Flood victim abused

[mutant]

http://blog.ohinternet.com/4103/10-year-old-flood-survivor-bashed/

In a startling act of humanitarianism from some of Toowoomba, Australia’s finest residents, 10-year-old Blake Rice, was beaten and left with a broken collarbone. The violent assault, which surprised up to several residents, was the direct result of the fame Blake received when, in January, a flash flood described as an ‘inland tsunami’ killed his brother Jordan and mother Donna, leaving him the only survivor. Ironically, this incident has been reported in every major newspaper across the country, making him even more famous.

The assailants then went on to create a FaceBook page named “We bashed Blake Rice” bragging about their heroic deeds. This act only marks the breaking point for a family who have literally had people laugh in their faces about the deaths. Blake’s family are now treacherously planning to leave town for some reason.

Oh Toowoomba, whose childhood won’t you desecrate?

[Sonny Jim]

For me, the sad thing is that I am only slightly surprised this has happened.

[santiago]

it our very australian tall poppy syndrome...........just a very distateful version of it at work here.

[synchromesh]

Disenchantment Personified.

[mutant]

 

This is awful. This being a 'syndrome', a social phenomenon is unsettling.

[rahli]

Very shameful indeed.

I remember a few years back a guy where I live rescued a young lady from being raped in the street. He had punched the rapist and rescued the girl. The newspaper ran the front page headline "HERO saves girl" or something to that effect, overshadowing a picture of the guy with his fists up in a boxing pose. I said to my wife " check this guy out, he is fully going to get his head punched in within the week. Only took 3 days and someone else was the hero with the front page headline reading " hero bashed". I remember hearing a child psychologist predicting the same thing happening to Casey the punisher. Seems it's pretty standard that the hero gets based in this country.

It seems that now once you are depicted in the public news, every man and his mangy dog think you are public property. Personaly if I was caught up in the aftermath of a tragedy and the news wanted to run the story I would tell them to piss off and deal with my greif personally. At least you can deal with it on your own terms, not the terms of the lowest denominator. People don't deal with greif because they are a national hero, they deal with it so they can get on with their lives.

Edited April 12, 2011 by rahli

[Sonny Jim]

" This is awful. This being a 'syndrome', a social phenomenon is unsettling. "

It sure is unsettling mutant.

What rahli just posted is spot on. I'm sure it happens in other cultures but Australians have a phrase for it so maybe there is something about Australians that makes this urge(?) more prominent. I know we often describe our selves as having an inferiority complex, maybe that has something to do with it. To me it is more a of a gut feeling. When some one gets singled out by the media for doing something that is commendable, I get this double edge sword type feeling that tells me the person that was single out will cop some shit for there trouble. I really don't know why but I hope others here can put this word.

[kadakuda]

so this kid was beaten because he lost his family and became well known in the media? there wasnt some other thing like he was being a dick, mouthed them off or some how instigated something? just being well known and loosing his family??? sounds so wrong and off.

I always think deep down someone who is beaten up must have done something, but i tend to forget there seems to be lot of simply demented folks around that need to flex their muscle on someone else.

[Sonny Jim]

Are you sure about that kadakuda?

Haven't you heard of people being mugged or bullied? Innocent people are assaulted all the time. I wish I lived where you live, if it is a place where you can actually forget that people can be attacked and beaten up or even killed by thugs for minding their own business.

Seriously, what part of the country do you live in? I want to move there lol.

[rahli]

Sounds like the opinion of an American.

They have a social syndrome where everyone has equal opportunity to live the dream. But if you get kicked to the kerb its some how your own fault so everyone can happily continue to exploit you. Not sure what its called though. Maybe "the American Dream".

I bet your glad you've escaped that kadakuda.

[OpticalLight]

so this kid was beaten because he lost his family and became well known in the media? there wasnt some other thing like he was being a dick, mouthed them off or some how instigated something? just being well known and loosing his family??? sounds so wrong and off.

I always think deep down someone who is beaten up must have done something, but i tend to forget there seems to be lot of simply demented folks around that need to flex their muscle on someone else.

 

The above statement seems to be a perfect example of the just world theory in action.

[rahli]

The above statement seems to be a perfect example of the just world theory in action.

