WW News - Cork Confirms It’s The Real Capital When It Comes To Suicide

Goya

Grandeeod wrote: »

Please tell us what you think should be done??

Strange response to me asking someone else a question.

ZeitgeistGlee

Flimpson wrote: »

What do you think should be done to improve things?

It's not something which can be solved overnight, and sadly isn't (as WWN pointedly commented) something that's a vote earner for Local/National politicians in the same way "fixing da roads" is.

Aside from the obvious of changing our attitudes towards mental health/welfare (which IMO have roots in our religious heritage) I'd like to see targeted spending in schools so that at risk children/teens/young adults can identified and given the help they need. IMO no child should go without needed counselling simply because there's not availability in their school and/or the cost of private counselling is so exorbitant. Mental health funding in general should be prioritised but like everything else there needs to be metrics to ensure the right money is being spent in the right places.

One thing for definite, getting angry because a piece of too on-the-nose satire ruffled feathers isn't the way to improve things. Speaking personally I'm not a fan of celebrity/name-driven awareness campaigns that last a few weeks because after it (some) people feel "I've done my bit" and it doesn't lead to a permanent shift in their outlook. Fair enough (some) people don't want to talk about it year round because it's not a nice thing but it's a much worse thing to have to live with and feeling you can't talk to anyone about it because it makes them feel uncomfortable.

That's my 2c anyway from my own experiences with mental health.

Grandeeod

Flimpson wrote: »

Strange response to me asking someone else a question.

No its not a strange response. You posed the question to someone else and Im posing the question to you. Simple really.

Goya

Grandeeod wrote: »

No its not a strange response. You posed the question to someone else and Im posing the question to you. Simple really.

It was quite confrontational, apropos absolutely nothing - extremely strange, don't know what prompted it at all. I however asked the person the question based on their post.

Goya

ZeitgeistGlee wrote: »

It's not something which can be solved overnight, and sadly isn't (as WWN pointedly commented) something that isn't a vote earner for Local/National politicians in the same way "fixing da roads" is.

Aside from the obvious of changing our attitudes towards mental health/welfare (which IMO have roots in our religious heritage) I'd like to see targeted spending in schools so that at risk children/teens/young adults can identified and given the help they need. IMO no child should go without needed counselling simply because there's not availability in their school and/or the cost of private counselling is so exorbitant. Mental health funding in general should be prioritised but like everything else there needs to be metrics to ensure the right money is being spent in the right places.

One thing for definite, getting angry because a piece of too on-the-nose satire ruffled feathers isn't the way to improve things. Speaking personally I'm not a fan of celebrity/name-driven awareness campaigns that last a few weeks because after it (some) people feel "I've done my bit" and it doesn't lead to a permanent shift in their outlook. Fair enough (some) people don't want to talk about it year round because it's not a nice thing but it's a much worse thing to have to live with and feeling you can't talk to anyone about it because it makes them feel uncomfortable.

That's my 2c anyway from my own experiences with mental health.

Yeah I don't disagree with much of that. I don't agree with the "our collective failure" stuff though - I really dislike collective blame because people who are not to blame (including the people with mental illness) get swept up as part of those to blame. The legacy of attitudes towards mental illness (which have definitely improved) comes from a complex history (and it is not particular to Ireland).

I don't take issue with the WWN headline by the way (although if people find it tasteless, including maybe people who have lost someone to suicide, they're entitled to their opinion).

Grandeeod

Flimpson wrote: »

It was quite confrontational, apropos absolutely nothing - extremely strange, don't know what prompted it at all. I however asked the person the question based on their post.

Its a simple question. Nothing confrontational about it all.

I am merely asking you to answer the question that you posed to another poster in relation to suicide prevention services.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

ZeitgeistGlee

Flimpson wrote: »

Yeah I don't disagree with much of that. I don't agree with the "our collective failure" stuff though - I really dislike collective blame because people who are not to blame (including the people with mental illness) get swept up as part of those to blame.

