Are We Desensitized or Just Brainwashed by Our Phones?

     Today's society has been completely altered by smart phones and the internet.  What is it that has changed humanity's overall personality so much?  While watching Black Mirror: White Bear, this is one of the main aspects of the episode that caught my attention.  Instead of helping the abducted little girl, Victoria films her fiance murdering her.  To mirror this, in the White Bear Justice Park, participants are encouraged to watch on their phones and stay away from Victoria while she is tortured as much as possible.
     In the past, before smart phones were attached to our wrists, it seems like in times of distress or in critical moments after an accident, most people would be inclined to call the authorities for help or to even intervene themselves.  However, the growing number of incidents where people film the crimes or stream them on their smart phones is appalling.  For example, recently in India, a driver parked near a park noticed a drunk man allegedly raping a woman in the middle of the day.  Instead of helping or calling the authorities, the driver stayed in his car to film the incident.  The video he captured shows several people walking by but not a single one of them stops to help the poor woman.

Read Here about the Indian Incident

     In another incident, a car parked at a gas station in Oregon burst into flames.  A crowd of onlookers gathered around, filming the accident and taking pictures, but never once stopping to help the poor woman trapped inside screaming for help.  Luckily for her, a man passing by noticed the crowd.  The man was stated as saying that at least SIX people were gathered around filming the car and woman instead of calling for help.  The man rushed in, broke the window, and pulled the woman out, saving her life.  What would have happened if that particular man hadn't happened to be strolling past at that precise moment?

     In yet another similar incident, a teen in Ohio crashed his car into another SUV, a tree, and a home.  When the first man arrived on the scene, he pulled out his phone to take pictures and record the scene.  However, he never stopped to help the poor teen trapped inside the vehicle.  When other citizens arrived on the scene and began to help the two drives, he continued to watch on and film, calling the two drivers in the accidents "idiots" and even opening the car doors to get closer shots of the injured boys and the interior of the cars.  The passenger from one of the cars went on to die.  The man went on to post the footage to Facebook and even attempted to sell the footage to news crews, which turned him down because of the "ugly" content of the film.

Read Here about the American Incidents

     Because of the rapidly growing numbers of this type of incident, authorities are pushing towards laws and punishment for this sort of behavior.  It is now possible in some place to be arrested for taking videos and pictures instead of helping.  Just when will we draw the line and say that enough is enough?  

The next time you pull your camera out to film an accident instead of helping, just remember....  

What would you want to happen if it was you fighting for your life?