Report the suicides pls

Recently I met a freelance writer and we talked about the choice of news to inlcude in the limited space of any newspaper.

We both agree, that different papers takes different stands on various issues, some leftists, some rightist, some commercial, some non commercial.

However, there's one thing we cannot agree on.

Reports on suicide.

His view is, it should be kept to a minimum, or not reporting at all. Because the reports may trigger more people to follow suit, and thus resulting in more suicide cases.

I think for any responsible country, there should be at least one newspaper that reports on the total number of suicide cases in a year, and if publishing spacce allows, publish more in depth report on suicides.

Committing suicide takes a lot of courage...and planning.

Courage. If you read my post on death, every human has an instinct to "want to live".
For any depressed person, there will also be a strong hesitation when you are about to take the step off the 25th storey window, dive towards a speeding car, or swallow that bottle of sleeping pills.

So if a person is depressed enough living in a society to take the final move to end his life, one less reporting of suicide will not stop anything. I don't think seeing a suicide report will give anyone who is not ready, a sudden boost of courage to end his life.

If someone is already ready, seeing a successful suicide report will only shorten his planning process. Because he knows which is proven to be the fastest and probably the least painful ways to commit suicide.

Let me repeat, committing suicide takes a lot of courage...and planning, therefore, seeing suicide reports in the newspaper is not going to "encourage" more people to kill himself. When you are looking down from 25th storey, when you see the dashing car, when you hold the bottle of sleeping pills, INSTINCT is a power so great it will stop any "unprepared" suicide committers.

And if someone is a mentally prepared suicide committer, he will have the ability to research and plan the least painful and high success rate way to end his life. See a successful case only shorten this process.

Don't ever think that if the process is not shortened, that help is gonna come somehow, his friends somehow are willing to lend him money, he struck a sudden lottery, the government give him help etc etc.

The process that can make a human overcome his instinct to take the final step to end his life, is so long that you can't imagine. He must have run out of ideas, help for at least 3-4 years, maybe longer, to total give up on this life and hope. If help did not come in these 3-4 years(maybe longer), its not gonna come in a matter of 3 -4 days.

So maybe its a sudden thought of suicide that did not take 3-4 years to build up? eg. Dumped by girlfriend or boyfriend, sudden retrenchment, death of a loved one etc

Yes, these people may make the decision to end their life in a matter of hours, or even minutes, but I really don't think the decision is "encouraged" by seeing suicide reports or seeing number of people committing suicide in a year. I really think if someone is this weak after a drastic tradegy, ending his life would have come to his mind sooner or later. It need not be a seeing suicide reports in the newspaper, it can be a scene in the TV, it can be seeing a withered leaf, it can be a beautiful sunset, basically almost anything can trigger the thought of suicide, so it really doesn't make a difference.

Yes, in singapore, there are cases where more and more people "copying" idea of other suiciders, one example is jumping off the track of the MRT (subway) when the train in pulling into the station.

HOwever, all the similars cases are committing suicide due to prolong economical and financial diability. They tried, and tried, and tried, but could not overcome the economical situation, could not survive the ridiculuos help from the government, and finally made the step. The people who see them last could not tell they are gonna committ suicide, that shows how composed they are.

Yes, the method is the same, but, so is the problems and how they finally made the last step to death. A dire straits.

You think a 26 years old lad with no family to feed would kill himself over a retrenchment after seeing a suicide report? You think a young gal who had never married before, not having problems or premaritial pregnancy and social preassure will kill herself over a break up after seeing a suicide report?

I can quote more, but i am sure you can understand what I am trying to say.

On the other hand, in a country where they ban all suicide reports, the same person who killed himself in the recent case will kill himself somehow. Anybody who overcame his instinct to fight in a physical endangering situation WILL suffocate himself to death with a pillow.

The only way to stop all these suicides is to first find out about the reason behind it. For sudden thoughts of suicide due to death of a love ones, retrenchment with million dollars debt(not likely anymore, bankrupcy is not a taboo in singapore anymore), we can't help it, NOT EVEN stopping all suicide reports.

But for those that had been battling their problems for 3-4 years before they make the move, all the more we should report ALL suicide data. Only then would the society wake up from their daily job as a screw in the big economical machinery, only then would the policy makers take a hard look at their policies.

By not reporting suicide cases at all, it is really the "ostrich mentality". You don't face the problem.

I tell you what is successful.

If today, there's a newspaper which only reports on suicides, and its a free newapaper, and yet the suicide cases are only of those "sudden suicidal" types, then the society is successful.

First, people who needs help knows REAL help is available, and not just hopes and hopes from wherever is supposed to come from for 3-4 years.

Secondly, it's a sign of good policy making. Sudden suicide attempts are usually linked with one's own mental strength in emotional tradegies, which would be too unreasonable to ask of public adminstrators to solve.

THirdly, from in depth suicide reports, then we, as a society know what the problems we are really facing and think about how WE can solve it together with the policy makers. If we see someone dying because of economical dire straits, then something is wrong with wealth distribution in a country, or job making, or price index.

Believe me, reporting all these WILL actually reduce the suicide rates, UNLESS the only ones reading them and actually gave a shit are the people who wants to committ suicide.

