The off topic thread

[Cruyff14]

Don't disagree with what he's said at all. Suicide bombs are going off in the Middle East all the time, but the Western media only fixate on a small number of people dying because it's a Western nation and it fits their narrative. It's terrible.

Sad day for those in Brussels, and my heart goes out to them, but my heart also goes out to those in other countries who have also died at the hands of suicide bombers in the last few weeks.

Like it's been said, Australia has closer ties to the western world, hence why it's reported on.

I'd feel just as bad if this happened anywhere in the world, not just Belgium.

A forced loss of life is never a good thing.

 

[SM]

Like it's been said, Australia has closer ties to the western world, hence why it's reported on.

I'd feel just as bad if this happened anywhere in the world, not just Belgium.

A forced loss of life is never a good thing.

And I'm saying that's wrong. I'm not denying that that's the reason.

 

[Cruyff14]

Well I guess it's shame on me for not posting every time there is a horrific event.

 

[moomba]

For the reasons I mentioned above I feel more connected with Paris, and Brussels tragedies (Sydney and New York for that matter) than others that I feel more disassociated from.

It's just a human emotion. You can't force something that isnt there.

 

[jd2010]

Like it's been said, Australia has closer ties to the western world, hence why it's reported on.

I'd feel just as bad if this happened anywhere in the world, not just Belgium.

A forced loss of life is never a good thing.

That middle paragraph sums it up for me. We know what we know and a lot of that is down to what we get given by the media or our governments reaction to things. It's not the general public fault for not being across the whole world's issues I don't think. We generally aren't the ones valuing one life greater than the other, we just don't know what's not being shown to us

 

[jd2010]

For the reasons I mentioned above I feel more connected with Paris, and Brussels tragedies (Sydney and New York for that matter) than others that I feel more disassociated from.

It's just a human emotion. You can't force something that isnt there.

First part true. Second is kind of sad really. Loss of life whether it's somewhere you've been or someone with similar way of life to yours shouldn't feel more real than in a completely foreign environment

 

[Dirty Bird]

Don't disagree with what he's said at all. Suicide bombs are going off in the Middle East all the time, but the Western media only fixate on a small number of people dying because it's a Western nation and it fits their narrative. It's terrible.

Sad day for those in Brussels, and my heart goes out to them, but my heart also goes out to those in other countries who have also died at the hands of suicide bombers in the last few weeks.

Thankyou!
I'm sick of people being ****s just because they dont like people.
I know from our history we dont get along but at least you dont let that blind you in a discussion and just take things to personal straight away.

 

[SM]

That middle paragraph sums it up for me. We know what we know and a lot of that is down to what we get given by the media or our governments reaction to things. It's not the general public fault for not being across the whole world's issues I don't think. We generally aren't the ones valuing one life greater than the other, we just don't know what's not being shown to us

See that's not fair either. Bishop has just been in Fiji after they were hit by a cyclone, and there's been hardly any press coverage of that. The Government doesn't just look at tragedies and think "Oh well, we shouldn't do anything about that because the media don't care about it."

How about the 100 people killed in the Russian air accident last week?

 

[SM]

First part true. Second is kind of sad really. Loss of life whether it's somewhere you've been or someone with similar way of life to yours shouldn't feel more real than in a completely foreign environment

He's right that you can't force it, but that doesn't make it right. I agree with you that it's sad.

I don't have any connection to Brussels, I don't look at that attack and think to myself "Thanks to economic and political ties, I should feel more upset about this than when I read about the plane crash in Russia last week."

 

[Dirty Bird]

I think my annoyance of the media really begun in that whole Kony stuff about 5 years ago.
Every man and his dog went on and on about Kony and stopping him, then 6 months later, 99% of people forgot who he was.

Media put 1 thing up.
The masses make that a current issue.
Then it gets sweeped under the rug.

It's just this sheep mentality that ****s me off.

I know people feel appalled when they see the issues around the world. But the media only focus on a small amount of them and then blow them out of proportion

 

[moomba]

First part true. Second is kind of sad really. Loss of life whether it's somewhere you've been or someone with similar way of life to yours shouldn't feel more real than in a completely foreign environment

Thats not really where I'm coming from to be honest. Loss of life in something like that is terrible no matter where it is.

 

[Loonerty]

I feel more affected when Western nations are hit because it brings this thought that it could happen to us. Also my parents flying to Canada this coming Monday makes it scare me a little more.

