Forum

Celes wrote:

This is a real shame. I really hope this girl is found and that she gets the help she needs.

Depression is a disease and anyone who says she is a coward is seriously messed up. When you have depression you don't think "right". The only way to really understand it is unfortunately to suffer from it. I hope that no one on here who condemns this girl ever has to suffer the pain of someone they know killing themselves or watch them get eaten away by depression. When my mom's best friend committed suicide a year ago, it shook me in a way that I know I will never recover from because I knew her since I was a child. That's why I think the people who make fun of this girl are sick bastards.

I really hope that she maybe just needed a break and got ballsy and did something she really wanted to let off steam. When you are on the brink, things like money and clothes to last you for a trip aren't on your mind. You just want to get out of your head.

You said it perfectly. A person that's on the brink of suicide isn't thinking straight.

I wish more people would take that into account.

Society's so double-standard. If someone says they want to commit suicide, they're instantly labeled as attention-seekers, and then the ones that do keep quiet are labeled as cowards.

But anyway, I also really hope that she is found. My heart goes out to her.

daxomni wrote:

Depression is a disease.

Just out of curiosity: Is it ALWAYS a disease? I can imagine that being true for some. Maybe it's due to my ignorance, but I cannot yet believe that it would be a "disease" for everyone. Though some people might use that excuse so they have something to blame their depression on other than themselves.

I'm not aiming this at the girl in any way. It's just something I'm curious about.

Pscho 101 wrote:

Quote:

Now, the comments about her being white are also not directed solely or even particularly at ANN, nor am I saying ANN is racially bias. They're made in general at the media because it seems the majority of cases that ever get any public media attention are the cases where the hometown white girl goes missing. Not the hometown black girl, mexican girl, chinese girl, etc. That's just simple truth. As well as the fact that many people only get this upset over the hometown white girl being missing, and while posters here may not want to admit that or call me an ass for saying it that doesn't change the fact it is the realistic truth.

Where has 'Missing White Girl' Syndrome been given any systematic backing? There's a nugget of truth that wider society seems to be addicted to certain tabloid tales, but 'MWG' is as much a convenient grievance narrative as it is anything else. I've worked in Philly and I currently work in Baltimore, and there never has been lack of coverage for missing children of non-white ethnicity. If anything, like most of the bias in news coverage, it stems from class bias, not racial bias. I've seen just as many poor urban white kids go missing as any other ethnicity(when I was teaching), but the assumption is usually urban poor make their own trouble with drugs/gangs, while upper-middle class kids go missing through acts of a pure predatory nature. Media cries of 'MWGS' usually come from either people who often make everything about certain views on race, or upper-middle class white folks who live in very homogeneous enclaves. Living close to Baltimore there have been several terrible, racially-based torture/murders which the media went out of there way to play down, but I don't think anyone's going to start a 'Let's Ignore Black Racism' media meme. Complaining about 'MWG' is a nasty way of side-sneaking in racial accusations where no such action is warranted.

Veoryn87 wrote:

daxomni wrote:

Depression is a disease.

Just out of curiosity: Is it ALWAYS a disease? I can imagine that being true for some. Maybe it's due to my ignorance, but I cannot yet believe that it would be a "disease" for everyone.

Clinical depression is a recognised mental illness - "disease" isn't really an accurate term for most psychological disorders - and there are also various subtypes of clinical depression such as postnatal depression.
I think the confusion comes from the fact that people also use the word "depression" to refer to just feeling a bit down as part of the usual range of passing moods.

I agree with Psycho 101 completely.

My local newspaper when it comes to murders talks more about people who're white than minorities. When it's a white victim they get into detail about what happen. If it's minorities the article is short.

u_u no more racism in this thread...please.

psycho101; I'm going to let you in on something here. I don't think black people will fly to Japan to kill themselves.

This can only be said if I was very stereotypical.

I'm really wondering why this rant was made on ANN regardless of what your POV was in terms of media articles; ANN is definitely not CNN or ABC. I can honestly say that I can understand to a certain extent, but still...it's like super wow. It's not a good thing to have that kind of attitude, at all.

