May 8, 2008

Ridiculous (to say the least)

An article about how a 13-year-old hung herself and how it's all My Chemical Romance's fault (!):

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23482961-details/Girl,+13,+hangs+herself+after+becoming+obsessed+with+Emo+

And just as ridiculous, the comments on this LiveJournal page featuring the article:

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/23252087.html

I would like to know who wrote the article- it's laden with stereotypes, generalizations, and rationalizations about the girl's suicide.

Not everyone who listens to MCR is depressed or commits suicide- many of their songs are top hits, and some actually contain what I would consider anti-suicide lyrics. As someone in the LJ comments points out, it's like blaming Columbine on Marilyn Mason. I personally am more likely to believe that a person's mindset influences their music choices, not the other way around.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by some of the LJ comments, but somehow people who think everyone who is a little different than them should die never fail to amaze me.

5 comments:

  1. I just don't know what to say. Seriously.

    What is wrong with people today?
    This is another example of media fearmongering and scapegoat tactics passing by because no one seems to actually be bothered educating themselves and actually KNOWING anything about what the frack they are talking about.

    Thank you for posting this.

    ~Shiv

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  2. Hi Mariah, I read your whole blog last night and cried. It's a lovely tribute to "Eva".

    I know we're strangers but sometimes it's hard to let your family and friends how you feel (because you don't want to worry them or disappoint them) so if you ever want to talk to someone my e-mail's on my profile page.

    I hope you're going to be OK.

    Sending you some positive lemony-scented vibes xx

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  3. Stupid article
    I've never found MCR depressing...the songs are fast-paced and stuff and the lyrics are anti-suicide.

    The article picked out ONE line out of heaps of songs, and it was out of context, and it didn't really relate to specifically suicide *eyeroll*

    They mentioned WTTBP as well, anyone who thinks that album is telling kids to kill themselves should maybe LISTEN to it all first ;)

    The article itself said that the song is about someone who died of cancer - not suicide. And wanting to remember those who die of tragic illness doesn't seem like a bad thing to me "though you're dead and gone believe me
    Your memory will carry on"

    They have positive lyrics too: "I am not afraid to keep on living"


    The article is also incorrect about Emo's origins, too, and the word "emo" doesn't come from emotional, but from Emotive hardcore, a branch of punk, which was more centred on the singer's emotions and feelings than on the destrctive themes of anti-establisment punk. google is your friend..

    MCR aren't emo anyway, and don't classify themselves as such.

    People just don't understand the self harm problem enough.
    Emo and it's origins aren't well known either, not as much as other sub-cultures or music styles like punk.

    It's sad that people think that Emo and self harm are one in the same these days,and that people assume that people cut for fashion reasons. It's likely that the girl in the article had problems before she "went emo".

    heh, sorry for uber-long posty ^^

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  4. Nah, it's a very good comment. I'm listening to Famous Last Words right now.:)

    @la
    I've made it this far, I think I'll be OK.

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  5. I saw a version of this article in The Telegraph the other day... I don't remember the exact phrasing, but it called emo a 'cult' (and it was always capitalised: 'Emo'), and the initiation into this cult was through self-harming: 'scratching at the wrists, often covered by Emo bracelets'. And if I remember right, the girl was described as 'normal on the surface', but leading a 'secret Emo life'. I got ANGRY. That's a load of rubbish! It's not like being emo's uncommon, either. Zillions of kids I know reckon they're emo, and they don't self harm or commit suicide. It's ill-informed journalism.

    And I still reckon you write strongly. :D

    Su x

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