I’ve sat on saying anything about the web suicide of Abraham Biggs for a couple of weeks now. I’ve thought about it a good deal, and wanted to say something. Now I am in a place where I can.
Abraham Biggs’ suicide is sad. I find it horrific that people egged him on in his misery. I find it nauseating that he chose to stream it online. Sad, horrific, and nauseating as I find it, I don’t question his right to kill himself. I have believed for many years that any of us has a right to end our own life, just as we have a right to live it. I also believe that we have a right to reach out for help and get it, as best as can be given.
Believing all that, I find it’s hard to know which way to go because it’s extremely difficult in some cases to figure out what is reaching out for help and what is just there. Online is probably the most difficult because of people’s ability to fake things, and others’ penchant for sharing every detail of their lives online no matter how intimate. So what do I feel should be done when you just don’t know and someone’s apparently committing suicide and writing or chatting or broadcasting about it on the web? Err on the side of something that can be repaired, and death can’t.
People won’t always behave in a way I think is good, though. Nor will they do so in a way you think is good. We can only choose or change our own actions. If you have a chance to help someone who’s apparently in dire straits, even if you’re not sure, try erring on the side of something that can be repaired.
And do me a favor, if I’m posting that I’m killing myself, call the police in Virginia and tell them to haul my confused butt to a safe place because I do not want to die.
Babbled by Immi.
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I hadn’t heard of this! It’s truly shocking!
Wandering Coyotes last blog post..New Pill Organizer
Yes, I heard of this vaguely. There is always a proportion of any audience who are complete ******* (fill in with expletive of choice).
I always thought if things got that bad, there would be no way I’d let anyone in the blogsphere know first. But I realised that was very stupid. It’s another line of defence. And yeah, call the police for me too.
atb D
abysmal musingss last blog post..Not that anyone is in the remotely bit interested…
Much like we do not utter “I’ve got a bomb” at airports or say “this is a stick-up” in banks in the name of a joke, all such statements of apparently committing suicide online must be taken seriously. This is so sad for the family. I hope they get those that were egging on Abraham under a “duty to rescue” law (creating a hazardous situation), even though in the U.S. we don’t have this as a law. Florida does though, so it will be interesting to see what charges will be made against the “eggers on”, if any. Regardless of law, it’s a sad state of affairs that this happened.
I want you to live, too!
<3 BL
Border Lifes last blog post..Self-Compassion
I was horrified to learn about his online suicide. I could not believe the voyeurs just sitting there in their warm houses saying the things they were saying and just watching it all happen.
It’s just unbelievable.
Chunks of Realitys last blog post..The State Fair
I often wonder if the on-line suicide was a desperate cry for help and the audience pathetically failed to provide that help. All suicide gestures should be taken seriously.
Lauras last blog post..Work, A Husband Who Needs Anger Management, and Mr. Slum Lord
I wrote about his death, although obliquely. It had already been smothered by every form of media, and I didn’t want to join the circus.
Just so that you know, I am working on developing a virtual form of the Chicago’s Mad Tea Party. It is a group of MH people, who keep tabs on each other. If one has to go into the hospital, they alert the group, so that the patient has a network of caring and understanding visitors.
I welcome any ideas and suggestions. I have posted my email on my blog, in the post about this.
Dano MacNamarrahs last blog post..Help Philip, Because The Bastard Deserves It!
And sweetie, I’d be on the phone so fast, if I knew you were in danger, just so you know. I’m scribbling your location in my day-planner. Something I hope never to need!
Dano MacNamarrahs last blog post..Help Philip, Because The Bastard Deserves It!
That is horrific! When I ran a chatroom we stopped several suicides and one fake one( she wont do that again) not once have the people that were saved chastised me for calling emergency personnel to their house
Raines last blog post..Expectations
Oddly enough, this was on the radio when I drove into the office today.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97819137
NPR Talk of the nation: When bloggers tell all online, do their readers have a responsibility to jump in and help out
@ 6:50 - 13:27 Josh from Indianapolis calls in who called in to Broward Police department and was on some of the same online chatrooms as Abraham.
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Border Lifes last blog post..Self-Compassion
My husband and I were just discussing this last night. He had heard the NPR broadcast that Border Life mentions. This whole thing has so many screwed up issues and angles that it is difficult to sort it all out. Like you, I believe we have a right to kill ourselves. I also appreciated it when I tried that my husband took me to the Emergency Room because I didn’t really want to die. However, if I had, it was my choice and my decision and not his fault if he couldn’t save me. From what I understand, people thought this guy was pulling a prank. What kind of sick website and sick people participate in pranks like this???? Sure someone should have called for help. But I understand also that they believed he was not suiciding for real.
Crap, the whole situation just makes my brain scrambled and my head hurt so I am stopping here.
As for you, I would call in a nano second because I don’t want a world without Immi in it! I have also recorded your location and like Dano it is something I hope I never have to use.
Hugs,
Tamara
Tamaras last blog post..Turned out to be a good day - didn’t start that way
WC - Sorry to dump it on your brain then. It’s a weird one, and nasty.
Abysmal - On most chat areas, there’s a large proportion of those, I’ve found.
BL - I’m of two minds about that. But considering me, that’s no wonder. heh
Chunks - It’s awful, but I find it easily believable.
Laura - Yes, all suicide gestures should be taken seriously.
Dano - I think the Mad Hatter Tea Party thing is a great idea. Sign me up!
Raine - Good for you guys!
BL - I’ll have to check into that.
Tamara - It is complicated, and I doubt the site (a bodybuilding site) is about pranks like this.
Everyone - Thanks for agreeing to holler for the police if I’m claiming such things. I doubt I will need the support, but it’s nice to have it if I do!
I wrote something a while back called “On not contemplating suicide” on my blog…
Its such a tricky topic!
This story made it over the pond to Australia and yes, I was truly sickened and saddened too. Its like - people are so accustomed to the imagined violence and death they see in movies and on TV - not to mention they daily events of people being blown up or wars or… I truly believe there’s a suspension of belief that goes with today’s media-rich world.
Not that it makes any of this stuff any better!
Svastis last blog post..I was a paid envelope un-stuffer
Savasti - I think you have something there — the suspension of belief and constant immersion in violence. No, it doesn’t make it any better, really. It helps me some to realize there may be reasons, however ugly, though.