Traffic accidents and audiences

[IWantGod]

It’s quite common for a large number of people to gather around a traffic accident, or any tragic event, even when somebody has died, and take pictures or film it on their Iphone.

I imagine that some people are concerned, but can it be an immoral thing to do? I have a feeling that it is.

This is not to judge anybody.

 

[RandomAlias]

Good question.

Death is a very personal event. In my opinion, the moment should not be shared in an impersonal way, like strangers gawking or taking pictures, and definitely not by posting it online.

Is it immoral? Possibly. The reason may have to do with a failure of charity, or the absence of love.

 

[angel12]

I imagine that some people are concerned, but can it be an immoral thing to do? I have a feeling that it is.

I think that a lot of times, it’s curiousity. It’s something they may never have seen before, and they don’t stop to think that this is a real person.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It depends on why you are doing this. If you’re just doing it to gawk or invade someone’s privacy by posting their accident photos on your social media, and/or if you’re getting in the way of the people involved or the first responders, then it’s bad.

If you’re documenting the accident as part of the news media or to genuinely share info about the event, or if you were already taking some pictures when a huge accident happened right behind you (so your focus is “look at my narrow escape, thank you God!”) or if you think that there is some reason such as an insurance claim or police misconduct that you should be filming, then film away.

My friend was actually standing around when a terrorist bombing occurred. After it happened he filmed with his phone while getting away from the area. His footage ended up on the international news and I’m sure it was probably helpful to the investigators looking into the bombing. He did not run up and take film of people laying around maimed or anything though.

 

[Lee1]

It feels instinctively immoral if someone’s life is ebbing away or if someone has died, it’s objectifying a human being.

If it’s the spectacle of actual objects which have ended up in some unusual position then I don’t see any harm in it.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

I think we’re sort of wired to be drawn to anything unusual.
And we get particularly riveted by injury and death.
Think of how the eye is drawn to road-kill.

But, unless you’re there to help, it’s a bit tasteless and tacky to gawk at somebody else’s misfortune.
I don’t think it rises to the level of immoral.

But please call 911