Fair point, my view would be that as society is a collective entity then blame while not uniform has to be accepted collectively for failure but I definitely see your point in that that would feel unfair if you're on "the right side" so to speak. My point wasn't so much about assigning/accepting blame as acknowledging as a society faults continue to exist and we must as a society strive to improve things.

Flimpson wrote: »

The legacy of attitudes towards mental illness (which have definitely improved) comes from a complex history (and it is not particular to Ireland).

Yeah, the winds are blowing in the right direction for the right kinds of change. Hopefully it won't be too long before mental health is treated the same way as physical health and viewed without inherent stigma.

jimmy blevins

I googled satire and this is what came up: "the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.".
It a pity people use technology to feed their sense of self intitlement rather than educate themselves.

Galway_Old_Man

jimmy blevins wrote: »

I googled satire and this is what came up: "the use of humour...

Well that's WWN out then.

Maybe we should try "satire: re-packaging internationally well known piss-takes sites, and stories, with local slang and right-on bollo(ks"

Poor Uncle Tom

Galway_Old_Man wrote: »

Well that's WWN out then.

Maybe we should try "satire: re-packaging internationally well known piss-takes sites, and stories, with local slang and right-on bollo(ks"

Talk about selective vision......:rolleyes:

IvyTheTerrible

I always find it interesting that some people find satire funny until it touches one of their "pet" subjects. The offended comments are always along the lines of "I usually find your articles funny but this time you've gone too far". It's annoying that they can't see the irony.

And for the record, I lost a brother to suicide and I find the article spot on.

Robsweezie

Satire doesn't always have to make you laugh, it should make you think as well.

Very often they'll do a spin on mental health, then include links to helplines at the end. Like kanyes recent hospitalization.

lawred2

Knex. wrote: »

A lot of people on the Waterford Whispers site, as well as Facebook, are upset and outraged at the latest WW article, stating that they've crossed the line. Many quotes of "Gone too far", "Not funny", or "Insensitive" are to be found.

I will admit that the title took me by surprise and spiked my emotions at first glance, but after taking a moment and actually reading the article, I think as a piece of satire on a very sensitive issue, it hits the spot.

Satire is not meant to simply be humourous, but to challenge preconceptions and question the norm.

From my stand point, I hadn't known that Cork had double the rate of suicide to the rest of Ireland. I think its becoming increasingly more documented how under resourced we are with regards to mental health in this country, and pieces like this from WW, while hard hitting, are a step towards getting the issue into light and perhaps going a small way towards resolving it.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Article found here: http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2016/11/24/cork-confirms-its-the-real-capital-when-it-comes-to-suicide/

Surely the purpose was to raise awareness in a satirical manner about a very real problem!?

Are people really at that stage where they are incapable of seeing past their own desire to be the first offended?

Rubberchikken

it's an article. good to highlight a very serious issue but one which the govt/hse will not change in the near future.

smurgen

Fair play to wwn and shame on the rest of the irish media.i was reading about a recent spate of sucides in cork in the evening echo, the local paper and read the highest national average figure.it was actually double the national average some years. Bar the irish times writing a small piece about michael martin bringing it up in the dail i couldn't find anyting.
We really are turning into two nations,dublin and outside dublin.the indo seem more concerned about talking about housing and the next bubble.suicide rates in cork being off the wall just aren't sexy enough.we are truely turning into a forgotten county.suicide prevention isn't a priority because the government cant see a fast or noticible return on it's investment.but it genuinely galls me to see enda kenny talking about things like brexit leading to a united ireland.ffs man,you don't even look after the people you current are answerable to nevermind if the country grows.he constantly seems to be fiddling while rome burns.

Kadser

He's no right to talk about a united Ireland when the majority up North don't want this.

looksee

Kadser wrote: »

He's no right to talk about a united Ireland when the majority up North don't want this.

I think you are in the wrong topic.

The_Kew_Tour

As a Corkman im not offended.

It might wake people up.