The pages of our newspapers are bloodied with images of war, death and destruction. Television news is flooded with stories about deadly car accidents, murders and bombings. The very pictures we want to keep from seeping into our living rooms are what keep us tuning in to the news week after week.
It is the same notion that causes traffic jams on the highway. You are driving and suddenly you see sirens and lights ahead. It is not really that you want to witness the potentially life-scarring scene, but in the same moment of thought, your foot goes immediately to the gas pedal. It is by your very nature that you are intrigued by the accident.
As a society, we are grossly infatuated with images of horror. The most recent brought to our attention are the beheadings in Iraq. With each one, the story varies only slightly. We see and hear the last terrifying moments of a man’s life; his final plea. And, although we are helpless, we want to hear and know every gruesome detail.
It is true then, that no news is really good news. This is largely because many people do not find anything interesting about good news. Good news does not intrigue us because it is in the realm of our understanding. If you look at the week’s top headlines, it is rare you see someone recognized for an act of dignity. To most, this would be considered boring.
This infatuation with horror stems from our value of human life and the curiosity of violence and death. If life were not important, these images would have little or no impact because we would not care. But, because we see a man begging his country to comply with the terrorists so that his life can be spared, we are intrigued and drawn to every moment.
Since no one knows what death is like, and most people have not been exposed to sheer acts of violence, the only way to gain more of an understanding is by actually seeing the acts of death and brutality themselves.
But with this being said, television, newspapers and radio give terrorists a medium for their message. Because of people’s gross infatuation with horror, the media portrays these images directly to the public because time after time the audience grows. It is through the media we live vicariously through this unknown violence.
When we see these gruesome images, like the beheadings that depict the last few moments of a man’s life, we cannot help but to become intrigued and seconds later infuriated. In many cases it makes us question why we have to be in Iraq and expose people to this sort of danger. People become angry that human beings could commit such a cruel act, while others turn to the government as a source of blame.
This is exactly the reaction terrorist want. If it were not for our gross infatuation with horror, the media would not portray it. But as a society, it is this very violence that draws us in. The mere fact that these beheadings are made public gives terrorists an advantage.
Therefore, if people did not care, the media would not portray these images and the terrorists would have a much less significant impact.
Therefore, we as a society that values human life are in part perpetuating these beheadings.
We will continue to see these images, and no matter how many car accidents, deaths or beheadings there are, each one will be as fascinating as the last because our infatuation with horror will never die.
Lindsay Mosher ([email protected]) is a sophomore intending to major in journalism.
