Does This Make Me A Bad Person?

[Galloglasses]

I will admit it, i've become very, very, very, very de-sensitized to blood, gore, murder, destruction, etc, etc, etc. Generally I've become de-sensitized to chaos, mayhem, and bedlem in general.

Case in point, hypothetical situation when i'm with a friend watching Rambo.

[b]Friend:[/b] [i]"OMG! He just ripped that guy's throat out and blood is gushing everywhere."[/i]
[b]Me:[/b] [i]"Cool..."[/i]

Seriously, i've seen so many shock images on the net I dunno if I can throw up at all anymore. I mean like, remember that Abortion Art hoax thing? In my heart I was sick but I had no real emotional response, no tears nor anger even though I really knew I should.

The oddest thing is, i'm not sure if its even a problem, i'm not apathetic, I care about beaver dam near everyone around me, (and some who aren't), so its not that. Well lets take another example, I was emptying beer bottles behind my Dad's pub, (yeah, we own a bar), when I reached in to grab a bottle and nearly sliced halfway through my left index finger. I could see muscle, blood was spurting. All the reaction i made was; "S**t..." and walked over to the house to get a plaster.

[b]Me:[/b] [i]"Hey dad I cut my finger again."[/i]
[b]Dad:[/b] [i]"Well you'd be the one to manage-HOLY!"[/i]

I had to get it stitched. And before you asked, yes I did feel pain. Lots and lots of pain.
Except in my right thumb, ever since I got a cut there one of the muscles was never the same and I can't feel anything, (or at least not most things), with the upper portion of my thumb.
Basically the stuff that turns the stomach of, what were they called, oh yes, [i]Human Beings[/i], doesn't seem to bother me.

Does that make me bad?

Edited April 21, 2008 by Galloglasses

[rachael]

Well, if you're bad, I'm bad.

[goldenchild17]

and I'm the devil. Some people just don't have the emotional response to some of these things that others have.

[hoosieranna]

People react differently. I didn't feel a whole lot related to the shooting here until nearly a month later. Weird thing is, it was triggered by something entirely different.

It doesn't mean you're bad. You're human. We're different.

[BG45]

If you're bad I'm bad too, but that might just be my reading too many 40k novels.

[CatherineM]

I freak out when I see an animal hurt in a movie, but not when people are. I think it is because, deep down, we know it isn't real. I get upset when I see those orphans in Africa shows, because I know those are real.

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Galloglasses' post='1505791' date='Apr 21 2008, 04:34 PM']...
Seriously, i've seen so many shock images on the net I dunno if I can throw up at all anymore. I mean like, remember that Abortion Art hoax thing? In my heart I was sick but I had no real emotional response, no tears nor anger even though I really knew I should.
...[/quote]
Dude, that was me. I was like... dang... this is evil While the lady-types of PM were getting all "I'm going to be sick/cry/etc".

[quote name='goldenchild17' post='1505802' date='Apr 21 2008, 04:39 PM']and I'm the devil. Some people just don't have the emotional response to some of these things that others have.[/quote]

Lawl, now I really feel better

[icelandic_iceskater]

rodents of unusual size freaked me out back in 6th grade, I haven't seen that part of that movie since.

[kujo]

Dude, I'm the same way. I don't think it makes us "bad" people, though. There's no moral obligation to be shocked by gore and stuff.

Case in point: I got a vicious, prolific nosebleed yesterday. On the way to mass, my lady and I were driving when my nose just expoded, drenching my hand and shirt in blood. And, after my initial reaction of "Dude! What the heck?," and in no pain whatsoever, I found myself fascinated and tickled-pink by how much blood actually came out of my nose! My lady, however, found the whole thing far less funny...she was scared that I was going to die and wanted to go to the hospital. She loves me...and I love her...

Anyway, so long as we don't find that our view of human life is diminished, we should be cool.

[Church Punk]

I dont think it makes you a bad person, however when we are constantly exposed to images or situations we do become de-sensitized to the shock what we would normally feel for this. I think the same is proven with pornography.

It has been my experience that the best remedy to this problem is to simply do the opposite. Dont view this type of material. The longer you are not exposed to it, the more sensitized you become to how bad things actually are.

Instead of watching Rambo, maybe watch The Sound of Music or something... every little image we take it affects us wether we know it or not.

To fill your eyes, heart and mind with things pleasing to the Lord is definitely the way to go!

Pax!

