WX: The Man Who Threatened to Kill Himself
Today a man stood on the 3rd floor, threatening to jump of the building to kill himself… People rushed to see this, journalists took photos, rescue men put up inflatable packers, waiters in the restaurants nearby dished out their leaflets…We are on the 10th floor, so we could see the far scene by opening the window. Some colleagues went down to see. PP said: “He won’t jump. Or else why doesn’t he choose the 30th floor but the 3rd floor.”
Ivy said: “Yes, if he really wants to die, he would jump off immediately and secretly before everybody knows.”
I agreed. He wouldn’t jump. He threatened to kill himself, maybe for some reasons: his boss didn’t give him salary, he was fired by his manger, his wife left him… No matter what reason it is, one point is certain: he was a little famous at that time, with so many people taking photos and journalists reporting.
Nowadays it is very easy to become famous… As long as you dare act strangely, openly, “bravely”, crazily… or just talk a lot in an arrogant way which makes everybody criticize, then perhaps you can be famous. Internet and news media play an important role in it. Takes off your clothes and upload your photos on the internet, everybody click to see them… then you become famous… Act in a ridiculous way deliberately like a clown and the news media report you, everybody think it funny and know you, so you become famous… if you are beautiful or handsome, perhaps some film makers will contact you…
Why don’t journalists focus on some meaningful things, such as poor and harsh life, unfair cases and so on, but keep reporting such kinds of low-taste things, to fulfill people’s entertainment or curiosity. Such kinds of people can become famous, partly because they dare act or say in an abnormal way, partly because people want to know them out of entertainment or curiosity.
It is similar to the evil martial arts and right martial arts. In the martial art world, there are some evil martial arts and right martial arts. Right martial arts need people to learn them step by step for many years, but it does no harm to people’s life. Evil martial arts can allow people to master the superior martial arts in a convenient way, but it is evil and harmful… Some people who want to master the superior martial arts to conquer the whole China will choose to learn evil martial arts… though they can learn them in a short time, however, they will fail when they meet some who learn the right martial arts for Many Many years and who learn it for justice, health and peace, but not for conquer, battle and fame.
That is the same. Today the world changes quickly. Not many people have patience. Everybody wants fame and gain overnight. After all, youth is short. Since not everybody can have the real talent or perseverance, so they choose some weird ways, which allow them to be famous overnight.
But it is just like the shooting star, comes quickly, and disappers quickly. Time will tell.
Comments (24)
And you talk about fame...hmmmm....
I would have tried to help him...most of all listen to him...
Bit that's just me...
and the reality proves that. finally he walked down after the journilists and people left.
But do you relay believe...that every person in that situation wants to be famous...
Anyone that tray's to do this they need help...not fame...
I don't know how they become famous for trying to switch there lights out...
I'm just saying that I couldn't stand by without trying to help...
That is jus me...Janmei...
some do that, because they do not want to live. see those workers in the FOXCONN. they jumped off immediately, within one second, before everybody knows it or before everybody can stop them. just one second. they really want to die. if they could stand there for a little longer time, perhaps they would get some help. but no. just one second.
some do that, because they need help. as i have said, extreme ways may solve problems, but on the whole, not good. want help? you can sit down, discuss. but not scare others by threatening to kill themselves. of course, if they really do so, we need to help them.
some do that, because they want to be famous! with interenet and news media so common these days, the next day, everybody knows them!
thanks you for making me rethink.
That man was almost certainly crying out for help, if not, he would have done it quietly away from the public.... It is very sad though, that people have to go to such lengths to be heard and helped.
Regarding people wanting to become famous overnight, I agree with you absolutely... There are many wierd things that people do in order to draw attention to themselves and get themselves into the limelight. That is the world today, very few have patience nowadays, the goal is to become famous overnight, rich overnight, or even hated, as long as it get's the attention of the media..... who incidently lap it up, as that's the way the journalists make their money!! It's a huge rat race, and only about making money and nothing else.
Have you noticed, you will never read about a celebrity who has been happily married for over 30 years and led a very stable life... Nobody would be interesting in reading about them, it's only the juiciest scandal people buy papers for!! Sad isn't it?
how are u doin?
When someone gets to that stage, something has obviously snapped within them, and they've been pushed to the limit, all they're wanting then, is just one person to reach out to them and that is exactly what I'm sure most people would do.
I understand what you are saying...I believe we would all reach out.
Its a human thing to do...Not only that it would be a instinct...
Anything less would be cold blooded...and irresponsible...
And the media would not survive without the famous. In fact most of the time they are their own creation which they will squeeze every last drop out of before proceeding to tear it down (also known as the tall poppy syndrome).
