Nothing's Shocking?

[carsonshepherd]

Does anything really shock you anymore?

The news has gotten to be, like the song says, just another show, with sex and violence. TV filters everything so it almost doesn't seem real. The casualties in Iraq are so distant, unless it happens to you personally.

I'm thinking about this because I realized that even after four years of living in the south (US) I'm still shocked by the open racism against african americans. I grew up in the Midwest and it just isn't like that. Sometimes things that come out of someone's mouth just make me speechless. Against my heart's desire (which is to start raising hell) I just have to walk away. I'll never get used to it. It's just a whole different culture of ingrained racism. I don't want to get used to it.

Anyway that's my deep thought for the day.

 

[neonlyte]

It's the small things that shock me. The wider perversities inflicted by media, politicians and businesses no longer surprise or shock me - I have grown to expect them.

The everyday manner of everyday people never fails to assault my sensibility, I could just be over-sensitive.

 

[Guest]

The everyday manner of everyday people never fails to assault my sensibility, I could just be over-sensitive.

You probably are, but it's not the cause of this. I too note 'small' offences and wince. Above all, I cannot bear personal offence, even if witnessed of strangers.

Perdita

 

[shereads]

Does anything really shock you anymore?

Constantly. Every time I think I can't be shocked anymore, I find out otherwise.

I was shocked on Nov. 2.

I was shocked of course on 9/11. I was shocked when the tsunamis were being said to have killed an estimated 20,000 people; shocked again at 80,000. Now that the count is at 120,000, the numbers no longer get to me but the personal stories still get to me.

I'm shocked by personal betrayal. By me, by others.

I'm shocked by every story of cruelty-for-fun.

Most recently, I can't get the news story out of my head about the train derailment in California a few days ago that happened because of some poor idiot who wanted to kill himself by parking his car on the track. He couldn't go through with it and jumped clear of the car, and now is on "suicide watch" while he awaits indictment for the murder of the 10 people who died. I'm not sure if I'm shocked so much as made numb by the hideous irony.

The suicide of my friend's daughter remains a shock after a year and a half. I don't think that one will ever turn into something I can deal with rationally. It will always shock.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Does anything really shock you anymore?

The news has gotten to be, like the song says, just another show, with sex and violence. TV filters everything so it almost doesn't seem real. The casualties in Iraq are so distant, unless it happens to you personally.

I'm thinking about this because I realized that even after four years of living in the south (US) I'm still shocked by the open racism against african americans. I grew up in the Midwest and it just isn't like that. Sometimes things that come out of someone's mouth just make me speechless. Against my heart's desire (which is to start raising hell) I just have to walk away. I'll never get used to it. It's just a whole different culture of ingrained racism. I don't want to get used to it.

Anyway that's my deep thought for the day.

I'm shocked by the number of guys my age and younger who have remarkably 1950's attitudes about gender. This ranges from 'boys don't play with dolls' to 'women haven't really done anything important throughout history, or I'd have learned about them in my history class"

 

[fairysong]

Re: Re: Nothing's Shocking?

I'm shocked by the number of guys my age and younger who have remarkably 1950's attitudes about gender. This ranges from 'boys don't play with dolls' to 'women haven't really done anything important throughout history, or I'd have learned about them in my history class"

Know exactly what you mean SnP.
I work part time at the mall and the number of comments guys make about "women's place being at home cooking and cleaning for her man" shock me every time?

 

[rgraham666]

I'm afraid I haven't been shocked since Auschwitz.

Annoyed? Yes. Sickened? Yes. Angered? Yes. Shocked? No.

 

[Goldie Munro]

I am continually shocked by mans' inhumanity to man - it happens on a daily basis and is sometimes beyond belief

 

[BlackShanglan]

Know exactly what you mean SnP.
I work part time at the mall and the number of comments guys make about "women's place being at home cooking and cleaning for her man" shock me every time?

I like my good friend's quote. "I believe a woman's place is in the kitchen. That's where all of the knives are."

I'm afraid I haven't been shocked since Auschwitz.

Annoyed? Yes. Sickened? Yes. Angered? Yes. Shocked? No.

Cogent. I half agree. The other half read the BBC news poll posted this morning in which a half-dozen 15-to-18-year-olds talked about the Holocaust, using phrases like "it just doesn't really interest me," "it's not really part of modern life," "we know better now," and "it's just not relevant to me." It's difficult for me to grasp that someone would not want to know how a country and a people not much different to our own could slide, in the space of a few years, into utter, orchestrated, and extremely efficient barbarity.

Most frightening of all: some of them actually appeared to believe that no genocide had occurred since. One actually said something to the effect that we'd learned our lesson and it wouldn't happen again. Perhaps "isn't happening at this moment" would have been too great an untruth?

Abu Ghraib shocked and sickened me. At heart, I wanted to believe that we were above that.

Shanglan

 

[SeaCat]

Unfortunately I'm with you RG. How's that old quote go? Never under estimate the power of stupid people? It's just too bad that there are so many stupid people to each "smart" person.

Cat

 

[impressive]

It's not the bad things that shock me any more -- it's the good. (How sad is THAT?) I find myself shaken by "random acts of kindness," selflessness, courage, and generosity.

Okay, now I'm depressed. Thanks, carson!

 

[carsonshepherd]

It's not the bad things that shock me any more -- it's the good. (How sad is THAT?) I find myself shaken by "random acts of kindness," selflessness, courage, and generosity.

Okay, now I'm depressed. Thanks, carson!

I have one deep thought and this is all I get in return?

imp. I find myself feeling the same way at times.

 

[SeaCat]

I like my good friend's quote. "I believe a woman's place is in the kitchen. That's where all of the knives are."





Cogent. I half agree. The other half read the BBC news poll posted this morning in which a half-dozen 15-to-18-year-olds talked about the Holocaust, using phrases like "it just doesn't really interest me," "it's not really part of modern life," "we know better now," and "it's just not relevant to me." It's difficult for me to grasp that someone would not want to know how a country and a people not much different to our own could slide, in the space of a few years, into utter, orchestrated, and extremely efficient barbarity.

Most frightening of all: some of them actually appeared to believe that no genocide had occurred since. One actually said something to the effect that we'd learned our lesson and it wouldn't happen again. Perhaps "isn't happening at this moment" would have been too great an untruth?

Abu Ghraib shocked and sickened me. At heart, I wanted to believe that we were above that.

Shanglan

Shang,

I wonder what these kids think Boznia, Serbia, etc. were? Neighborhood block parties? (Okay so the party favors were a tad over the top but no one really got hurt did they? At least no one we need to worry about right?)

Cat