But then why do the videos of someone dying (mostly unnatural death) go viral on YouTube?
We had Saddam’s hanging, Sialkot brothers’ killing, all the Taliban beheading videos get millions and millions of views. Now Bhutto’s hanging video is on YouTube (someone sent me the link but I refused to watch it)
Ok maybe you clicked those videos out of curiosity. But don’t forget that around the world, public executions are highly attended events, often happen in stadiums. That means that people plan to attend those executions.
Re: do we get a pleasure from watching someone dying
everyone has his/her own reasons why they watch such videos. i watch for the following reasons:
i watched Saddam’s execution to see how he handled his own death and what his demeanor was…was it that of a man afraid to die or a man who would embrace death with a smile.
conclusion:
he didn’t show fear of death and he did the right thing by reciting kalima. every Muslim desires to recite kalima before death…kalima to be the last word on the dying person’s tongue.
i watched the Sialkot brothers’ lynching by the mob. i wanted to see how low a human can get and how a Muslim can be so ruthless in killing one’s own brother in faith…this band of Allama Iqbal from Jawaab-e-Shakwa came to my mind:
Conclusion:
gosh, these fanatics and zombies did NOT disappoint me…they did exactly what i expected from those shaitaan kii aulaad…what they did before, during and after the lynching was despicable. the way their body was dumped in the truck, uncovered and head dangling. and driven on city streets to reach the morgue was something that no human would ever do that…they mus have been animals in human disguise. and at the end the way the employees of the morgue kicked the bodies off the truck and on to the drive way was unforgivable.
i pray that these people responsible for his death rot in hell for ever. aameen
Kkf, both your reasons of why you watched those two videos seem little ruthless (I know you are a kind person, hence my question). What lesson or value did you get out of watching how someone could face his death or how low humans can get? History is full of such events and we can read about them too if some learning is desired.
Re: do we get a pleasure from watching someone dying
You know the first time this question came into my mind was back in 2008. I remember sitting in Latin class, having to read excerpts and write essays about Roman entertainment. Sadly, their biggest recreational event of the year would be held at the Roman Theatre bordering an extensive arena, in which the entire city would leisurely be seated just to take delight in watching prisoners, one by one, get ripped apart by wild animals including lions. Afterwards, they’d have gladiator fights resulting in only one alive remnant. Astagfirullah.
People have always been sick, and disgustingly sadistic since the very beginning of time. It won’t be ending anytime soon. These kinds of issues seriously depress me.
Re: do we get a pleasure from watching someone dying
yes!!
its very comforting knowing person dying unnatural death is not us/me/watcher.
Its basic animal instinct.
Plus every accident, we do our calculation “how it would NOT happen to us/me”
And then our brain move on to every day normal life.
Just think about it, we never want to watch an other specie dying, do we ?
But when its our own, we want to get details how it happened.
Re: do we get a pleasure from watching someone dying
Are people ‘pleased’ at watching such videos and events?
Dying is an unusual act and a person would not do it more than once in his/her life. Naturally, people are interested in unusual events and hence watch such videos.
Re: do we get a pleasure from watching someone dying
Peace TLK bhai
Actually Monk is on the right lines … however, since we are human we are expected to rise above our animal natures …
This is the same symptom experienced when there is a car crash the queue that forms is not a result of the crash blocking the road, but because passers by want to get a good look at the destruction and possible bloodshed. They slow down for it … May be similar is the reason why people want to watch horror movies or gore and so on …
There seems to be a link between “shock - curiosity - fear - pleasure” … The third dimension of our faith Ihsan - in the sciences of tassuwwuf, training is given in handling these “urges” … For sure good character is “to not indulge in things that do not concern us” - that should they be a fitnah that we fall in to … “we need to programme our hearts away from watching and looking as spectators of the misfortune of others” - however things like public executions we are required to attend when Hadd is being exercised … “we owe it to create a hatred for the demise of others” soften our hearts and keep our intellects in control of our actions … Looking is such an easily done thing and it requires a lot of awareness and self-presence to control that almost reflex action …
Soldiers and Monks are trained to do just that as well … The Queen’s guards do not look at people and monks can remain focused despite distractions … I think the concept behind this is rooted in the concept of:
“excitement” - When we sense danger we get “excited” - physically our hearts pump faster and our nervous system goes haywire our eye dilate … we are trying to gather as much information as possible … so naturally we are drawn to “look” in the direction of danger - to gain more information about it - it may be a self-preservation mechanism …
Likewise … the term “excitement” infers enjoyment … and that may be because of the release of endorphins … and endorphins are really meant to numb us in case we experience pain … sort of like a natural anesthetic … and we can cite the example of entonox … which is nitrous oxide … as you are aware that is administered to women in labour … to dampen the pain, but the effect of it also one of pleasure - that is the reason why it is called “laughing gas” …
Our minds being complicated and somewhat driven by our nufs and desires we can easily conflate the impulses of danger, shock and horror with that of pleasure, fun and inflation of the ego.
Learning how to be calm in dangerous situations shows a level of “good character” and being strict on what we allow ourselves to see is a very high form of “self-control” and also a sign of good character … Most people will consciously feel sick at the sight of blood and gore, but at the same time people may subconsciously be driven towards it … Of course some people will consciously love to see harm on others - Our task is to programme our subconsciousness to a state that it aligns with the principles we hold in our conscious being …
Re: do we get a pleasure from watching someone dying
The stoning must be done in public … and the public are required to attend and to witness and partake in the event in some cases. This is done for reasons other than “taking pleasure” in it, but rather the Islamic ethos should already have softened our hearts and nurtured us properly to be peaceful and balanced people - if anything this practice is designed to strike fear and caution in us … I would think that if anyone was seen taking pleasure in this and turned up to a stoning sentencing every time being first in the queue and licking his lips upon seeing bloodshed … such an individual would be prevented by the state to attend a public stoning … and would probably be given a lot of attention to treat his illness of the heart …
