Comments on: Internet-assisted suicide? http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/ Berkman investigators, fellows, research assistants and interns sound off about all things Digital Natives Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:02:42 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Monet http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/comment-page-1/#comment-296 Monet Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:35:44 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/#comment-296 Matt Searles makes a good point. Matt Searles makes a good point.

]]> By: Nel Regno Unito torna il mistero dei suicidi on line » Panorama.it - Cultura e società http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/comment-page-1/#comment-214 Nel Regno Unito torna il mistero dei suicidi on line » Panorama.it - Cultura e società Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:05:05 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/#comment-214 [...] Ma i media hanno un modo pericoloso di trasformare i problemi in un’isteria di massa”, scrive Jesse Baer dell’Università di Harvard. Tanto più, ricorda Baer, che una recente ricerca [...] [...] Ma i media hanno un modo pericoloso di trasformare i problemi in un’isteria di massa”, scrive Jesse Baer dell’Università di Harvard. Tanto più, ricorda Baer, che una recente ricerca [...]

]]> By: Matt Searles http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Matt Searles Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:48:01 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/digitalnatives/2008/01/26/internet-assisted-suicide/#comment-100 I think the right question is not "does the internet make for teen suicides," but "how does the internet effect teen suicide." This brings us to the broader question of how the internet effects teens.. or us for that matter. What are the underlying forces that bring teens to commit suicide, and how do those forces play out online? The internet, of course, is a fast evolving space, so the roll the internet plays now, might not be the same roll it plays in 5 years. As clear as I understand it, there's a number of forces in our society that would seem to help teen suicide do its thing. Sure, some of it is as simple as the particulars of certain developmental stages, perhaps this in combination with certain problems with modern life.. break downs in bonds of love, alienation... how we often, even as "adults" can feel powerless to effect change in the world.. I'm not totally getting at it here, but I guess my point is you have to approach the problem for a holistic stand point. My contention is that social media will, at least in the long term, correct a lot of these problems. I believe this from the stand point that what drives collective evolution is conflict, and a significant part of the conflict that drives social media is something like a need for psychological equilibrium: Industrialization, mass media culture, and other forces, have caused us to live in ways where there is a tension between our deep inner nature and how we are living. This tension, I believe, is felt most acutely during these the developmental stages, where we are seeing these teen suicides. Another words, these teens are the canaries in our coal mine. This along with the various mass shootings in schools. But out here in social media vill, a dream of a new society is emerging. While the long term consequences might not be clear, what is clear to me is that the dream giving rise to it, is one that's reacting to these very problems. I think the right question is not “does the internet make for teen suicides,” but “how does the internet effect teen suicide.” This brings us to the broader question of how the internet effects teens.. or us for that matter. What are the underlying forces that bring teens to commit suicide, and how do those forces play out online?

The internet, of course, is a fast evolving space, so the roll the internet plays now, might not be the same roll it plays in 5 years.

As clear as I understand it, there’s a number of forces in our society that would seem to help teen suicide do its thing. Sure, some of it is as simple as the particulars of certain developmental stages, perhaps this in combination with certain problems with modern life.. break downs in bonds of love, alienation… how we often, even as “adults” can feel powerless to effect change in the world.. I’m not totally getting at it here, but I guess my point is you have to approach the problem for a holistic stand point.

My contention is that social media will, at least in the long term, correct a lot of these problems. I believe this from the stand point that what drives collective evolution is conflict, and a significant part of the conflict that drives social media is something like a need for psychological equilibrium: Industrialization, mass media culture, and other forces, have caused us to live in ways where there is a tension between our deep inner nature and how we are living.

This tension, I believe, is felt most acutely during these the developmental stages, where we are seeing these teen suicides. Another words, these teens are the canaries in our coal mine. This along with the various mass shootings in schools.

But out here in social media vill, a dream of a new society is emerging. While the long term consequences might not be clear, what is clear to me is that the dream giving rise to it, is one that’s reacting to these very problems.

]]>