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After the incident with the SUV at Open Da Night, Gamache notices onlookers taking out their phones to record and post. Louise writes that those filming had a right to take video, but Gamache wonders if they realized that “with every second they posted, they lost pieces of their humanity.” Do you agree with Gamache? What do you think you would do if you found yourself in a similar situation?
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I agree with Gamache who “wondered if they realized that with every second they posted, they lost pieces of their humanity.” That part of humanity that is respectful and considerate and shows human decency of other human beings in a terrible situation. Human nature is curious. We see this all the time in people slowing and gawking at a traffic accident. Unfortunately, modern technology makes it easier for tragedies to be passed on with the risk of families finding out before officials can find and notify them. Gamache demonstrates that decency when he tells the agent to guard the body and adds “his name is Charles. It seemed important that she know.” I think that if I found myself in such a situation, I would walk away. I am very much an introvert and would not like to be in such a large crowd.
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I do agree with Gamache. It’s true we have the right to record what we see. But along with freedoms and rights comes responsibility. I feel that technology is stripping us of our compassion towards our fellow human beings. It is normalizing horrible tragedies so that we don’t react in behalf of those being violated. Our first instinct is not to render aid but to record. Forget who might be harmed if we share something. After all, it’s our right to record!
Our children suffer the cruelty of bullies all the time while onlookers record the episodes. Then to make matters worse they share their recordings on the internet furthering the damage to others. We could end bullying behavior, in person and online, if all those witnessing it would simply put their phones away and say STOP!
On the flip side of this, I do realize that some good does come from our recording what we see. Often the police are able to further their investigations, find a missing child quicker, or resolve a crime with the help of personal videos.We just need to assess the situation before we begin recording. Helping others needs to be our top priority. I hope that I can help eliminate some of this instant phone use by modeling compassionate behavior towards my fellow man. I hate the thought of a time when the only contact we know how to have is through a device instead of across the table from a human being.
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Yes, I agree with Gamache. We’ve become an overly voyeuristic society in many ways, with people more interested in engaging with the world virtually (seeing the world filtered through the lens of a camera or video) rather than taking in what is actually happening in front of them and fully assessing a situation. Smartphones make it easy for people to document everything around them at any time and there is definitely an increased desire (or need) among people to do that. However, during a crisis there are other priorities that people need to think about.
An event like what happened at Open Da Night will always attract onlookers who will film and post because it is a shocking event, and shocking catches our attention. But that doesn’t make it a healthy choice. There are many reasons for documenting and recording, and not all will cost you a piece of your humanity. However, during a crisis there could be a cost. What is disturbing to me is the increasing number of news reports of people filming rather than rendering aid during emergencies. So I can sympathize with Gamache’s observation. Gamache also wonders if the onlookers realize what they are doing. I’m not so sure they do. I’m curious what others think about this. Do you think people filming a shocking incident reflect on their actions and consider the potential consequences? Or are they more likely to get caught up in the moment and only reflect on their actions later?
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Absolutely agree with Tara, Libby and Nancy and voyeuristic is exactly the word that fits. I hope I would be more like the young physician who said, “I can help.”
I think the loss of one’s humanity is more in the posting than the filming. It is the exploitation of others’ loss and trauma. That, I think, is what Libby speaks about, the use of social media to bully or gain notoriety.
When I thought about this question I also thought about the times where someone’s videoing of an event brought some measure of justice for a person being injured or threatened. I can’t recall all of them but the one that stands out is the young woman, I think still a teenager, who videoed the police who killed George Floyd. That video was persuasive in convincing a jury that police action was responsible for his death. The cops had plenty of excuses and, in another time, probably would have prevailed because they were police and George Floyd was a black man.
That experience may well have taken a large piece of her humanity. I suspect it cost her despite the eventual outcome and the role that she played in achieving a measure of justice for Mr. Floyd.
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In some situations it is not prudent to approach the scene. But of course recording is a valuable for investigators, authorities, or journalists. It becomes crucial evidence. But that so many people are opting to pull out their phones as their first course of action when people are hurt and injured shows a lack of judgment and compassion, at least from my point of view. Daily tragedies and events are posted online and transformed into a piece of “news” to be replicated, consumed, filtered and manipulated. And posting and getting recognition and attention for it just reinforces and rewards this behavior. Gamache is really questioning this behavior. He finds the idea of Charles’ family learning of his death by seeing it online “horrific.” And his first reaction to noticing the onlookers filming and posting is one of anger. Louise writes, “Onlookers were already taking out their phones to record and post. Some no doubt live-streaming on the internet. Gamache was tempted to go over and unload his rage on them.” For Gamache I think his rage comes from his concern that those filming are not only taking away the privacy from the victims but also potentially hurting their family and friends. And one has to wonder if the person broadcasting the incident is doing it for the social good or for attention? It can be a challenging question as to where do you draw the line?
As to what I would do, I’d like to think I would try and see if I could help the people hurt or, at the very least, get out of the way so the first responders can do their job.
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I think Gamache is right to question the cost. Are you a good person if you stand back and watch tragedy unfold and simply film and post it? What does it say about you as a person if you prioritize taking a video or a picture rather than trying to see if you can help someone? Or consider the potential consequences for those you are filming? I am thankful to read that there are still many helpers in the world, especially during disasters where people do put compassion and common sense ahead of their cameras.
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Excellent insights from all. Techonology and social media are wonderful tools to enable us to connect and share and expand our minds. But we know there is a dark side to everything and this attitude we see online is difficult for me to understand. Recording terrible events to raise awareness of injustice is one thing, but posting for attention is an entirely different thing. I would either assess whether I could help, or keep out of the way.
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I agree with Armand, definitely. While I do agree and see the value of documenting events for evidence and deterrence of reprehensible acts, in situations like this, videoing served no further purpose, unless somebody was able to get video of the perpetrator of the crime before he left the scene. Armand was incensed by the recordings done during the aftermath, though, when people should have been trying to find ways to help. Every second counts when there are multiple injuries on a scene like that. How could somebody just stand there with a phone in front of their face, or just watch, like it was entertainment for them? It says a lot about a person whose first action upon seeing an event such as this one would be to pull out a phone, record and post, while people are suffering and perhaps dying. That sort of behavior sickens my soul. Even if they didn’t know what to do or how to help, they could have asked one of the many cops on the scene, if nothing else. And do they not ever think of the family and loved ones of the victims? I had a friend who, while driving and listening to the radio, learned on the news that her father had been killed in an accident. This is something that nobody should ever have to experience. The media, whether social or traditional, should be governed by common sense, decency, and good judgment when putting something out there for consumption. If we can’t do that, then we do indeed lose pieces of our humanity.
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Susan, That absolutely has to be the most gut wrenching experience one could have. I think that both social media and even traditional media are willing to get attention at the expense of respect for others and their rights to personal dignity. Sometimes it does seem like there is a media race to the bottom when it comes to decency and good judgement.
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I totally agree, Jane. Well said.
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That is horrific Susan. I’m so sorry your friend had to go through that. Nobody should. That was a serious error by everyone involved. It’s true, there seems to be a race to the bottom. All that matters now are clicks and profits. There is a major problem with social media, and yes, even traditional media. Lack of good judgement is a gentle way to frame it.
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Yes– that’s a great way of putting it!
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