Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA28459 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 6 Jan 2002 15:56:03 GMT Message-ID: <000901c196ca$f157ae20$749ebed4@default> From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <F30d7HbEG9nEFJNMjCy00015db6@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: playing at suicide Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 16:57:20 +0100 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Edward Turner <e_a_l_turner@hotmail.com>
By the time elders arrived after hearing the cries of the other children
present, the little girl was dead.
Later, an elder brother of the baby tried to do the same thing, according to
a relative.
The boy said he wanted his parents to weep and show concern for him just as
they had when the baby had died.
His parents and other brothers are now keeping a vigil on the boy, as he has
threatened to kill himself at a later date.
Police urged parents to have an extra close eye on their children, but many
have urged the government not to allow TV channels air programs which can
negatively influence the young."
Hi Edward,
A sad story indeed, but no more than a childs play turned into a disaster.
That the little girl, ' baby ', imitated her brother and his friends, or for
that
matter the people in the TV serial, I can understand, but not the rest that
follows.
The death of the girl is an unlucky accident, not related in whatever way
to the TV serial.
The behavior of the elder brother is puzzling but can be explained in easy
terms, not that it would be easy, but to put forward such an incoherent
statement makes me doubt the reliability. But that is not our concern.
What makes me wonder is the behavior of the boy. Indirect it can be
explained as an act of courage in conformity with chivalric honor and
behavior. In some mids a common practice and as the story runs in the
arabworld, where boys are to be known more cared for than girls, not
that surprising. He would than already be educated in a variety of
opinions concerning his belief and status.
Direct, an egoistic, male- gender driven behavior. Not that much sur-
prising either. Boys are to be known to be jealous of their baby- sister.
Of course, the threat to kill himself at a later date is of some concern,
but best explainable. His conscious plays games with him. Not sur-
prisingly, he feels guilty for the death of his little sister.
And, of course, there is the expected and obvious exaggeration by the
people who urged the government to act.
How many children did see the same show and did nothing !?
The negative influence of any show is yet to be proven, but that negativity
plays a certain role in many psychological disorders is a fact, but that is
not the whole picture. The reaction of the public is a classic example of
pathogens at work.
Best regards,
Kenneth
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