A Sick Joke?

Is mass murder on the part of deranged psychopaths some perverse attempt at humor? In our mass media culture, where do we draw the line between reality and entertainment? When the 9/11 terror attacks happened, they seemed to be surreal, almost as if they were a movie. It took some time for the shocking reality of the events to sink in. To this day, there are fringe groups who suggest that the terror attacks were staged by the US government to promote a right-wing agenda. In my mind, it appears that the overwhelming shock of these events might have thrown some people off the deep end, desensitizing them to violence to such a degree that they have achieved a state of complete denial. Such a frame of mind borders on the level of psychotic madness, as depicted in the character of the “Joker” in the recent Batman film, The Dark Knight. That, in my mind, is potentially as dangerous as the psychosis of the raving lunatics who commit such sickening acts of terror and violence.

As news events unfold, the response is often sheer incredulity at their seeming absurdity. In an age of YouTube videos that go for cheap laughs by turning violence and mayhem into Chaplinesque slapstick comedy, sometimes, the response to shocking violence and terror is to throw the observer off the deep end, to respond with amused apathy at the horrific plight of innocents. Indeed, sometimes the news appears to be as insanely ridiculous as some cheap slapstick comedy—the trampling to death of enthusiastic customers at a Black Friday stampede appears to be laughable when observed from the safe distance of a YouTube video clip, but it completely negates the very real tragedy of the people involved. To laugh at such an event, however absurd it might seem, is to make light of the tragedy of the loss of life and to experience a sense of apathy at the plight of those who suffer. Sometimes, of course, the absurdity of circumstances is such that the only possible response is laughter, but there has to be a line—otherwise, the upshot is nothing less than psychosis stemming from denial and apathy—the same sort of psychosis that characterizes the perpetrators of terrorist acts, though, perhaps, to a different degree.

Horizon Cybermedia is committed to staying balanced and humane in insane times. In an age in which violence and entertainment are all too often indistinguishable, threatening throw humanity off the deep end and into the madness of The Joker in the Batman films, Horizon Cybermedia is about keeping one's head screwed on straight and promoting an appreciation of art, humanity and an empathy for one's fellowman.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.