Posted: 12/2/08
On Nov. 19, a disturbed young man put an end to his life. This could be said of many people because suicide happens everyday in this country, but what sets the death of Abraham Biggs apart is that he died under the supervision of almost 200 people live on JustinTV.com.Biggs started blogging on his myspace page about having suicidal thoughts, shortly after he went to a forum he frequented, BodyBuilding.com (posting under the name "CandyJunkie") he shared with his community his intent to end his life. Biggs had a history of mental illness and had told the community he was attempting to end his life before. Some believing they were being hoaxed and others generally indiffrent, several users "called his bluff".
CandyJunkie obliged them . He started a live stream on JustinTV.com, a website that lets users put on live scheduled or impromptu shows for others along with chat and recording capabilities, and shared the link. They wanted live proof that he wanted to die so, Biggs posted a suicide note (that was posted on another site) and proceeded to ingest a deadly combination of drug and alchol.
Once broadcasting he showed his audience the pills he intended to take, with alcohol. After taking them he appeared incoherent, and collapsed onto the bed behind him with his face away from the camera. He would never get up.
He appeared to be breathing for about 3 hours, according to one posting on BodyBuilding.com, and then his breathing became shallow, then all together stopped.
It was only after he had consumed the pills and liquor that a moderator or "mod" was called to help. The BodyBuilding.com mod "Roxie" dismissed the thread and called Biggs an attention whore". Users on BodyBuilding.com and JustinTV.com then looked at Biggs postings to see where he lived, one poster JJlee138 who had earlier admonished fellow posters for egging Biggs on successfully contacted the local sheriff department. Help arrived a half hour later, but it's too late. Shocked viewers watched as an EMT checked Biggs's vital signs and solemnly covered his web camera.
Even after friends posted condolences on the youth's MySpace page, many believed they were watching an elaborate hoax. It was not until CNN reported the death as well as a post from Biggs older sister, Rosilind did the community realized what had really happend. They had watched a man die.
There are obviously many disturbing aspects to this sad story, but there are three things that disturb me the most the fact that a emotionally disturbed person was asked to basically make a live snuff film for the amusement of others. That those that opposed this act remained silent for so long and finally that people waited as long as they did to seek help.
While in all honesty looking at the original thread (since removed) the majority of posters did not want to see CandyJunkie die. Despite objecting to his actions, why did so many still watch, and do nothing?
The compliance of posters that wanted to help, but did not, to me is the same as seeing a child about to walk into a busy street, and waiting until they were hit by a car to call fo help.
While its comforting to know that someone eventually did call the police, it happend too late.
After the death was confirmed posters hurled venomous remarks at Biggs's friends and familily, callous remarks like that of poster YoMaMa84, after sending condolences they added, " … if any one should have helped him it should have been you."
I cannot remember the last time I felt so ashamed of humanity, a young lady loses her brother and in an attempt to defend the act of watching him die she is told that she didn't do enough to help?
A human life was lost, a life that means no more or less than one's own. I was thankful to read poster CelticFan rebottle to YoMAMA84 saying," You would think it was his PC hard drive that died, It was a (explitive)ing human being , you moron."
Sadly CelticFan's voice was one of decent on BodyBuilding.com's "Misc." forum, a do and say anything section of the website.
Even more sad is what this tells us about our relationship with the internet and each other. How detached have we become on this web that is supposed to connect us that a man screaming for help is used for the basis of bad jokes?
Perhaps we have regressed to the point where we cannot feel connected to our fellow man, but more disturbing is the thought that this isn't a regression at all, simply an amplification of human nature.
When I first heard about this, long before the the story hit the mainstream news, was how could someone watch someone's baby die like that- of course just like me, all those who watched emotionless, were someone's' baby also.
The most disturbing part of this ordeal is realizing that we just witnessed humanities' true face, and it's ugly.
© Copyright 2009 Observer
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