Concerning talking with the media

[noname223]

Recently I watched an interview on Fox News with someone from the subreddit anti-work. The moderator was pretty smart and knew how to let the member of the subreddit look like a complete idiot. This is not the first time I watched something like this happening. Liberal media does that too. In the past I thought it might be interesting to talk to the media to give my perspective on this forum. (Of course I am not important enough.)

In the unherd.com article they criticized the NYT that they did not talk to members of this forum before writing the article. I am sure even if they talked to someone in this forum and interviewed someone they would choose someone who is fully insane. There are also some bad apples in this community, they are a small minority but this fact applies to all online communities.

Would you have preferred it if they had talked to members of this forum in order to show their perspective? Or would they have taken quotes out of the context in order to give this forum a worse image. I believe the second thesis. If I see how biased they approach the topic suicide forums I don't see any kind of a compromise with them.

Moreover if you have to tell them your identity there is the risk they doxx you. Journalists are skilled to frame a topic in their favor. The interviewed people have way less knowledge how the media works behind the scenes. They are easy targets.

 

[Sanva]

it definitely feels like the goal of most "debates" nowadays isn't to have a real discussion but to make your opponent look like an idiot. i think it would be great if we were able to share our viewpoint but people aren't ready for that, I agree with you, they would have just tried to make this forum look bad. i hope someday people will be more willing to listen.

 

[_Minsk]

Hmm i think it will be hard to find media that are open minded enough, most of them seem to be prolife sadly:/

 

[Depressed Cat]

When the NYT came up with that infamous article, did they even think of neutrality in the first place? No, period.

That piece was penned with a narrative in mind, a deliberate false narrative to make this forum look like an evil place created by two monsters who egged, goaded and pushed people to commit suicide. So there was no way those NYT lowlives intended to even hear the other side of the story, let alone present it. Journalists in general are scum.

The good thing is that the article backfired spectacularly and led to more members signing up. Yes, it also brought in a few media infiltrators and some trolls as well, but the vast majority are genuine members who had nowhere else to go and were/are in dire need of help. I guess the idea that no publicity is bad publicity applies in this case.

The right to die a dignified & peaceful death at a time of one's own choosing as a basic human right for all (instead of only the terminally ill) is an idea whose time will take long to come, if at all. Till then, spaces like this forum will continue to be deliberately vilified by the media. There's nothing we can do about that, but hope to benefit from the publicity and attract more members in need of help and support.