Why don't we help others anymore?

[Wolfpac]

In Australia there is a story in the news of a woman who was kidnapped and later killed. But the weird thing about this story is that 8 people heard her scream. No one came to her rescue but what really got to me was that no one even called the police.

Now fair enough, people are scared now days. If someone is getting mugged people will just stand around and do nothing. They care about themselves being hurt rather than helping someone. And as much as I don't want to say it, I think I would do that too. I wouldn't risk my own life to save someone else. It sad, but it's the truth. But what got me was that no one even bothered to call 000 (911). With every man and his dog having a phone you think someone would have at least called for help.

They said on the news a few days later that people are pretty much sheep. Because this woman didn't yell "Help Me, Call The Police" no one thought that it would be a good idea to call someone who could actually help. Another theory was that these 8 people though that one of the other 7 people might call the police. What a sad, sad world we live in.

What would you do if you were in a similar situation? Would you risk you own life and help? Would you at least call the Police? Or would you just walk away like these 8 people did because they thought that this woman might be having a fantastic orgasizm instead of - I don't know - getting kidnapped.

[AquaticAmbi]

This sounds crazy, but it would depend on what exactly the scream sounds like. Some people are so stupid that they think nothing of being loud and randomly screaming as they goof around with their friends in public. Unless it was a series of terrified shrieks, I don't think about doing anything.

[Ninjaxe]

If I was me I would approach the situation cause I'm nosy like that. If I was attacked, survived! I would intend on a medal for it or some money as a reward. I will definately phone the police. 999 in uk This reminds me of a story or a parable of the good smartian. As I recall from the top of head. A man was injured stabbed of some kind. Bleeding to death begging for help. Rich man walked pass, even a priest I think. Left with a man of a different race to help this poor man.

I think this world don't like to be left as witness or get involved in hurting themselves. Igonoring the fact that they could end up with of those in same situation. Then they would feel the guilt that "IF ONLY I helped. Now who's going to rescue me." I totally agree with the 'people are like sheep' idea. But it don't see how this fit in to this situation?

I going to argue that due to the fact this world is now built on drinking and football. As people scream all the time even the girls. Not necessary due to football but on too much drink. Believe me, I have few friends like thatand they're meant to be the quiet ones. Due to the fact that you said, that this woman didn't actually says the word 'help.' Another thing if this happened in the alleyways in America, that's a no no! Those places gives me the creeps. All this stand for the night-life but in broad daylight...do people still want to help or just pass by?

[Cyber-Slig]

It's just the human mind. Most people wouldn't care because they know nothing about the person or would care if they just kicked the bucket.

For example, here's a question for you all. Would you rather an old loved one of yours died (50+), or some young man you don't even know exists who lives somewhere down in China? Be honest.

One of the logical explanations is that noone expected it to be a murder. In my street we hear plenty of shouting and screaming on the odd occasion, sometimes even a fight. But really, noone will think it's a murder. Do half you guys ever think about something like bird flu and then think ''nope, never gonna happen to me''? Well that's probably what you'll think about a murder.

[Godlesswanderer]

A couple of times me and my friends have heard a scream and we all said to each other "Oooh that sounds bad" or "Wow that sounded like a murder scream, that can't be good". But for some reason we never thought of doing anything about it.

If you think about it if we did call the police or something. The police have better things to do that investigate a scream that was probably a kid playing.

[Wil]

I'll wager it's related to the urban gesellschaft taking over from the rural gemeinschaft. As we all live closer together and watch the same media, something happens to our collective mind that tells us not to get involved. Don't bother getting to know the neighbours. Don't bother saying hello to people you pass in the street. And don't get involved in strangers' problems.

It's a sad state of affairs, I agree absolutely, but I think it's a natural consequence of rapid urbanisation and mass media. Everybody feels empowered, but at the same time much more helpless. We live in close quarters, so we become more insular to protect what we consider our territory. There's a biological/geographic interpretation, anyway.

I can relate to the situation in a couple of ways. A couple of months ago I was walking to school. I crossed a road just in front of a cyclist and I heard him fall to the floor behind me. I turned around, but daren't rush to his aid. As I say, it wasn't to do with selfishness but fear. I daren't get involved or interfere. On the flip side of the coin, when my dad once got a powertool to slice into his head, he staggered into the front garden, blood everywhere, and several people walked by, but no one so much as asked him if he was alright. Blood everywhere!