As for depression, there are differences, such as what moomintroll has mentioned. It's not a disease for all, but we wouldn't have medication if it didn't work out. What affects you mentally can also affect you physically as well.

I'm not going to argue on the side that she's an adult; but most old people would say she's still just a kid; basically...it's true. She still has years to learn and get back on her feet...if circumstances hasn't made its mark arlready.

tygerchickchibi wrote:

u_u no more racism in this thread...please.

But his comments wasn't racist at all. Rolling Eyes

I mean, how politically correct people are nowadays? Rolling Eyes

Moomintroll wrote:

Veoryn87 wrote:

daxomni wrote:

Depression is a disease.

Just out of curiosity: Is it ALWAYS a disease? I can imagine that being true for some. Maybe it's due to my ignorance, but I cannot yet believe that it would be a "disease" for everyone.

Clinical depression is a recognised mental illness - "disease" isn't really an accurate term for most psychological disorders - and there are also various subtypes of clinical depression such as postnatal depression.
I think the confusion comes from the fact that people also use the word "depression" to refer to just feeling a bit down as part of the usual range of passing moods.

Makes perfect sense to me. Thanks.

Descent123 wrote:

tygerchickchibi wrote:

u_u no more racism in this thread...please.

But his comments wasn't racist at all. Rolling Eyes

I mean, how politically correct people are nowadays? Rolling Eyes

I think what she ment was that he brought race into an issue didn't need it. So what if she's white? The fact is she's gone.

His comment wasn't racisit, just totally misplaced.
I can understand the anger at the fact that the media covers a certain amount more of white disapperances than others, but this is neither the time nor the place.

Psycho 101 wrote:

So it's bullcrap to not follow in line with everyone else and have a different opinion huh? It's bullcrap because I don't spend my every waking moment worrying about what random people on the internet think about me? I'm sorry but I have better things to do then worry about what random people think about me.

And yet, how many hours have you spent defending yourself against random people on the internet in this thread? I think you may care more than you think you do.

Because the fact is that interpersonal relationships, be they in person or online, remain the number one need that humans have. Sure, we need water, food, and sleep in order to physically sustain ourselves, but when we don't have a REASON to sustain ourselves, we oftentimes don't.

Also, in regards to the "racism" accusations thrown in both directions, I would highly recommend that those interested in the issue check out pretty much any of the books by author Cornel West. Psycho 101 does indeed have some good points about selective media coverage. I don't think they apply in ANY way to this website, which is tri-cultural by it's very nature (Japanese, American, Australian), but they stand as valid points nonetheless.

Also, in the off chance that Skye actually is reading this, please email me at bleu.vii at gmail.com. I will buy you a train ticket from wherever you are to my town in Fukushima prefecture, which is a quiet seaside town. You can have your own room and stay for as long as you need in order to get back on your feet.

BleuVII wrote:

And yet, how many hours have you spent defending yourself against random people on the internet in this thread? I think you may care more than you think you do.

Because the fact is that interpersonal relationships, be they in person or online, remain the number one need that humans have. Sure, we need water, food, and sleep in order to physically sustain ourselves, but when we don't have a REASON to sustain ourselves, we oftentimes don't.

Also, in regards to the "racism" accusations thrown in both directions, I would highly recommend that those interested in the issue check out pretty much any of the books by author Cornel West. Psycho 101 does indeed have some good points about selective media coverage. I don't think they apply in ANY way to this website, which is tri-cultural by it's very nature (Japanese, American, Australian), but they stand as valid points nonetheless.

Also, in the off chance that Skye actually is reading this, please email me at bleu.vii at gmail.com. I will buy you a train ticket from wherever you are to my town in Fukushima prefecture, which is a quiet seaside town. You can have your own room and stay for as long as you need in order to get back on your feet.

You made all valid points. What about Psycho's posts people are objecting to, though, is that this thread is not the place to discuss such issues. As you stated, his points do not apply to this website, and as such should not be posted here.

The following points are addressed to EVERYONE. Listen, everyone, something you need to realize: We have the right to free speech, and the internet is a free expression forum. HOWEVER, social graces and basic decency STILL apply. If you have issues, write a blog entry about it and post a link with a clear and concise description. If anyone is interested, they will read it and comment on it.