[goldenchild17]

[quote name='Sacred Music Man' post='1505977' date='Apr 21 2008, 06:07 PM']Lawl, now I really feel better [/quote]

I don't really like watching senseless violence, but if it comes of as being portrayed as the bad in the film then I feel like I can somewhat justify myself watching it. But senseless or not, I don't ever really get emotionally attached to anything like that, even if I do really not like what happened. This is going to sound probably really sick and demented of me, but I didn't even have any type of emotional response back when my little brother got mugged and beat up by a whole bunch of dudes. I hated them (for a short time) for doing it, but I didn't like have any physically repulsive response.

[prose]

I don't want to state whether it makes you a bad person or not, as there probably is more than I know.

Just being de-sensitized is not becoming evil.

HOWEVER,

if you are having any thoughts of harming yourself or others or find yourself unusually fascinated by injury, you should probably seek out professional help.

[Deus te Amat]

I'm desensitized almost as much as you are... (spurting blood does freak me out though). I read that same article and was disgusted at the lack of respect for human life--but I was little more than angry/apathetic. I did not want to cry, hardly anything makes me want to cry, and that inability to cry when i know I SHOULD is what bothers my. I've watched the Passion three times, and I have not shed one tear for Our Lord's pain. I have flinched, and I have looked away, but I have been unable to cry.

I have often felt that there was something messed up in my wiring, that I was almost inhuman in my lack of emotion. Perhaps there is a wall around me where these emotions remain locked up, but for whatever reason, it is who I am. I think that KNOWING that there is something wrong with not feeling emotions is what matters-- it means that you still have a conscience. Some people are just less emotional than others, and it can be considered a "gift" in some ways. Perhaps God will use you in a situation where a cool head and dulled senses are necessary.

I will pray for you.... Pax Christi!
DtA

[Deb]

I agree that it does desensitize you to violence which may not be a good thing in the long run. I used to not have a problem with violence at all. I loved the Rambo movies, any Arnold's, Die Hard's etc. Owned them all.

I quit watching tv about seven months ago and hadn't watched more than two movies in that time. I tried to watch the No Country for Old Men movie on an airplane and I couldn't. It was too violent. It wasn't anymore violent that things I used to see all the time but now, I can't handle it.

I think anything that diminishes our ability to feel emotions in violent situations, is not a good thing. It doesn't make you bad. It just makes you numb to life.

[Socrates]

[quote name='Galloglasses' post='1505791' date='Apr 21 2008, 03:34 PM']I will admit it, i've become very, very, very, very de-sensitized to blood, gore, murder, destruction, etc, etc, etc. Generally I've become de-sensitized to chaos, mayhem, and bedlem in general.

Case in point, hypothetical situation when i'm with a friend watching Rambo.

[b]Friend:[/b] [i]"OMG! He just ripped that guy's throat out and blood is gushing everywhere."[/i]
[b]Me:[/b] [i]"Cool..."[/i]

Seriously, i've seen so many shock images on the net I dunno if I can throw up at all anymore. I mean like, remember that Abortion Art hoax thing? In my heart I was sick but I had no real emotional response, no tears nor anger even though I really knew I should.

The oddest thing is, i'm not sure if its even a problem, i'm not apathetic, I care about beaver dam near everyone around me, (and some who aren't), so its not that. Well lets take another example, I was emptying beer bottles behind my Dad's pub, (yeah, we own a bar), when I reached in to grab a bottle and nearly sliced halfway through my left index finger. I could see muscle, blood was spurting. All the reaction i made was; "S**t..." and walked over to the house to get a plaster.

[b]Me:[/b] [i]"Hey dad I cut my finger again."[/i]
[b]Dad:[/b] [i]"Well you'd be the one to manage-HOLY!"[/i]

I had to get it stitched. And before you asked, yes I did feel pain. Lots and lots of pain.
Except in my right thumb, ever since I got a cut there one of the muscles was never the same and I can't feel anything, (or at least not most things), with the upper portion of my thumb.
Basically the stuff that turns the stomach of, what were they called, oh yes, [i]Human Beings[/i], doesn't seem to bother me.

Does that make me bad?[/quote]
I'm totally desensitized, and admit I'm a huge fan of cinematic violence (though I have no interest in "slasher movie" croutons).

Anyway, I don't think we're going to be judged on our "gut reactions" to blood and gore. Just so long as we don't condone actual unjust violence, or take sadistic perverted pleasure in watching it.
To act effectively as a doctor or nurse or rescue personel, for instance, you have to be desensitized to "blood and guts."

The thing about the cut finger certainly doesn't mean you're immoral; it just means you're tough - wish I had that kind of toughness; I admit I can be something of a wuss with kind of thing. lol