I saw this last night, and I felt exactly the same way. No matter how badly I was injured, I could not publicly insult someone like that, and encourage a crowd to join in.
But I have to say, I don't think sort of exhibition is limited to the 21st century, though the media has exposed it more. (Thanks E Entertainment Television). In Old Testament times, a man could divorce his wife by yelling "I divorce you!" three times in a crowded area. Going quietly to a judge was out of the question, only a spectacle could do it. Also, remember the sheer delight people got out of stoning adulterous women. In Life of Brian they were all going to the stoning like they were going to the baseball game. Or the thousands of people cheering Jesus's death, or killing all of the "witches" in Salem, etc.
Public humiliation has been around for a long time, and I think the majority has only found it apalling very recently. When I say recently, I mean the last 100 years. That was until Jerry Springer and Maury Povich destroyed all of that.
Oh, I didn't mean public humiliation is a symptom only of the 21st century at all. Earlier, I was comparing it to carnivals, which have been around for centuries. I was just making an unrelated comment that we're bombarded with so much stimuli that we can't keep it from influencing us. We're so mentally crowded, and we can't isolate all the things flying at us so they sort of get absorbed without us realizing it. That's what I meant about the our particular generation. It was completely off-topic, so I guess it was confusing.
My favorite quote of the night is "i blame the you...not as much the tube". I've been drinking white russians...which means I'm not exactly coherent...but I definitely agree with you. That's amazing.
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But I have to say, I don't think sort of exhibition is limited to the 21st century, though the media has exposed it more. (Thanks E Entertainment Television). In Old Testament times, a man could divorce his wife by yelling "I divorce you!" three times in a crowded area. Going quietly to a judge was out of the question, only a spectacle could do it. Also, remember the sheer delight people got out of stoning adulterous women. In Life of Brian they were all going to the stoning like they were going to the baseball game. Or the thousands of people cheering Jesus's death, or killing all of the "witches" in Salem, etc.
Public humiliation has been around for a long time, and I think the majority has only found it apalling very recently. When I say recently, I mean the last 100 years. That was until Jerry Springer and Maury Povich destroyed all of that.
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