What do the death of Robin Williams, the anniversary of 9/11, and the trial of Oscar Pistorius have in common? Other than all being evidence that we live in a fallen world, not much. Except that they are each fascinating from a psychological perspective. I have listed some reflection questions under each topic, to get your mind going. Are there other good psych-related questions you can think of to ask?
1) The death of Robin Williams. What unique stressors do celebrities experience that may put them at greater risk of depression and suicide? How does the media's reporting of a suicide, especially of a prominent figure like Williams, impact those who may be contemplating suicide? What specific factors contributed to making Williams' death be presented and viewed as such a national tragedy? What is it about celebrities that makes them celebrities? Why do we have a culture of celebrity worship?
Reactions to Robin Williams' death. Matt Walsh on suicide. (This is quite a controversial article on suicide, but I think it is important for us to consider these very real and sobering issues from many different angles. I also know it can be a sensitive topic for people, so please let me know if you want to talk more with me about it.)
2) The anniversary of 9/11. Why do so many people remember exactly where they were, what they were doing and who they were with on that day 13 years ago? Why do we have such a keen memory of that day when we probably have no idea what we were doing the day before or the day after? Why might a tragedy in America be perceived differently than a tragedy of equal proportion elsewhere in the world, both by Americans and by those from other countries who experience the tragedy? What psychological factors, in addition to spiritual factors, cause some children to grow up and become terrorists and others to become firemen?
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| 9/11 Memorial |
And just because...Obama volunteers for 'KaBOOM!' on 9/11.
3) The verdict in the trial of Oscar Pistorius. You may not be as familiar with this story of the South African athlete who shot and killed his girlfriend in their home, but I encourage you to read about it. How do you think having a jury vs. not having a jury may influence the verdict (SA doesn't have trials by jury)? What extraneous variables besides the evidence may have influenced the judge's decision, considering Pistorius' fame? How do you think Pistorius' physical disability impacts the public's view of him, positively or negatively? Is the population of South Africa more likely to consider him innocent or guilty based on his athletic achievements? In what way may the testimony of eye-witnesses have been impacted by psychological factors, i.e. stress, influence of popular opinion, memory, nature of a high profile case?
Why there are no trials by jury in South Africa. Recent verdict on Oscar Pistorius case.
The discussion this week is meant to encourage you to start viewing the world through the lens of psychology. As you can see, no matter what the event, there are countless ways that psychology can help us think about and interpret our world in a deeper and more comprehensive way. I will give you some of my thoughts on these news stories on Monday, and we will continue to explore the answers to these questions and many more over the next months.
For an assessment of a more lighthearted event, check out the previous post on the Ice Bucket Challenge
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