I was the bystander in the Bystander Effect today

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Alpha Trion
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I was the bystander in the Bystander Effect today

Post by Alpha Trion »

I saw a little kid, about six or seven, fall off his bike in front of my house today, and even though he was yelling for help, I just looked out the window and made no attempt to go to him. I was assuming he had friends nearby that would give him a hand, but when he finally got himself up and left, I saw that he was alone, and to make matters worse I later saw that there was broken glass out there.

After reading about Kitty Genovese a while ago I was absolutely certain I'd never ignore a person's cry for help, and of course this situation was nowhere near as intense and the kid probably left with no more than a scrape on his knee, but I still feel guilty as hell because I know it's scary when you're a kid and you're alone and you think you've hurt yourself. I understand why most people will say I'm blowing this way out of proportion, but I feel like I've failed my own expectations of myself today.

I did clean up the glass, though.
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slartibartfast
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Post by slartibartfast »

I imagine it would have been a different story if he was lying there in a pool of his own blood. No biggie. You could say it builds character... or his dad could, or something.
I did clean up the glass, though.
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redman prime
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Post by redman prime »

I can't say I haven't done the same thing recently, but then it's been teenagers skateboarding and eating it.

That I laugh at most of the time... so not really the same, but I understand your point and position, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have done much either..... which is a crummy realization, to be honest
life is great. then you die and leave everything to your wife.
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RID Scourge
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Post by RID Scourge »

I once heard screaming at 3 am, and just figured it was some idiot, driving by, since it had been a loud night. I probably should have called the cops, and I hope someone did. Hopefully, I'll have enough sense not to make that mistake again . . .
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

sounds like the kinda thing you'd end up getting sued for in the US.

"You PUSHED my kid off his bike!"
"I was helping, he fell off" etc etc
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zigzagger
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Post by zigzagger »

I find myself in situations where I am in a, fairly busy, public setting - i.e. plenty of bystanders - where someone appears to be hurt - say, for example, a person faints, or they get bumped by car in a crosswalk, or are even mugged. Even though I'd want to do something, like aid the victim (etc), no one else in the vicinity seems to be responding to the problem, even if the situation had occurred in broad daylight, it's almost as if the public's apathy impedes my own judgment. I'm thinking, "well, maybe it's not as bad as it looks" or "am I just seeing things or did that guy just do X ?". Which is funny (not in a "ha ha" sort of way), that I would, or anyone for that matter, need affirmation from the people around me/us to do anything.

Conversely, on one occasion, when I "came to the aid" of a teenager nodding-out on a bench (and showing other OD symptoms ) at a bus station, people around me scoffed from a distance but would continue on their way(s) while this kid was practically dying in front of them. I guess our "just deserts" mentality prevents us from intervening - it's as if it is somehow disrupting our illusions of safety.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by StoneCold Skywarp
"You PUSHED my kid off his bike!"


In my case though they'd probably be right...
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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slartibartfast
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Post by slartibartfast »

Originally posted by rubicon
...people around me scoffed from a distance but would continue on their way(s) while this kid was practically dying in front of them...
Drawing a cheap parallel with your current location*, I was thinking of advancing the idea that human society has a threshold beyond which our survival as a species is no longer threatened and our social bonds revert to a monospecies survival of the fittest mentality. More in line with the herd construct of safety in numbers but with ourselves acting as both predators and prey for the lack of external danger. It seems that closely knit communities based on interdependancy rely solely on the absence of anonymity through smaller population sizes.

Following my train of thought : criticism of politicians being inhumane towards their fellow citizens could also be attributed to the idea that this anonymity reduces individuals to numbers and statistics. Abstraction allowing to tackle larger logistical problems than relational ones can... Personally I'm not an advocate for the theory though, quite the opposite in fact. I'd be more in favour of the relational cellular structure, but then, politics never really was my thing.

anyway... back to the case in hand. How about the old image of the urban jungle ? Cities and other high concentrations of population have their own eco-systems, modeled on the 'natural' world yea, but relatively autonomous. Worlds within worlds. A stage where we can play savage.

... yea, I'm probably talking utter crap again. I need to get out of paris. Go grow vegetables somewhere.


*for future reference : "anonymity + millions of 'net users = ****wad"



edit : now with added courage to conviction !
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Ice Shard
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Post by Ice Shard »

Aww... poor kid :)

posted by Stone Cold Soundwave
"You PUSHED my kid off his bike!"


hmm... if its an annoying little kid i might - ye but i'd get called sly :)
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