So one of the most popular current shows in China is called "Interviews before Execution." They get people who are about to be brought before the firing line and discuss their crimes.
As described by the DailyMailThe glamorous Ms Ding conducts face-to-face interviews with the prisoners, who have often committed especially gruesome crimes. Her subjects sit in handcuffs and leg chains, guarded by warders. She warms up with anodyne questions about favourite films or music, but then hectors the prisoners about the violent details of their crimes and eventually wrings apologies out of them.
This speaks to a couple of things in me that I find curious.
It is clear that many cultures find grotesque things interesting (i.e. Criminal Minds show in the US, Saw series, Japanese/German horror films).
This show gets probably more personal than most other media types that would depersonalize/dehumanize/objectify the perpetrator of crimes.
The second point is illustrated in the article ( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2109756/T… ) in the following way:
In one scene, a prisoner in his 20s falls to his knees before his parents, who have been allowed to see him. He pleads: ‘Father, I was wrong. I’m sorry.’Moments later, his parents see him about to be led away to his death. His distraught mother apologises for beating him once as a child and implores her son: ‘Go peacefully. It’s following government’s orders.’
Prison officers then push her aside and drag him away.
In another scene, a firing squad of about 20 men is briefed by a senior officer before executing condemned prisoners. ‘Some criminals will be very tough and difficult. That means they’ll be dangerous,’ the officer tells them.
What I am curious of is what this interest implies about people in general, and what investment opportunities would exist because of the interest in the grotesque. What precedents exist, and what long term sociological phenomenon can be linked to cultures that have comparable popular interests?
Further, what does this say about the role of the place of the Chinese people, as exemplified by the statement of the mother in the second quote, in terms of how they look at the world and their place in it as opposed to other peoples/regimes? And what investment opportunities exist that would benefit long term in a macro sense from this understanding of peoples natures?
Investment opportunities? You're sick
HoB, youd be silly to not recognize that this speaks of wider cultural trends and patterns that can be capitalized on. And your indignation/condescension is not appreciated - I never said I enjoy watching or participating in executions. I am curious of what this says about cultures, and people in general - so keep your smug sense of satisfaction to yourself.
poll time.
throw an SB my way if you'd like this kind of treatment doled out to bernie madoff, joe cassano, dick fuld, lloyd blankfein, angelo mozilo, or ken lewis. monkey shit me if otherwise.
1.) Take a bunch of death row prisoners. 2.) Send them to an island to fight to the death. 3.) Have them fight it out in badly shot scenes in such a way that it looks like a WWF movie. 4.) Profit.
Oh wait, they already did that.
ESCAPE FROM LA
NO ESCAPE
he one with stone cold steve austin.. lol
Another comparison - the HF's that profited by shorting subprime mortgages. Did they "profit from others demise/woe," or were they just bystanders who were along for the ride which would have occurred regardless of their involvement?
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