Truly Disturbing

 Yes, I am referring to the horrible Manipur pic. Partially, I have talked about it in my blog on July 20, entitled "Old myth, new meanings".

Today I want to talk about another aspect of such events that I find truly shocking and simply horrible. Well, I have seen just a pic of the terrible event on a women's group, and I found it so shocking that I deleted it that very second. I do not have the gumption to watch a video of any such heinous act.

And there, in my opinion, begins the real horror. The question is who could be the photographer who could coolly take pics of such an atrocity? Who would be the videographer who could shoot ( and later edit!) such an event calmly? Why did the 'ace photographer',  the 'sharp shooter' (irony absolutely meant) continue to watch via the camera? Why did he(most probably! Hopefully, it was not a 'she'!!) NOT throw away the camera, and instead help the girl? 

In my opinion, the 'ace' photographer and the 'cool' video maker, too, need to be booked. In fact, they are as culpable as the actual perpetrators. Indeed, is not it our prime duty to help the victim? How can anyone  indulge in photography/videography at such a moment? 

Honestly, I have always wondered at the onlookers who video-shoot a critical moment, an accident victim dying on the road, for example, instead of using that very phone to call an ambulance!

What is truly disturbing and deeply shocking  is this apathy toward and voyeurism about violences of all sorts. Equally horrible is to keep such reels safeguarded in one's mobile/computer for the posterity!?! 

I, for example, did NOT watch a particular site fully, and surely not for the second time because it appeared to be very cruel to wild animals kept as pets!  If watching cruelty is difficult, how can anyone film it, edit it, and preserve it? Why did not the person go to the police, the court for suo motto cognizance with such concrete evidence in his (hopefully, not 'her') mobile/video camera?

In brief, the spectator mentality is really inexplicable. That calm of mind which allows a horror happen in front of you, that brave spirit which allows you to film it is truly disturbing because it indicates a truly violent, absolutely sick society of cheap peeping Tom's! 

Such kinky cowards  seem to forget that what you allow to happen to others today may be your possible future, too. If you choose to merely film/shoot/edit a horror, tomorrow you could be the victim, thus 'doubly shot', once by the perpetrator and next by the cool cameraman! Better to remember it is real life, not a reel!

Pratima@A mute, unconcerned spectator is as much a criminal as the perpetrator of a vicious act! How to watch (through a lens!) a cruel, inhuman event?