College Kid Commits Suicide Live on the Web

nudeyorker

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This is one of the most sad tragic things I have read in quite some time. However I have to ask the family of this man who are outraged at the members of the site that this took place...Where the hell were you?
 

Principessa

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So sad. :frown1: If they knew he was bi-polar why didn't they check up on him daily, make sure he was taking his meds and going to therapy regularly? :confused:

The state of mental healthcare in this country disgusts me. :12: Things like this keep happening and nobody ever looks at the source of the problem. He didn't commit suicide because of the internet. He committed suicide because he was depressed! He may have felt invisible and thought that committing suicide online was the only way to get peoples attention. Or maybe the pain of life was just too much for him, so he ended it. As for people watching him and not reporting it; most people today, especially young people are desensitized to death and dying, because of video games. :frown1:
 

Skull Mason

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I am actually a member of that site. He usually posted in the "misc" forum where everything and anything goes, he also was somewhat of a trolling member so a lot of people thought it was a hoax or didn't believe his drama leading up to the actual act. People did end up reporting it to the police once they started to realize he wasn't moving anymore. People are pretty insensitive on that forum but its a damn body building, steroid wielding website. But is every person who reads a forum supposed to try and get help for every other poster who threatens suicide or appears bi-polar? There is only so much one can do.

The site should not be to blame. Although that forum did pretty much consume his life/social life. You will find two groups of people over there, the ones who are sad and outraged by the other group, who has the mentality of, "he did the cowardly thing and that is what he deserves, don't blame me where were YOU [the people blaming people for not coming to his rescue] and where was his FAMILY?"
 

surferboy

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what's really sad is that this is not the fist time that someone has killed themselves live via webcam, and, even sicker, is that the peoples who were watching would cheer them on. then they have the nerve to tell the cops "oh, i didn't think he/she would actually do it!"


also, i go to broward college too. i've never heard of him :confused: i don't know if he even went to my campus though.
 

Deno

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It should be very easy to report this type of thing and intervene. Apparently these people are to blame for not stopping it. What harm would have come by picking up the phone and drawing attention to his cries for help. There needs to be education on the internet, A place to call or a contact that can intervene, find the area, and send help.
 

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The thing too me is that so much fake stuff happens on the internet, it's hard to know what is real and not. And just because you have problems doesn't mean people check on you everyday (trust me). This isn't the media's fault. People blame video games, but I turn to CSI or Law and Order and there is blood and murder on every episode. Kids are smarter than that, despite what people think. Kids know suicide is permanent and it is discussed, but for some, if they are going to go out, they want to be known. One last thing to see if people care.
 

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It should be very easy to report this type of thing and intervene. Apparently these people are to blame for not stopping it. What harm would have come by picking up the phone and drawing attention to his cries for help.

So if you saw his post what exactly would you have done? Let's do an exercise real quick;

Hey, I am going to kill myself unless someone intervenes and stops me within the next 5 minutes before I swallow all these pills.

Ok. So what do you do? Pass it off as another joker on the internet? Probably. Or do you call the police? What police department exactly do you call? What would you actually tell them? "Hey, Skull Mason from a large penis site is threatening to kill himself!!! "Do I know what he looks like...well no, but he has this jesus looking thing as an avatar!!!" That would probably get their undivided attention...

Do you know where I live? Do you know anyone who knows me who can come over in the next 5 minutes and stop me? Do you have a cape that you can put on and magically fly over to my undisclosed location and rescue me? Better hurry up, its 1:55 am and I only have 5 minutes left. Good luck.

Oh and by the way, if you don't rescue me in the next 5 (well, it is 4 now) minutes then you are to blame.

* I am not saying that something could have possibly been done, but you can't blame people on the internet in their homes minding their own business for this person killing himself. After all, he did it in his father's home. His family knew he had a history of being depressed and bi polar. They are the ones who left him alone for 12 hours. Not people surfing the internet. At least they gave him some company on his way out, which is seemingly what he wanted.
 