Death is not that scary

Death is really not as scary as one may think.

I can say this because I had a close encounter with death when I was 10 yrs old.

It was a drowning incident on my first swimming lesson. I heard I wasn't breathing for about 3 mins when I was pulled out of the water (Dunno how long i was under the water, somehow people thought I was diving and not drowning)

Recalling that incident, I remember when i was trying to get myself out of water, its all pure instinct actions. My mind is a total blank, there are no words in my brain, no thoughts, instinct took over everything. Unfortunately, the instinct movements that was trying to save me was just struggling at best.

Was I scared?

Yes and no.

Yes, I was scared when I gain conscious, i was scared when the tube was forced into my nostrils for the second time (The first time that tube was sucking water from my lungs, it hurt like hell), I was scared when I see an unfamiliar environment in the emergency ward.

And yes, I was scared when i return to the swimming pool again, I was scared to see the coach, i was scared when I was 19 and thinking back again, I was scared when I was 20 and thinking back again...and the fear just got stronger when I get older.

No, i wasn't scared too. I wasn't scared when I was struggling. Recalling now, its pure instinct. When I was 10, I really have nothing to lose at that time. I dun miss school, I wasn't mature enough to understand why my mum is strict on me, and I am sure if instinct had not taken over me totally, I would think "If i die now, it's probably not that bad an idea"

The ironic fact is I got scared of what happened when I get older and older.

Which is very normal, now, i got things to lose.

If i died at 10, I couldn't have discover photography, I could't have met my galfrens, I couldn't have met my buddies, I couldn't have discover the world outside my primary 4 classroom.

I couldn't have written this article about death.

So, death is only scary when we get attached to stuff in this world. We get scared because we have things to lose after we die.

If not, death is not scary.

It just like moving into another phase of life, just that no one who had been there had ever come back to tell you about it. (I wouldn't want someone who died to come back to tell his story anyway)

But it's normal, this happens in real life too. Many people have friends who migrate to another country and lost contact, and never came back. Somehow, if you have not heard that they are dead, it's.....ok. But if you think about it, it's the same as death. This guy who died just go to somewhere, just that this time you are sure he wont keep in touch with you.

So, death itself is not scary. For the buddist, it's part and parcel of your existance in this universe. maybe you don't like it, you just need to have the wisedom to know its "part of the game"

Just like many basketball players hate the "3 second rule", but they got used to it, they think of ways to get around with it, and they live with it.

BUT, it's easier said than done to have this kind of mentality.

Coming from a person who "died" once, and lived for close to 20 years after that, I won't allow myself to die at all costs.

Coming from a person who "died" once, and putting myself in the shoes of myself when I was 10, it's ok to die. I wouldn't specially ask for it, but i wouldn't mind too.

Death NEED not be scary, just how you look at it.

"Independence Day" is a stupid film

I slept at 11pm last night, really tired of a few nights of sleeping when the sun is just going to come up.

Amazing, they say the most important time of a good night sleep is from 10pm to 2am, the rest of the time, you are not really resting and detoxicating your body.

How true.

I woke up at 4pm(automatic), cannot feel any fresher than this. And start to play online game.

Then out of sudden, i remembered something that I always want to write about.

"Independence Day" is a stupid film.

Maybe my mind is crystal clear after the detoxicating sleep, this old idea of mine sprang out of the closet like a new born tiger cub.

Independence day, for those who have not seen in for the Nth times on singapore TV channel 5, is about an alien with more advance technology,invading the earth for its resources. Humans tried to make peace, denied by aliens. So fight till bitter end. Humans won.

Humans won. Big surprise. (I would like to watch a film where the aliens actually kill off all humans)

It's stupid. For several reasons.

First of all, throughout the whole show, aliens are portrayed as BAD, EVIL, UGLY and WILL KILL FOR FOOD.

wait just one second, does all these characteristics sounds familiar to you?

If you are slow, let me help you. the same words can be used to describe HUMANS!

Ok, maybe not the ugly part, since beauty is subjective. but BAD, EVIL AND KILLING FOR FOOD, in the same context in the film, is what we humans do every day.

As I am typing, humans are thinking of ways to marginized the weak to strengthen himself. COuld be fellow huamn beings, or other animals. We DO NOT ask for permission from the animals in the forests if we can take more than what we need from earth's resources.

No, we cut down the trees, we skin the leopard, we build poison gas emitting factories on the other animals' homeland.

Great news I read 2 days back, our oceans, i am talking about the whole earth's ocean, can only supply 50 more years of marine products.

If you put yourself in shoes of the other animals of the planet, HUMANS are the aliens in that film, and the animals are fighting for their independence day, just that they will never win.

So whoever made the film is not thinking straight, before we can prove any alien existance in this world, humans are the bad aliens jeopardizing the lives and resources of other animals. I am sure the animals want to make peace, but humans dont give a shit. After all, we are the lot with more advance technology...to kill.

Thats point one on what the film is stupid

Point two.

In the film, the aliens are seen as locusts, going from a farm to another (in this case one planet to another), eating and destroying the crops, and move on to the next.