More relevant to the unseen scream situation, I think Godlesswanderer is right in saying the Police wouldn't care too much. One gentleman my dad knew had children messing about on his property, and they fell into a shed through the roof (I think, precision isn't important). He called for the police to get them out of the locked shed, but they said they were too busy. He phoned back later and said they needn't bother coming, as he'd killed both the children (he hadn't, of course). His house was soon surrounded by police vans and helicopters. “Oh, I thought you said you were busy,” he said.

[Jacob]

It's weird how we have the whole "Oh, somebody else will do something about it" mindset.

But like Ambi said, it would depend on the scream - if i thought it was something a bit iffy, i would probably ring the Police. ...hopefully i wouldn't be one of those "Oh, someone else will call" people who'd rather save credit than somebody's dignity (or life).

Regarding actually whether i'd intervene - i don't know. Recently i've been mugged, and though it wasn't painful (even though i bled a lot) i don't know whether i'd merrily bound on in to save someone else, risking breakage of my already broken face. Thankfully somebody above likes me - 'cos out of all the muggers in Hull (and there're a lot) i got the two who were total pussies.

With another person though (and i'd probably hesitate if there were more than one, for obvious reasons) i doubt i'd step in. Maybe if i was the sort of person who got into the 'Fight' mode easier, but i'm really not.

It somewhat annoys me, however, when we reach a point in society when we won't try and help, beit through calling others or actually intervening ourselves.

But meh, such is the world.

[Facsimile]

As others have said, I think it really depends on the scream. People are always screaming these days (Possibly the strangest sentence I've typed in a long time) and to be honest I get sick of it. If it was a prolonged scream I'd probably do something, ring the police or at least investigate. I'm not a big guy by and standards whatsoever, so I wouldn't go in to stop it myself though.

[Nate]

I've heard screaming on occasion and I'll usually go outside to work out where it's coming from. But I wouldn't call the police unless I knew something more.

"Hi, Police"
"Hi, I heard someone screaming"
"So..."

The fact is that the police wouldn't even have gone out if one of the neighbours had reported the screams. Not unless it was "Aaaaah, put that gun away!"

For what it's worth; they actually found the body in the boot of a car around the corner from my mum's work.

[Bullet Magnet]

It is mostly just developed countries that suffer this. Go to most third world countyies and most people will be glad to help.

Picture this: A grown man is dragging a screaming child, a young girl. Do you confront the man and find that he is her father, a very stressed and single parent with an ADD child? Or leave them be, and later hear on the news about the naked body of the same child in a ditch?

In Britain, the only legal means of defense in a foghorn. You aren't even allowed pepper spray. Word to the wise: A sharp, high pitched scream is far more likely to get help from the public than any other yelling.

[Mutual Friend]

Deleted for being excessively grumpy. Probably.

[OANST]

I'm surprised noone called the cops on me a couple days ago. I took my daughter Abbey (who is 2) for a walk down to the river the other day. We were just throwing rocks in the river and having fun. When it was time to go she didn't want to leave. She refused to walk and just layed down on the ground screaming. I tried to pick her up and carry her back but she kicked me in the balls when I did. I had to drag her the entire way back to our house by one arm while she screamed "HELP" at the top of her lungs. Needless to say I was just a smidge embarrased. Every single person I passed just stood there staring at me.

[AquaticAmbi]

That's the one thing I'd be willing to step in and try to do something about... A suspicious person dragging a screaming child away in a store or something. I once thought I heard a little girl yelling for her daddy as she was drug away by a man holding her arm. I followed them for a few seconds but realized that she was calling him "Daddy." Still, even that can be suspicious because of violent ex-spouses. I've always lived in a sort of haunting fear that my alcoholic, violent dad would someday try to do something crazy and successfully kidnap me. Successfully being the key word here as his drunk attempts when I was little failed.

[Mutual Friend]

What made you want to share that? Genuinely interested, I never get all this personal stuff posted over the internet… seems very odd and clinical. *shrugs*

[OANST]

Well, it did fit the conversation. You know, a lot of times your posts are pretty funny but other times either your superiority complex or your personal angst take over and you get a little obnoxious.