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Principessa

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The thing too me is that so much fake stuff happens on the internet, it's hard to know what is real and not. And just because you have problems doesn't mean people check on you everyday (trust me).
True, I'm not comfortable blaming his family. What were they supposed to do watch him 24/7?

This isn't the media's fault. People blame video games, but I turn to CSI or Law and Order and there is blood and murder on every episode.
True, I watch those shows too, but the difference between that and a video game is that with the games the lives are regenerated. The dead don't come back to life on CSI.

Kids are smarter than that, despite what people think. Kids know suicide is permanent and it is discussed, but for some,
if they are going to go out, they want to be known. One last thing to see if people care.
I agree it's one last chance to see if they can get some attention. It's not narcissistic just desperate and lonely. :frown1:
 

nudeyorker

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True, I'm not comfortable blaming his family. What were they supposed to do watch him 24/7?
Hello...they were living under the same roof when it happened. If someone were living with me taking any kind of medication; I would feel responsible for looking after their safety and well being. So it's easier for the family to blame countless strangers who had no idea of where he lived and what his circumstances were.
 

Phil Ayesho

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He did it in mid-day... his PARENTS were probably WORKING for a living.

OF Those watching, the respsone ran the spectrum from folks trying to talk him out of it, to folsk cynically egging him on... certain he was faking it and not wanting to be the ones who fell for the con.
And, in fact, those who knew how, traced the guy's location and called police.

That he did it online is no different than folks who climb out on a ledge or bridge... and wait for the news cameras to arrive to jump... they want their passing witnessed... they want someone to care about their dying.

Further... He was 19- hardly a 'kid'- he was old enough to vote, old enough to have a job, old enough to be humping a pack in Iraq.

He may well have been mentally ill... or he may simply have been a member of the too stupid to live club... that group of teens and young adults who are born in the lap of middle class luxury, have never known a day of true want or loss in their short lives, and who listen to death metal and fantasize about how cool death is....


Sorry.... I have too much compassion for real suffering to worry much about somone who finds life so intolerable that they want off.
Seriously... what is the great loss here?
If the kid was that damn miserable... why should he have to suffer another day?
Why is HIS choice over HIS life not worthy of our respect?

In my book, if you want to kill yourself... you should just go ahead and do it.

Or, if you have doubts, seek help.

But don't blame the rest of the life loving world for not trying hard enough to convince you that you shouldn't.

We are not running out of people....If you don't want the job of middle class white American, I am sure we can find someone else eager for the opportunity.
 

Gillette

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So if you saw his post what exactly would you have done? Let's do an exercise real quick;

Hey, I am going to kill myself unless someone intervenes and stops me within the next 5 minutes before I swallow all these pills.

Ok. So what do you do? Pass it off as another joker on the internet? Probably. Or do you call the police? What police department exactly do you call? What would you actually tell them? "Hey, Skull Mason from a large penis site is threatening to kill himself!!! "Do I know what he looks like...well no, but he has this jesus looking thing as an avatar!!!" That would probably get their undivided attention...

Do you know where I live? Do you know anyone who knows me who can come over in the next 5 minutes and stop me? Do you have a cape that you can put on and magically fly over to my undisclosed location and rescue me? Better hurry up, its 1:55 am and I only have 5 minutes left. Good luck.

Oh and by the way, if you don't rescue me in the next 5 (well, it is 4 now) minutes then you are to blame.

* I am not saying that something could have possibly been done, but you can't blame people on the internet in their homes minding their own business for this person killing himself. After all, he did it in his father's home. His family knew he had a history of being depressed and bi polar. They are the ones who left him alone for 12 hours. Not people surfing the internet. At least they gave him some company on his way out, which is seemingly what he wanted.

Skull, your points about responsibility are well taken. There is very little that could be done by the members on that site to save him and what options were available were in fact used. A moderator was contacted, traces were done and authorities contacted.

I don't hold any of that site reponsible for his killing himself but I do level some judgement on those callous enough to encourage him. I hope those individuals are taking a closer look at themselves, but I somehow doubt it.