I dont know about you , but I’m feeling the need to do something. The rash of recent shootings is in part created by the media attention given to the shooters - it creates a contagion that causes more shootings.
One thing we can do is contact the media outlets we use and call them to account on their contribution to creating more shooters.
@Michael7 did, I did, you can… contact them and tell them to stop providing the spotlight to these warped individuals. Tell them to stop giving these people what they want, and to stop spreading the contagion. Hold them accountable for their part.
In case you need a place to start, here’s the letter I’m using - use any part of it that you find useful.
To […] news outlet:
Gilroy, El Paso, Dayton. The wall-to-wall coverage of one shooter MAKES other shooters.
YOUR COVERAGE is part of the CAUSE. If you stop putting these individuals in the spotlight, you can reduce the number of ADDITIONAL shootings that happen. You give one the notoriety they seek, and others will follow.
→ a mathematical model found that shootings that resulted in at least four deaths launched a period of contagion, marked by a heightened likelihood of more bloodshed, lasting an average of 13 days.
From here: Https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mass-shootings-are-contagious/
*** And this study says media coverage is the CAUSE of the contagion ***
→ Our findings consistently suggest that media coverage systematically causes future mass shootings. … A range of robustness checks support these conclusions. Using our benchmark estimation, a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that 58 percent of all mass shootings between January 1, 2013 and June 23, 2016 are explainable by news coverage. In terms of timeframes, news coverage seems to systematically raise the number of mass shootings in the following four to ten days and the effect reverts back to statistical insignificance after approximately 12 days.
Need some ideas on how to reduce the media contagion effect - and YOUR culpability - in this? How about NOT giving the shooters any notoriety? Don’t name them, don’t publish their photos, their websites, their media posts, their manifestos, their tweets, their neighbor’s observations, their highschool friends remembrances? How about letting their warped egos languish in obscurity?
Its the attention they want, and you’re serving it up in spades. And that Makes MORE shooters.
STOP giving them the attention they crave - STOP giving them the spotlight - STOP being part of the problem!!