4 ms·

> It is just that there are small pockets of people who are psychologically capable of tolerating this or even enjoy it. I wouldn't assume "watches this stuff"

by untog 6y ago

> It is just that there are small pockets of people who are psychologically capable of tolerating this or even enjoy it. I wouldn't assume "watches this stuff" and "is psychologically capable of tolerating this stuff" are one and the same. Those people might be actively harming themselves by watching the content. That's one thing when they're volunteering to do so (though that's an interesting conversation in and of itself) but it's quite another when Facebook is paying them to do it.

throwawaytime40 6y ago
Honestly, this post speaks a lot of truth, at least in my experience. I use to be subbed to /r/watchpeopledie, really just out of morbid curiosity. One day I had an anxiety attack because I had a dream that I had a heart attack and suddenly I had a deep fear of randomly dying. All the random deaths on that sub started to really get to me, I even started to get depressed. It became harder and harder to watch content on it. Eventually I unsubbed from it and gradually bounced back to normal. I don't really regret it because it gave me a new perspective on life and how valuable it is. But I would be lying if I said it didn't fuck me up in a way.
justanotheranon 6y ago
I think the best counter to becoming desensitized or depressed is having an over arching sense of mission and identifying your work with a cause for good that is greater than yourself. take ER doctors. they daily witness human trauma far worse than viewing horror show videos and images. do you ever hear about ER docs who become depressed or mentally ill from being exposed to so much horrific human suffering? Doctors have a personal sense of doing good in the world through healing. They witness so much trauma that they become so desensitized that non doctors often criticize them for seeming so detached and for treating human bodies like mechanistic processes. But doctors have to be somewhat detached in order to do their jobs well.
- ksdale 6y ago
  Quick googling yields this - https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20180508/doctors-suicide-rate-highest-of-any-profession#1 https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20180508/doctors-su... It's not specifically about ER doctors. Anecdotally, I'm a lawyer, and they warned us in law school that lawyers have abnormally high rates of substance abuse and depression, and constant jokes to the contrary not withstanding, most lawyers believe they do good. Emotionally hard jobs are hard, even if they are indisputably good.
- untog 6y ago
  > do you ever hear about ER docs who become depressed or mentally ill from being exposed to so much horrific human suffering? Yes you do! But I would imagine it is at least somewhat offset by the fact that they are doing a lot of good: they are saving people from death while also witnessing death. I think a content moderator would struggle to feel such a strong sense of purpose.

by untog 6y ago

throwawaytime40 6y ago

Honestly, this post speaks a lot of truth, at least in my experience. I use to be subbed to /r/watchpeopledie, really just out of morbid curiosity. One day I had an anxiety attack because I had a dream that I had a heart attack and suddenly I had a deep fear of randomly dying. All the random deaths on that sub started to really get to me, I even started to get depressed. It became harder and harder to watch content on it. Eventually I unsubbed from it and gradually bounced back to normal. I don't really regret it because it gave me a new perspective on life and how valuable it is. But I would be lying if I said it didn't fuck me up in a way.

justanotheranon 6y ago

I think the best counter to becoming desensitized or depressed is having an over arching sense of mission and identifying your work with a cause for good that is greater than yourself. take ER doctors. they daily witness human trauma far worse than viewing horror show videos and images. do you ever hear about ER docs who become depressed or mentally ill from being exposed to so much horrific human suffering? Doctors have a personal sense of doing good in the world through healing. They witness so much trauma that they become so desensitized that non doctors often criticize them for seeming so detached and for treating human bodies like mechanistic processes. But doctors have to be somewhat detached in order to do their jobs well.

ksdale 6y ago
Quick googling yields this - https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20180508/doctors-suicide-rate-highest-of-any-profession#1 https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20180508/doctors-su... It's not specifically about ER doctors. Anecdotally, I'm a lawyer, and they warned us in law school that lawyers have abnormally high rates of substance abuse and depression, and constant jokes to the contrary not withstanding, most lawyers believe they do good. Emotionally hard jobs are hard, even if they are indisputably good.
untog 6y ago
> do you ever hear about ER docs who become depressed or mentally ill from being exposed to so much horrific human suffering? Yes you do! But I would imagine it is at least somewhat offset by the fact that they are doing a lot of good: they are saving people from death while also witnessing death. I think a content moderator would struggle to feel such a strong sense of purpose.