Just what is so bad and evil about that?

I bet my last dollar that if one day, we humans can reach a technology level of space travel, we will DO EXACTLY THE SAME! And you know what, the only time we will sit down and "make peace" is when we know we can't win another planet's space fleet. If we find another planet with the most advance beings as cavemans, we will go in and declare ourselves as god and start enjoying the offering and worships from the cavemen.

In fact, it is already happening on earth. Why do you think america is attacking Iraq and have so much troops securing the oil fields? For justice? for a lousy conclusion that there's weapon of mass destruction in iraq? (America is the country with the most nuclear bombs on earth. Ironically, independence day is a american film)

C'mon, use your brain.

If there anything wrong with this? If you subscribe to the theory "Survival of the fittest", there's nothing wrong. we are stronger and therefore we "own" those who are weaker. Just like the lions preys on the weak baby zebras.

Lastly, and the most stupid thing about the film, is an alien fleet so advance that they can come up with something like an energy shield, can have its system broke down by ... computer virus.

You need many assumptions for that to work.

Assumption 1: Alien computer speak the same language as humans computers. C++? Java? Windows? What do you take aliens who can space travel for?

Assumption 2: An alien race that advance do not have anti virus or similar software protection programme.

Assumption 3: Aliens can control their small spacc craft and guide it to the main computer, but it cannot stop that small space craft from uploading the virus.

hahaha.

HOwever, I cant deny that the film is entertaining and it does gives more unenlightened people sure fire ways to make them "feel good"

1) Nice visual effects
2) Common enemy for the humans/viewer
3) Humans are the ones kicking ass in the film, so the humans watching it will feel emnpowered

Well, remember, next time you watch this film. Think of yourself as a chimpanze who has been moving furthur and furthur into the forest to stay...because the forest you are staying is getting smaller and smaller due to deforestation. And the rain water you drink in the forest is sour, and once in a while you see humans (or aliens) coming to the forests to hunt for the sake of hunting...in other words, killing for fun.

What a lousy film.

Are you in wonderland?

I have never read "Alice in the wonderland", but there was once someone used a small part of the story on an article that I thought is just awesome. Not the exact words from the book, but the geez that I remembered

---------
So alice is wondering around in the wonderland when she came to a crossroad. So she asked the man standing at the crossroad

"Which way should I go?" she asked.

"Where do you want to go?" the man asked back.

"I don't know where I want to go" alice replied.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go"
---------

I think this story is a very good gift for anyone who is not sure of what to do with their life. In fact, i think this small paragraph is philosophically right.

Its ok if you dunno what to do with your life yet, you dont have to think so hard about it, just choose a road at the crossroads and you will know if its the right one or wrong one.

If you already know, then go ahead with what you want to do, no matter how weird and how uncommon it is.

Dialouges in photo shoots

"Look at that wall"

"that one?"

"Yes...good, now smile just a little...good..."

"Can i look at the camera?"

"well...not really neccesary...please...look at that wall again...good...now don't smile but don't frown either...neutral..that's it...good..."

5 mins later

"Wow, this one is nice! that one too!"

"Yes...i would prefer this one"

"Yeah...wow! thanks! you took such beautiful pictures of me."

"Well, if you are not pretty, i can't make you look pretty. there's only so much I can do"

"Oh no, really, you are good"

"You know, no matter how good I am, I can't change an elephant into a mouse"

"hahaha"

---------------------

"What we need, is a picture of this person, a very nice pretty looking picture of this person smiling"

"Ok. Can i take a look at some recent pictures of this person?"

"Yes, sure. here."

".....right....(damn, she's fat)....and how do you want me to make her look?"

"Well...just a very nice pretty picture...make her look slim...you know...make her beautiful"

"...hhmmmm...make her look slim? how slim?"

"Well, as slim as you can. you know I have seen those photoshop tricks pictures, they can do wonders."

"actually may i suggest something esle?"

"Yes, what would you suggest?"

"I suggest you find someone esle for this job"

"C'mon, XXX, help me out here man. I only trust you man"

"hey, YYY, I am not trying to play punk with you or think that I am some really great guy, but that kind of DI (digital imaging) work, is really not what I am good at."

"Oh...i am sure you can. Last time you made ZZZ look so good"

"Sigh...if you give me an elephant, I cannot photograph it into a mouse."

"hahaha...aw...."

-----------------------

(a dream i had last night)

"ok, sir, please stand here and let me check..."

"you checking the light only now?"

"oh, we have to check the light everytime"

"that's fantastic, you don't change your light's position, your subject always stand at the same place, what's there to check in your lights?"

"...you are a photographer?"

"yes"

"haha...well i just want to be sure"

"......."

"ok, here we go...and today we will make you look handsome"

"handsome?"

"yeah...like andy lau"

"hey...please don't. I know i am not handsome...so dun make me look handsome"

"...oh...dun worry man...i..."

"for someone who wants to impress me with a light meter, i have to worry. please just photograph me as me, look, i am a photographer too."

"yeah...we always try to make the subjects look nicer"

"no, no, no, please, have some respect for my mum who bore me into what I am, dun make an elephant into a mouse"

------------------