A Penny For My Thoughts

Firehorse visited a gory blog post yesterday and posted the following comment in my last post:

"Victor, I saw something so horrible yesterday in one of the blogs, was sick to my stomach, would like to hear your thoughts on it but not sure if you have a strong stomach or not. If you think you do, go here:

[blog address deleted]

I can't get this visual out of my head. But go only if you think you can handle it."

Below are my personal thoughts on this issue.

I visited the blog post because:

1. I will take up most challenges (see title of this blog);

2. I don't like to admit that I have no guts, especially publicly;

3. Perhaps being born in the Year of the Monkey, I have a natural curiosity.

Regarding the last point, actually I think it is natural for most people to be curious too, not just a monkey like me. So the warnings which the blog owner and you provided are not really effective in deterring people with weak stomachs from viewing the post to see for themselves. On the contrary, I think many people will be attracted to view the site instead, children included. In my opinion, it is rather naive to think that they will seek their parents' consent first before viewing.

Some people want to find out what is their own tolerance level for gore and violence while some want to test it. Others may view the post because they may not even know what their own limits are. After viewing the photos, they may find that their limits have been exceeded.

Of course, I feel disgusted after viewing photos. (I think any normal person would.) However, I got over it as soon as I moved away from the post. In that sense, I don't think that my limit has been exceeded. However, that is not the same as saying that I enjoy viewing such gory pictures. (If I do, I know where to look - the Internet has plenty of such websites which I will not name for obvious reasons.)

I honestly think they are sick - the perpetrators more than photos, that is. I say perpetrators (in plural) because I think the one taking the photos is just as guilty. My personal view is that we should not help them propagate such gore by blogging about it or forwarding their links. (However, if my blog's theme is about gore and violence, then it would be a very different matter.)

I don't know what was your reason for viewing the post. It is probably one (or more) of the reasons I have listed above. Whatever your reason, I think you are feeling sick and traumatised now because your limit has been exceeded.

So to prevent more people from becoming similar victims, I have removed your comment and reproduced it above (but without the link). I hope you don't mind me doing that. I do not mean any offense; neither am I offended by your comment. But I must say that it is a very unusual way of tagging me with a meme.

Now any of my readers can take up this meme:

What is your opinion on portrayal of violence on the Internet?