THIS thread and, indeed, most of the discussions on ANN, are not places for people to launch into diatribes about whatever ills there are in the world, unless they directly relate to the story being discussed (ie, fansubbing either being an issue or not for domestic anime licensees). Long-winded irrelevant arguments have been posted a lot lately in many different threads, which is precisely why my post count is so low. Every time I think about joining in a discussion, it goes down in flames before I can, at which point I say screw it. But the amount of disgusting animosity in this thread forced me to reply.

Railing against media bias, or the suicidal tendency are NOT appropriate for discussion thread on this topic, unless offering up the simple advice, as you indirectly did: don't commit suicide.

Idea: instead of writing a long piece on how inconsiderate a suicidal person is, or on how cnn only talks about mwgs, write it in a blog, and post a comment here that says something relevant and a link that says "if you'd like to read my thoughts on suicide, or on media bias, read here, comments welcome (or not)." Being a member of a forum requires decorum. And yes I know that rhymes.

To quote Cache Seel: "Life may suck but the alternative is NOT an option."

daxomni wrote:

Depression is a disease. Blaming someone who dies by suicide is like blaming someone who dies from any other disease. If you die from cancer you leave a lot of sad relatives and friends but nobody blames you. Yet if you die from depression half of ANN says "good riddance to that weak, selfish person." I think that's an unbelievably naive view to be completely honest.

Many letters left after successful suicides repeatedly apologize for the pain and anguish they're causing as a result of their actions and beg for forgiveness from those who are left behind. That would seem to imply they were not only thinking of themselves. Suicides cover a large number of people in a wide range of circumstances, some of whom think that by ending their lives they're actually doing their friends and families a favor. Extreme depression can turn the world upside down and leave those who suffer from it with little or no understanding of what is truly helpful or harmful to them or anyone else.

Depression may be a disease but comparing it to cancer is just ridiculous Dax. You have no choice with cancer, you do with depression. You can choose to over come it and take steps to deal with depression a whole hell of a lot easier than cancer. If you die from cancer of course people don't blame you because you had no choice. You didn't choose to let cancer kill you. With depression you make the choice to deal with it or not.

And the sentiment of saying how sorry you are in a suicide note is just a farse IMO. I mean if you truly cared about the pain you were about to cause to your family and friends you wouldn't be committing suicide in the first place. Such sentiments in a suicide letter are empty and hollow because they won't do a damn thing to actually help ease the pain and suffering of those you hurt with such actions. No one has once said good riddance but I for one will not feel pity or shed a tear for someone who willingly chooses to throw their life away and cause years upon years of suffering to those around them. Extreme depression can turn your world upside down and cause you to question everything. I know personally, I've been there. Hell if you wanna know the truth I had a loaded gun with hollow points (my father's off duty piece) in my hands at one point and was ready to commit suicide myself. I made a choice not to and to not pointlessly throw my life away. There is always a choice and ways to get help. You either chose to do so and rise above it all or call it quits and just throw it all away. I don't wish ill will on this girl but I again refuse to simply feel pity for someone who is willing to pointlessly throw their life away and help ruin ths lives of many around them with their actions.

BleuVII wrote:

Psycho 101 wrote:

So it's bullcrap to not follow in line with everyone else and have a different opinion huh? It's bullcrap because I don't spend my every waking moment worrying about what random people on the internet think about me? I'm sorry but I have better things to do then worry about what random people think about me.

And yet, how many hours have you spent defending yourself against random people on the internet in this thread? I think you may care more than you think you do.

Because the fact is that interpersonal relationships, be they in person or online, remain the number one need that humans have. Sure, we need water, food, and sleep in order to physically sustain ourselves, but when we don't have a REASON to sustain ourselves, we oftentimes don't.

I'm defending my words and not my person. There is a difference. I am not one of those people who says something and then runs away. I don't simply throw out an opinion and fade into the night. I stand by my words and actions and I support them. I take responsibility for them and defend them. Even if they're not popular and even if I am wrong in the end I still support my words and actions.

