Many people would agree that suicide is not their primary choice of conversation. As it is a touchy subject to bring up and they would rather avoid speaking about it all together. However, most news organizations would disagree and argue that reporting on suicides is noteworthy and that the more they inform society about the issue the more awareness it will bring. Although this may be true, it can also be very dangerous for individuals who may suffer from a mental illness as they are exposed to the concept of suicide and how to act upon it. By news organizations constantly reporting on suicides they could potentially normalize the idea and illustrate the notion that suicide and self harm are an option and that it is the "only way out," when in actuality it should never be an option. Many health care professionals would also agree that providing details about the procedure or mechanisms that the suicide completer had used may facilitate more "copy cat" suicide attempts. For example, the popular Netflix show 13 Reasons Why may have played a part in the death of 23-year-old man who commit suicide and left behind a list of names that he had made recording for on his computer, similar to the plot of the show. Even though the media may think they are doing this for the good of society, I believe that in order to prevent further suicides from occurring, news organizations should not be allowed to report on suicides. In addition, by reporting on suicides in full detail, media organizations are not only promoting the idea of suicide, they are also normalizing the concept of it, as well as glamorizing the image of suicide.
Outline:
-Intro and Thesis
-Argument
Constantly reporting on suicide could normalize/glamorize the idea of suicide.
Those who suffer from a mental illness would be exposed to the concept of suicide and how to act upon it.
Providing details about the procedure/mechanisms on what the individual used may create the notion of more "copy cat" suicides.
-Opposing Argument
By having news organizations report on suicides they are creating awareness on the issue and could provide ways to get help.
-Conclusion
News organizations should not report on suicides.
Sources:
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