US shoppers killed in gun rampage

[SteveThaiBinh]

I blame the forces that made the Columbine shooters famous, and so inspired a legion of wannabes.

Then we must also blame the society that values fame and celebrity too highly.

[Sand]

Its all Steve's fault.

[Humodour]

No, Steve has a good point.

 

While this sort of thing is bound to happen now and then in any country, why does America have such a problem with it? It's easy to say "That's sad." and blame the killer (which is fair enough). But that's not going to get you anywhere unless you also ask why he did it and why America produces people more prone to such things. Blaming computer games is a flawed attempt at this.

[SteveThaiBinh]

I think it's a factor, one of many. The US is by no means novel or unique in its 'cult of celebrity', but it and some other Western countries have taken it to extremes and many other countries are headed in that direction. I don't think the negative consequences of that have been fully explored, perhaps because it's not in the media's interest to do so.

[Nick_i_am]

As far as i've witnessed, in the UK the attitide of 'normal people' towards celebreties tends to be to treat them as 'normal people', when encountering them in normal situations.

 

My parents went to university with a few now famous people and generally, when they turn up to a social gathering of whatever description, the 'famous people' are treated just like any other guest by the other guests.

 

I used to live around the corner from Harry Enfeild and again, it was the same thing, he would go out jogging around the pack in his tracksuit in a 'normal' area and wouldn't get bothered by people while doing it.

[Humodour]

I think it's a factor, one of many. The US is by no means novel or unique in its 'cult of celebrity', but it and some other Western countries have taken it to extremes and many other countries are headed in that direction. I don't think the negative consequences of that have been fully explored, perhaps because it's not in the media's interest to do so.

 

I detach myself from Australian media because I can't stand the hype, sensationalism and what's effectively subliminal suggestion in news and advertising. However, I'd like to hope we're not going too far down that road.

 

I think the problem is that it's a recent thing. It's more that we haven't had time to explore or notice the consequences that travel with Western globalisation, rather than that some entity is trying to hide them from us (although I'm sure media companies and politicans are exquisitely aware of how good they are at playing people). I'd personally rather like to think that in 20 or 50 years time, people will have matured past feeling bad about themselves because they don't look as pretty/skinny as a make up model on TV, or getting ready for blood when the media produces 'evidence' of the latest scandal against person/company/minority X.

 

I have faith in Western culture, personally. I think we're on the right track in general, but there are many facets which also disturb me greatly.

[Azarkon]

I blame the forces that made the Columbine shooters famous, and so inspired a legion of wannabes.

Then we must also blame the society that values fame and celebrity too highly.

 

I have my issues with celebrity culture, but I don't think it's the culture of fame that produced this; more like the culture of infamy. It's the idea that it's better to be remembered, than to be loved, which is the manifestation of a degenerate view towards fame that values things like "shock factor" and "criminality" (as a form of rebellion), both of which is, unfortunately, true for American culture. In some ways it's like the Roman gladiator games - when the media appeals to our most primitive instincts, vice rather than virtue is glorified. And so the story goes.

[Tale]

If we could clone Robin Williams problems like this would not occur.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Tale