Interpersonal relationships are important I will grant you that. I don't think they're the number one need humans have but I concede they are important. However, if I want that I can get them from my friends and not random people online. I also believe there are many other things that qualify as a reason to sustain ourselves beyond interpersonal relationships. There are other wants and desires that can keep a person moving on. The desire to see the world or become a master as playing the violin or piano. To paint a masterpiece or finish that novel you're working on. There are tons of other very good reasons to sustain ourselves.

Psycho 101 wrote:

Depression may be a disease but comparing it to cancer is just ridiculous Dax. You have no choice with cancer, you do with depression. You can choose to over come it and take steps to deal with depression a whole hell of a lot easier than cancer. If you die from cancer of course people don't blame you because you had no choice. You didn't choose to let cancer kill you. With depression you make the choice to deal with it or not.

You really shouldn't speak of something that you have no idea about.

BleuVII wrote:

Also, in regards to the "racism" accusations thrown in both directions, I would highly recommend that those interested in the issue check out pretty much any of the books by author Cornel West. Psycho 101 does indeed have some good points about selective media coverage. I don't think they apply in ANY way to this website, which is tri-cultural by it's very nature (Japanese, American, Australian), but they stand as valid points nonetheless.

As said before, I don't think race and politics is a good area to get into on a messageboard, but quickly (and while respecting BleuVII right to enjoy what he/she see's fit), I'm going to reverse that suggestion and emphatically urge folks not to seek out Cornel West if they are interested in an accessible discussion on race. He is a marginal intellectual, who like a Noam Chomsky (in his political guise, not linguistic work), has over-stated 'pop' appeal. He's produced no seriously held works on either race or Marxism (and I say that as a doctoral student in political theory centering on socialism) and in the famous words of Leon Wieseltier:

Quote:

Since there is no crisis in America more urgent than the crisis of race, and since there is no intellectual in America more celebrated for his consideration of the crisis of race, I turned to West, and read his books. They are almost completely worthless.

There are many good works that explore the roles of culture and identity that are much more accessible and relevant to the non-academic reader. I've actually met Dr. West, and he is a very pleasant fellow, but unless verbose dog-and-pony shows like:

Quote:

Following the model of the black diasporan traditions of music, athletics, and rhetoric, black cultural workers must constitute and sustain discursive and institutional networks that deconstruct earlier modern black strategies for identity-formation, demystify power relations that incorporate class, patriarchal, and homophobic biases, and construct more multivalent and multidimensional responses that articulate the complexity and diversity of black practices in the modern and postmodern world.

..strike your fancy, I'd recommend a different narrative source. Again, I respect that people enjoy what they wish, but Cornel West is pretty far from an accessible, even-keel take on the subject, especially for non-academic audiences.

How could anyone be so obsessed with Anime that they would fail school with their only goal in life being to live for Anime? Makes me sick.

Forum - View topic
NEWS: American Anime Fan Disappears in Japan

A Returner's Magic Should Be Special Season 1 Anime Review

Ghibli Park's Newest Area Brings Howl's Moving Castle and Kiki's Delivery Service to Life

My Hero Academia Enters 'Epilogue;' Author States Manga Will Continue for 'A While' as it 'Returns to its Title'

Lupin III's 1st Fujiko Voice Actress Eiko Masuyama Dies at 89

T・P BON Season 1 Anime Series Review

Mizuho Kusanagi: Yona of the Dawn Manga is in its Final Arc

Turns Out Shōhei Ohtani Can Pitch, Hit, AND Draw Manga Art Shockingly Well

Kengan Ashura Season 1 Part 1 Anime Series Review

Netflix Reveals English Live-Action Series BET Based on Kakegurui Manga

This Week in Games - Sony And Marvelous Woke Up And Chose The Same Day To Showcase, And I'm Paying For It

My Picture Diary Manga Review

My Oni Girl Director Asks Viewers To Be True to Themselves

Forum - View topicNEWS: American Anime Fan Disappears in Japan

Forum

Forum - View topic
NEWS: American Anime Fan Disappears in Japan