Gore

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of attending Universiti Hospital Emergency unit and the Balai Polis Trafik in KL, due to a daydreaming helmetless motorcyclist sliding into the front of my car in the morning.

At both locations I was truly delighted to be faced with numerous vivid and beautifully prepared boards displaying a variety of images of horrifically injured motorists, mostly dead ones. I am sure that the young kids looking at the photos enjoyed them as much as me.

I'd like to know what the purpose of these displays is. Are the families of the people in the photos asked for permission? I doubt it.

The evening before I was asked if I would like to look at photos of Nurin's post-mortem on someone's mobile phone. I declined the kind offer.

As I write I recall the numerous emails that my previous secretary used to send me containing graphic photos of people eaten by crocs, or people who's arm had been chewed up by some industrial machinery.

Then there's the quite literally never-ending stream of horror/ghost movies at the cinemas and on TV. I have complained to Astro about previews of horror movies being shown at all times of day and on almost any type of channel. Cinemas also show gory trailers. Once there was even a prop in the KLCC cinema lobby where there was a bloodied baby in a cot. If you approached it, it would suddenly pop up and frighten you.

I am no psychologist, and I grew up in the UK where we are fairly well protected from gory images (The BBC rarely shows anything remotely unpleasant and the papers never do), but I really can't understand the purpose of displaying gory images - will it encourage people to drive more safely? I am also puzzled by what seems to be an almost childish fascination with death, to the point of prying on others misfortunes for some kind of kick. I really cannot comprehend what goes on in the mind of an adult who chooses to keep photos of the post-mortem of an 8-year old girl on their phone.

I also don't like young kids being exposed to it. Lucas was petrified for weeks after watching a DVD, that I believe showed a beheading, at a friends house. Another 5-year old friend of his has a folder of XBOX games including lots of graphic and violent games.

Oh well, that's my rant for the day. C ya!