When it happens in other parts of the world, yes it is absolutely tragic, but they are essentially war zones. It's much more expected.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

My parents are off to Europe in 4 or so weeks time, will be worried to say the least!!!!!

 

[jd2010]

See that's not fair either. Bishop has just been in Fiji after they were hit by a cyclone, and there's been hardly any press coverage of that. The Government doesn't just look at tragedies and think "Oh well, we shouldn't do anything about that because the media don't care about it."

How about the 100 people killed in the Russian air accident last week?

Do you think the govt dont have any influence on what/how the media report on things? Call me a skeptical pessimist but I think they do. It's in their interests to drum up noise about western tragedies more than a Russian air disaster or a Fijian natural disaster.

 

[SM]

Do you think the govt dont have any influence on what/how the media report on things? Call me a skeptical pessimist but I think they do. It's in their interests to drum up noise about western tragedies more than a Russian air disaster or a Fijian natural disaster.

I honestly don't think the Government told the media to report on Brussels more than the other two, bit strange to suggest they did considering Brussels was the only news story reported on the minute it happened.

 

[jd2010]

I honestly don't think the Government told the media to report on Brussels more than the other two, bit strange to suggest they did considering Brussels was the only news story reported on the minute it happened.

I didn't mean directly to this story. Just in general they'd like media outlets to report more (or earlier in news reports) on the goings on in the western world than say Russia or the Middle East. Having the population know about the goings on in their Allies countries more than non-Allies makes it easier for them to justify current/future international decisions they'll make.

For example they'd rather the media outlets report on ISIS invading and taking over a city in the Middle East than if an African rebel group did the same thing over there.

 

[moomba]

Could be that Western countries have a bigger media presence as well. Bit easier to take a feed from Belgian media and get your own reporters there than Africa or the Middle East.

 

[jd2010]

If there's a want to cover a story the media outlets will find a way. There's many a correspondent over in Africa & the Middle East with the likes of CNN & BBC but channel 7 & 9 know what their audience are more interested in hearing about. The "more real scarier" story of popular holiday destinations captures the mind more than if people die in South Sudan or Kenya

 

[jod23]

In fairness I agree with not having open borders. Europe is now reaping what it sowed from opening its borders.

If people need help and have nowhere to go. We have to help them. Terrorism will happen whether we let a ton of refugees in or not.

 

[jd2010]

If Australia was war stricken and we fled on boats to another country that was nothing like our own there is a good chance a small % of those fleeing would cause trouble in their new country. There are idiots in all countries.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

If people need help and have nowhere to go. We have to help them. Terrorism will happen whether we let a ton of refugees in or not.

Thanks to Merkel, many of these people are not refugees but economic migrants. And they are not all from Syria or Iraq either. The whole thing is a cluster**** to be honest and could destabilise the whole of Europe

 

[SM]

If people need help and have nowhere to go. We have to help them. Terrorism will happen whether we let a ton of refugees in or not.

The issue is whether these people actually need help, or are just swarming into countries because they want government assistance. The NHS in the UK is under fire because of the amount of money spent on illegal immigrants; Merkel is copping huge flak for her open doors policy, and other countries are now seeing the results of blindly accepting everyone in.

 

[Cooldude]

It's so damn sad but very very difficult to prevent all of these attacks from happen now that they are unfortunately "fashionable". It only takes one to slip through for massive damage to occur

Leaving the Islam thing aside for a min, these attacks have just made me feel "oh it's just great I'm in Aus and not in a hot spot", it's all become self-preservation mentality nowadays and that's probably what those damn cowards want.

Pray to hell it doesn't happen here in this country but I fear it's a matter of time

 

[SM]

It's so damn sad but very very difficult to prevent all of these attacks from happen now that they are unfortunately "fashionable". It only takes one to slip through for massive damage to occur

Leaving the Islam thing aside for a min, these attacks have just made me feel "oh it's just great I'm in Aus and not in a hot spot", it's all become self-preservation mentality nowadays and that's probably what those damn cowards want.

Pray to hell it doesn't happen here in this country but I fear it's a matter of time

People surprised at this though really shouldn't be given the last week in Belgium. Shocking that security wasn't on alert.

 

[jd2010]

Not down playing what is going on right now. But terrorism has been a part of life in the 80s and 90s too, for example the stuff with the IRA & some other Palestinian miltant groups