The Internet And Suicide
Written by: Tom Sawyer
The Internet, for good or bad, is a part of our everyday lives. People have found many ways to leverage the power of the Internet and today I wish we would kind of slow down with our internet usage. For one family in Florida, the Internet increased a pain they will never recover from.
Abraham Briggs, a 19-year-old Broward College student, first declared on a Web site that he hated himself and planned to die. 12 hours later it happened.
All of this was recorded, via web cam, on Justin.tv and the many people watching thought it was a joke or at least wasn’t legit. The feed was live when Briggs took some pills and went to sleep – for the final time.
I know the people watching didn’t think the suicide was totally legit and/or they didn’t know what to do to help. If every Internet prank was considered real the Internet would probably come to a grinding halt. I also know people who commit suicide don’t always give clear signs of their intent.
So what do we do? I don’t know if there is anything that can be done except to learn from this. I feel sorry for the family and more importantly I feel sorry for Briggs. Suicide is a sin that cannot be forgiven, a crime who’s debt cannot be repaid.
What do you think about this unfortunate incident?
November 24th, 2008 at 2:55 am
It’s always sad when someone takes their own life, especially a young person. Doing it online via a horde of gaping idiots does not seem to me to be a very dignified way of checking out.
I believe that every suicide is a tragedy that could be avoided if people contemplating it would only realise that it takes courage to live at times and that their life is a precious gift that they should be grateful for. We only get one life and to end it prematurely is a tragic waste.
Richard Cattos last blog post..It’s better to help than to hate: Niall Mellon Township Trust
November 24th, 2008 at 11:00 am
…it takes courage to live at times and that their life is a precious gift that they should be grateful for. Well said Richard.
I have a girlfriend that started saying years ago and has continued to say: the computer/internet is going to be our demise. Unfortunately, it was for him. I can’t say the actually internet did it, but I can’t say having an eager audience, wasn’t helpful in egging him on. This is so sad. I can’t imagine loosing my child and especially in front of so many. I also can’t believe that not one person watching took him serious, and when that one did, it was too late.
If I haven’t gotten anything else out of this, I got, if in doubt, ACT anyway! Do something! Waiting to see if it is “for real” may be too late!
November 24th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
This is sad. The internet has become the gateway for so many things – some good, but more and more bad. My profession is in IT, but I do not have a web cam nor do I belong to any of the social networking sites. I just think technology is sometimes, too intrusive — this situation being one of those times. I feel really bad for his family.
Kim Sawyers last blog post..The Internet And Suicide
November 29th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
wow