[The Marching Mudokon]

A 16 year old kid, not too long ago, tried to help someone who was being attacked and he was stabbed. He died in hospital a few hours later. Is it just me or is something really wrong here? Whatever happened to karma? He was the one trying to do the right thing and he ends up paying the price. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying if someone is being attacked don't do anything, conserve yourself but I'm just pointing out the injustice of the situation. Tut tut, society

[AquaticAmbi]

What made you want to share that? Genuinely interested, I never get all this personal stuff posted over the internet… seems very odd and clinical. *shrugs*

I think OANST summed it up pretty well, but if you need a complete explanation that bad, then here.

This is a place for socializing if you haven't noticed; it doesn't have a business-like atmosphere because it's meant to be open and friendly. OWF would be incredibly boring if no one ever discussed any personal thoughts, so I appreciate when someone does share a piece of personal history. When someone shares something personal, it reminds me that there's more to a forum than the pixals in each post: There are real people with real emotions and real histories behind the words.

Besides, it not only makes the conversations more interesting, but it also adds depth and adds more to a point because any opinion anyone possessses develops from personal experience. Therefore, to understand someone's views/points is to understand some personal history.

So.. If I'm discussing a topic and make a point which I derive from a memory, however personal, I will definitely post it.

[Wil]

I'd like to save face, but I'm compelled to jump into the deep and give my opinion, which is that Mutual Friend was merely seeking an answer to something he didn't understand. I think you're getting at him a bit too much.

*slinks away again*

[Jacob]

I don't know about anybody else, but i always feel less than compelled to help if the guy/girl getting attacked deserves it.

Back when i was at University, myself and my friend were sat talking when we heard a ruckus outside. We looked out of the window and saw these...cretins bickering. One female, who was pregnant, and one male. Both were out of their faces on something and shouting and swearing and the like.

Eventually, the argument escalated so that the male gave his (presumably girlfriend) a good crack across the face. My friend said she was going to call the Police, but i told her to calm her sen and just watch for a moment longer.

The drunken male then got so annoyed by the woman he threatened to "kick the baby" out of her. Which, as far as i'm concerned, would've been a God-send. I continued to watch as my friend fretted over what to do.

She did eventually ring the Police, but that was only because they began smashing up cars.

Meh.

Such a shame he didn't kick her in the stomach.

[soulstice]

I help myself. Myself only.

Toodles.

[Mutual Friend]

Well, it did fit the conversation. You know, a lot of times your posts are pretty funny but other times either your superiority complex or your personal angst take over and you get a little obnoxious.

To be honest, regarding the bold, I think my point here was misplaced as I chickened out of saying it when someone else was imparting some personal news in its own special thread. Which I still find odd. So apologies, really, because it didn't truly belong here, I guess the point was still hanging over my head.

As for the REST of your post, I'm just upset and confused. "Personal angst"?! Gah!!

[T-nex]

Uh... There was a girl raped some time ago in my town. He had the guts to tell about it in a girl's magazine. She was at a disco, and met a boy who didn't speak danish well. But they had fun and danced, but later, he dragged her away through the backdoor, with the help of a few of his friends. She says he dragged her a long way, and even though people could see she was in trouble(well, he kept his hand on her mouth, so she couldn't scream), no one ever called the police, or even thought of doing anything about it.
Well, then she was raped :-(

I think it's unfair and cowardly by people when they don't even call the police. I mean c'mon, everyone has a cell phone these days :-S...

I really think I would have done something... But I'd prolly get myself into trouble toot hen... dunno... Still, I can't imagine what goes through those people's heads when they can clearly see that the girl is in danger.

[Abecrazy]

That's the one thing I'd be willing to step in and try to do something about... A suspicious person dragging a screaming child away in a store or something. I once thought I heard a little girl yelling for her daddy as she was drug away by a man holding her arm. I followed them for a few seconds but realized that she was calling him "Daddy." Still, even that can be suspicious because of violent ex-spouses. I've always lived in a sort of haunting fear that my alcoholic, violent dad would someday try to do something crazy and successfully kidnap me. Successfully being the key word here as his drunk attempts when I was little failed.

Scary!

That being said....

People I think now days are just to busy and preoccupied with their own lives to worry about others. knowing what I go through on a day to day basis it would be easy to not give a monkeys f*ck what was happening outside my walls. BUT! Living where I live violent crimes happen all the time and anytime I'm suspicious of anything I call 911.

[GTdragon]

I'd have to say that some people are so caught up in their own self-gratification that they just wouldn't happen to care at that very moment until it pops up in the news and appears as a total shock to them.