Nov 21 2008
The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Tragic Internet Version
Last night, a troubled teen killed himself while livestreaming on Justin.tv. This teen had made threats of suicide before and, I guess, because of this, watchers of the video didn't believe this current one. They egged him on but once he had taken the drugs and appeared unmoving for a length of time, watchers became worried. At least one internet viewer from India called the police but felt like he wasn't taken seriously.
An account can be read here .
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Nov 21, 2008 @ 14:34:28
That has to be one of the saddest stories I’ve read.
I’m going to watch the Shiba Inu puppy cam now.
Nov 21, 2008 @ 14:50:51
I just watched the movie, Untraceable last weekend, this real tragedy has disturbing similarities to that movie. I wish he’d been able to get help.
Nov 21, 2008 @ 17:49:20
That’s horrible. And reading the reactions from many of the members of bodybuilding.com (the ones egging him on) is just sickening. The internet makes it easy for people to push aside responsibility for what they say, as if what’s said here has nothing to do with real life. How very wrong they are. For someone who is in a such a messed up state of mind that they’re suicidal, one comment can make a difference. I hope this makes people think about the one comment they make.
Nov 21, 2008 @ 18:53:48
I can’t help but wonder what’s worse… the fact that this tormented child took his own life or that other’s don’t see the value of a life.
Thank you for the link Jane, these sad events put so many other things into perspective.
Nov 21, 2008 @ 19:44:06
That is just so effing sad.
Nov 21, 2008 @ 20:41:18
People think life is just an interactive game, and then they find out too late that stupid has consequences.
That poor boy’s family. I hope at least the idiots egging him on, learned something, but somehow I doubt it. They probably think it was ‘way cool’ to have that kind of power.
Nov 22, 2008 @ 08:10:15
My God, how awful.
Jan 06, 2009 @ 17:33:40
I did not know that. thanks for the update