 

"The just-world phenomenon, also called the just-world theory, just-world fallacy, just-world effect, or just-world hypothesis, refers to the tendency for people to want to believe that the world is fundamentally just. As a result, when they witness an otherwise inexplicable injustice, they will rationalize it by searching for things that the victim might have done to deserve it. This deflects their anxiety, and lets them continue to believe the world is a just place, but often at the expense of blaming victims for things that were not, objectively, their fault.

Another theory entails the need to protect one's own sense of invulnerability. This inspires people to believe that rape, for example, only happens to those who deserve or provoke the assault. This is a way of feeling safer. If the potential victim avoids the behaviors of the past victims then they themselves will remain safe and feel less vulnerable".

Link

"A first, “American” equilibrium is characterized by a high prevalence of just-world

beliefs among the population and relatively laissez-faire policies. The other, “European” equilibrium is characterized by more pessimism about the role of effort in economic outcomes and

a more extensive welfare state".

"International surveys reveal striking differences between the views held in different countries concerning the causes of wealth and poverty, the extent to which individuals are responsible for their own fate, and the long-run rewards to personal effort.American “exceptionalism,” as manifested by the widely held belief in the American Dream, is but the most striking example of this phenomenon".

Link

So it has a name after all.

Edited April 13, 2011 by rahli

[mutant]

I find it unsettling that the phenomenon exists in such degree that it has a name [tall poppy]. Also this phenomenon is way more advanced than simple bullying. I thought Australia is a big strange country, but such a thing! I wouldn't be so impressed if it came from America. It seems there some pretty fucked up situations in oz. no, fucked up is not right.

greece is fucked up

this is.... evil...

Fuck, any european country is better than this... this is awful. awful that it exists...

Sonny Jim, those 'explanations' you gave are very interesting . Any more of that would be appreciated...

I guess these dudes [offenders] are not children of the same god [just came out of the spirituality forum where oneness , love, men and god were celebrated... united.... in theory!]

Edited April 13, 2011 by mutant

[synchromesh]

mutant - Hey man. First of all, Tall Poppy Syndrome usually doesn't contain violence. Secondly, basing the niceness of a country on the acts of a few of its citizens is not very cool. And thirdly, Australia was never the Goody Two-Shoes country you may have thought it was...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_serial_killers_by_country#Australia

[FancyPants]

"The just-world phenomenon, also called the just-world theory, just-world fallacy, just-world effect, or just-world hypothesis, refers to the tendency for people to want to believe that the world is fundamentally just. As a result, when they witness an otherwise inexplicable injustice, they will rationalize it by searching for things that the victim might have done to deserve it. This deflects their anxiety, and lets them continue to believe the world is a just place, but often at the expense of blaming victims for things that were not, objectively, their fault.

Another theory entails the need to protect one's own sense of invulnerability. This inspires people to believe that rape, for example, only happens to those who deserve or provoke the assault. This is a way of feeling safer. If the potential victim avoids the behaviors of the past victims then they themselves will remain safe and feel less vulnerable".

Link

"A first, “American” equilibrium is characterized by a high prevalence of just-world

beliefs among the population and relatively laissez-faire policies. The other, “European” equilibrium is characterized by more pessimism about the role of effort in economic outcomes and

a more extensive welfare state".

"International surveys reveal striking differences between the views held in different countries concerning the causes of wealth and poverty, the extent to which individuals are responsible for their own fate, and the long-run rewards to personal effort.American “exceptionalism,” as manifested by the widely held belief in the American Dream, is but the most striking example of this phenomenon".

Link

So it has a name after all.

 

Thanks for the link, very interesting and I'll finish reading it tonight.

I kinda got the jist of Just-World Theory being bullshit when I was crippled at 18 and even in rehab saw a 16 year old boy who prior to falling off a balance beam and becoming severely quadriplegic, had huge prospects at being an olympic gymnast. Where is the righteousness of a child suffering from cancer in a Just World?

That said, I don't think JWT is what Kadakuda was implying; I got the impression he was referring to the fact that we'd never know what really happened in that situation because we weren't there.

[Sonny Jim]

"Sonny Jim, those 'explanations' you gave are very interesting . Any more of that would be appreciated..."

It is kind of just a gut feeling that I have about the whole tall poppy syndrome thing. I was hoping one another Australian member might have thought about it a bit more and can put it to words.

[Sonny Jim]

"Sonny Jim, those 'explanations' you gave are very interesting . Any more of that would be appreciated..."

It is kind of just a gut feeling that I have about the whole tall poppy syndrome thing. I was hoping one another Australian member might have thought about it a bit more and can put it to words.