Twilight Language
since going over to read his blog just after the Batman shootings happened
"A disturbed student shoots up his classroom -- and suddenly a wave of mass murder is sweeping through our nation's schools.
A young child is taken from her home -- and for months afterward child abductions are frantically reported on an almost daily basis.
A surfer is attacked by a shark -- and the public spends an entire summer fearing an onslaught of the deadly underwater predators.
Why do the terrible events we see in the media always seem to lead to more of the same?
Noted author and cultural behaviorist Loren Coleman explores how the media's over-saturated coverage of murders, suicides, and deadly tragedies makes an impact on our society.
This is The Copycat Effect -- the phenomenon through which violent events spawn violence of the same type."
To quote a one star review on his book at the Amazon site -
"Is this a joke?"
Dear Brizdazz ~
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to bring forth your questions. Needless to say, unfortunately, I fear you merely are feeding into the American mainstream media's rather obvious attempt to bury my book.
The graphic, sensationalized coverage of these shootings by the media is the topic my book examines. From the time it was published, the American (but not the Canadian or Australian) news folks have ignored it. Therefore, my interest in saving people caused me to report often on the topic, and to link to some items I have written and followed via my book. I cite my book, with quotes and connected passages because the book is not well-known, not because I wish to sell more copies. I think it is an important book for stopping an epidemic. But it doesn't help if no one is reading it.
Speaking of which, in that book, after I directly list recommendations for the mass media, I address the issue you highlight above, in the last few paragraphs of my book. I will reproduce that statement here, so you won't have to even check the book out from a library:
"What About This Book?
I had to ask myself, as I was writing this book, could my book itself cause copycat crimes, suicides, and other violent acts? Would exposing the media’s responsibility in the copycat effect trigger some reader into copycatting? Frankly, I don’t think so. Why? Because I know that the copycat effect does not propagate well in an environment in which the hidden is made manifest. Now that we understand and know there is a problem, the protective factor is the realization that there are things that can be done to stop it.
My hope, of course, is that this book might stir up a much needed debate on the subject and hopefully lead to social change, to a change in how the media handles these stories, to put the brakes on the copycat effect. Our future—our children’s future—is at stake."
Be safe,
Loren Coleman
P.S. I have appreciated your many on-topic comments to my blog on this subject, and you sharing with readers your insights. Thank you.
Not that my last handful of comments ever saw the light of day on your blog,I see.
ReplyDeleteI still stand by my post.
ReplyDeleteWatching Charlie Brooker's You Tube in that post,I would have to ask what Charlie would say about the
"Twilight Language" blog ?
I'm not opposed to examining violence in pop culture (take a look at the post below this one),but I haven't written a book that seems to contradict my blog either.-)
Some of your recent comments were so incredibly off-topic and not related to the specific blog posting you sent them in to, yes, they were not posted. It did appear that your posting, here, which you "stand by'," was an angry reaction more to my moderating and controlling comments, than any deep-seated feeling about my book. Your past comments and even postings here have been positive recommendations. I am sorry I have hurt your feelings by being an on-topic moderator.
ReplyDeleteNot true Loren.
ReplyDeleteI was going to write a watered down comment on your blog about this very ironic subject,but knew that if my other comments about a Chinese guy who slashed 22 children at a kindergarten in China was "off topic" in a post about school children being shot in the States,and a link to Jake Kotze's site in a SYNC Book post was "off topic".
Then a comment like this one would never see the light off day on your blog.
And this post is not criticism of your book.It is about your book and your Twilight blog contradicting one another.
I wouldn't even try to post a comment on your blog now,because it's obvious my posts are probably now flagged as spam.
Unlike your comments here on my blog...so far.-)
Re:
ReplyDelete" Your past comments and even postings here have been positive recommendations "
I have never read,or am likely to read your book.My quotes are taken off your Amazon page where you sell the book.
You don't seem to see the irony of combining a book like that with a blog like "Twilight Language".
The joke is not lost on me.
It's COMBINING the two that makes it so strange to me.
I haven't read any of the links... However... I want you to count the number of times that the word 'book' appears in the comments above. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteHow can the slashing deaths of 22 chineese children be off topic on a post about mass shootings/deaths? Marcus Anthony commented about this on our blog post about these shootings. We didn't delete it. We only delete actual spam.
ReplyDeleteYour post here makes a good case for not buying coleman's book, Daz.
Yeah,I think Loren has taken a lesson from the Chinese when it comes to censorship on his blog ?-)
ReplyDeleteJust in case Loren tries to delete his comment from this post (as he has a habit of doing in other groups to cover his tracks) I've copied it so it is preserved here, just in case. ;-)
ReplyDelete"Loren Coleman said... "Dear Brizdazz ~
Thank you for taking the time to bring forth your questions. Needless to say, unfortunately, I fear you merely are feeding into the American mainstream media's rather obvious attempt to bury my book.
The graphic, sensationalized coverage of these shootings by the media is the topic my book examines. From the time it was published, the American (but not the Canadian or Australian) news folks have ignored it. Therefore, my interest in saving people caused me to report often on the topic, and to link to some items I have written and followed via my book. I cite my book, with quotes and connected passages because the book is not well-known, not because I wish to sell more copies. I think it is an important book for stopping an epidemic. But it doesn't help if no one is reading it.
Speaking of which, in that book, after I directly list recommendations for the mass media, I address the issue you highlight above, in the last few paragraphs of my book. I will reproduce that statement here, so you won't have to even check the book out from a library:
"What About This Book?
I had to ask myself, as I was writing this book, could my book itself cause copycat crimes, suicides, and other violent acts? Would exposing the media’s responsibility in the copycat effect trigger some reader into copycatting? Frankly, I don’t think so. Why? Because I know that the copycat effect does not propagate well in an environment in which the hidden is made manifest. Now that we understand and know there is a problem, the protective factor is the realization that there are things that can be done to stop it.
My hope, of course, is that this book might stir up a much needed debate on the subject and hopefully lead to social change, to a change in how the media handles these stories, to put the brakes on the copycat effect. Our future—our children’s future—is at stake."
Be safe,
Loren Coleman
P.S. I have appreciated your many on-topic comments to my blog on this subject, and you sharing with readers your insights. Thank you.
And this one as well -
ReplyDeleteLoren Coleman said - "Some of your recent comments were so incredibly off-topic and not related to the specific blog posting you sent them in to, yes, they were not posted. It did appear that your posting, here, which you "stand by'," was an angry reaction more to my moderating and controlling comments, than any deep-seated feeling about my book. Your past comments and even postings here have been positive recommendations. I am sorry I have hurt your feelings by being an on-topic moderator."