the website, everyone continues to watch as the victim dies faster and faster eventually the viewers become accomplices to the murder.

i think we are inundated with so many pictures, video games, movies, tv shows, that have violent content, people just dont care anymore. there are shows like jackass-where these two guys run around the world doing stupid stunts that harm themselves and people think its funny. i think steve-o learned his lesson from that, he seems to be having alot of problems these days from doing that show.

then we have all the video clip shows like animals gone wild, watching people get mauled by animals, 1000 ways to die, a show that tells how certain people died under these unusual circumstances, not to mention all the cheating shows where the people involved start fighting and lest we forget there is or was jerry springer. the show that started us all on a voyeouristic trip thru trailertrashdom.

people who make horror/slasher movies like saw, hostel and many more recent ones, cant seem to figure out enough ways to torture and kill people. its like the more extreme the torture and death, the more the public likes it. it cant get gruesome or disgusting enough for the publics taste these days. granted most people know these movies, tv shows, video games are not real, but i think it still desensitizes us.

instead of helping people now, we video tape the accident, mugging, rape whatever and send it to utube or to the news channels and see how much they might be willing to pay for it. its: "cool, im going to tape this and put it on the internet, see how many hits i can get". its no wonder because everyone can be a paparazzi now, there is very little privacy left in the world.

we say: " im glad its them and not me". " i dont know that person, so why should i care." "if i get involved, ill just have to testify or i might get sued." "no one would help me, so why should i help them?" "thats in another part of the world and doesnt affect me, so i dont give a crap."

it is so sad to see this happening. we seem to care more about the planet than we do each other. after 9/11 everyone seemed to care, after katrina, everyone came together to help, but as soon as that event is over, it's back to ignoring what happens around us. we pass by the person being taunted or bullied, we pass by the boyfriend hitting the girlfriend, we pass buy the little old lady being harassed on the street.

its not our business unless it can be put on the internet or sold to the highest bidder we dont care anymore.i would hope that if i saw someone who needed help, i would have the courage to get involved or at the very least call for help or get some help. ive stepped in a couple of times in the past with no ill effects. would i do it now in this day and age, yes i would, if for no other reason than to set an example, that i wont stand by while others just watch.