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We live in the age of memes and mass media, so we all know that some ideas are especially contagious. In this episode, we delve into the phenomenon of suicide clusters and the media’s culpability in spawning copycats.
Highlights
[0:00] Where have all the soundtracks gone? Mark laments the loss of the title banger from eighties and nineties horror movies.
[12:25] A reminder to watch Thirteen Ghosts with us on the 22nd of May [join our Discord to take part! https://discord.com/invite/HuBTacyn5Y]; we also talk about stuff that’s gone down in the Facebook group, including that strange slot in the back of medicine cabinets, creepy etsy finds, and street creature performance art in Wales.
[22:30] We talk about what we’ve been watching, the villain monologue trope, and the joys of singing in the car.
[36:20] We discuss suicide clusters and experiences with the suicides of people close to us, and what the media could do to prevent copycats.
[1hr13] Mark closes us out on a joke.
Stuff we referenced:
- The Werther effect: About the handling of suicide in the media – https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/the-werther-effect/42915/
- Preventing Suicide: A resource for media professionals (WHO) – https://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/resource_media.pdf
- NHS: Help for Suicidal Thoughts – https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/help-for-suicidal-thoughts/
- Samaritans (UK) – https://www.samaritans.org/
- Mind (Mental Health Charity) – https://www.mind.org.uk/
- Suicide Prevention Resource Guide (U.S.) – https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/suicide-resource-guide
Jack of All Graves 