Even my daily "news"paper is now nothing more than a women's gossip magazine. It's never been the same since they ditched the page 3 girl.
What would have been the contents of your blog if the man would have jumped, and killed himself?
Would you have still said he was seeking fame?
Would you have still shown him your cold, unsympathetic heart as he lay dying, in front of your eyes?
What would have been the title of your blog?
Swordfish44. yes, you get what I want to say. Yes, that is the way the journalist makes their money. I agree with you completely. Perhaps nowadays some people do not feel hungry in their stomatch, but they feel hungry in their brain, so they want to read those weird things… to fulfill their hungry brain. That is abnormal..
Carobnjak3. so let’s say it objectively. The fact is, that man does not jump. What you say is just “if”. If he really jumps, I wouldn’t read this blog, as I have written “death” before, I do not want to repeat the same topic. What I want to write is, this accident reminds me of this weird phenomenon. Anyway, you show your kind heart. That is good. Many people are indifferent nowaday, our world need more people like you.
Billy. Hi. I guess some Chinese media are the same as yours. That is the way they make money. Once I worked as a trainee in a newspaper. I think those journalists are very misearable. They all look for some news things to write, or else they will be scolded by the main editor. Finally one bridge collepsed, and they seemed to find some gold… as to the “women gossip”, perhaps it suits my tastes. Ha ha.
Death… yes, a fascination with it. I guess only when we die do we know what it is.
The media… Yes, in a sense, it is a tool, to guide people to certain ways, and avoid certain ways. But now internet is common, so people can know more things by using the internet.
Well it is not wrong to want to be famous. A female writer says that if you want to be famous, you need to be famous in the early of your life. She was famous when she was a young girl. Her name is Zhang Ailing. She was famous because of her real talent in writing.
But the problem is that, not everybody can have this real talent to become famous… so they choose so werid ways.
!!
the man threatened to jump ---
finally he doesn't jump ---
reporters and journelists takes his photos and put him on newspaper ---
more people know him and our building ---
though he just wanted to reach some goal but not being famous, yet he is known to more people and he becomes a little famous for his "brave" behavior ---
this event reminds me of the ways people want to be famous (many people do this).
i think this plot is not so difficult to understand. after this event, some colleagues talked about the ways people want to be famous. they all understand. just try to bend your thinking, then you will understand.
ps. this man did not want to jump. everybody knew it by his action. and the reality proves.
and i don’t think reporters are lower than novelists in the form of life. I think some reporters write much better than some so-called novelist.
but that is really what i was thinking at that time. he did not make me think about "desperation" or "death", or "cried out for help", but "the ways people go to become famous".
perhaps my brain has too many "bends", as a result, others do not understand.
But...
You don't make that clear in your original post. You give the distinct impression that he is a stranger---please re-read your opening paragraph. If you would have started the blog in a different way, such as, "Today, an old friend, Mr Lee, the resident attention-seeker from the apartment block across the street, took up his usual position on the third floor and started screaming and shouting at everybody down below that he was going to jump."
Then that would have made perfect sense.
Do you understand the difference? Your readers (and me) would have understood why you were associating Mr Lee on the third floor, with the modern phenomenon of celebrity. If you don't say to the reader that you know why Mr Lee is doing this, then you don't make sense.
But now you say lots of people in China do this--to gain fame. Well, all I can say it's a strange way to gain fame. In the West, if people did this kind of thing, men in white coats would quickly appear on the scene, and take the man away and place him in a pyschiatric unit at the local hospital. There would be no newspapers or people taking pictures--because it would be classed as unworthy. Too boring.
Finally, you criticise my vicious attack on journalists. I can only repeat, that in MY country, journalists are viewed as worse than vermin. Interestingly, this is what you wrote in your opening post.
"Why don’t journalists focus on some meaningful things, such as poor and harsh life, unfair cases and so on, but keep reporting such kinds of low-taste things, to fulfill people’s entertainment or curiosity."
Nobody likes to be criticised, Janmei. But my criticism is from a professional standpoint. Most casual readers don't see what I see.
I happen to really like the way you express yourself, the way you are able to look at things from all different angles, and tie your thoughts together.
This 'novelist' that seems to want to give you a hard time and toot his own horn, seems to me to just be one very insecure individual. He uses his own arrogance as a shield. A weak attempt at making himself feel momentarily important, or to give the impression tht he is somehow better than everyone else.
Dont mind him. Im sure any 'novel' that he has written, is sitting in the back of an old bookstore, collecting dust.
I personally don't follow the stereotype, I think he's overcaring for our bright and shiny especially longer future...we are not too naive to see this world and listen to our hearts.