"Thinning out the herd" that's how Beck describes what happened to the guy in CA that died while

[jillan]

making a video of the tsunami coming in.... after he called him a dope. ON EDIT - Yes I agree that wasn't the best decision, I am referring to Beck's phrase of Thinning out the herd. If you wanna agree with that phrase, that's you.


http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201103140012


Hey Beck

[pintobean]

1. What would be an acceptable way to describe this idiot?

Beck is a stopped clock on this one.

Has Media Matters ever heard of The Darwin Awards?

[petronius]

5. I think it's more about being a hateful asshole on national TV

There's no way to describe what this man did as intelligent or prudent, but there's no benefit served or larger message sent by mocking him - other than to get a cheap laugh...

[LanternWaste]

13. I would think by respectfully saying nothing

"What would be an acceptable way to describe this idiot...?"

I would think by respectfully saying nothing. However I realize many people feel compelled to point, stare and label.

[trumad]

18. Well I think there should be a douchebag award

for mother fuckers like Beck and those who agree with him.

[pintobean]

20. So everybody has to disagree with everything he says

or they're a douche-bag? There's going to be a long line for those awards. Have you noticed how much notice the Blaze has been getting?

[Drale]

2. I am not agreeing with Beck

but that guy should not have been risking his life just to film the tsunami, he made a bad choice and unfortunately it cost him his life.

[jillan]

4. It definitely was not a good idea but "thinning out the herd"? That is just horrible.

[MadBadger]

28. Well then I hope to see you in all the Darwin Award Threads

[Warpy]

3. Well, it was Darwinism in action

because standing in a vulnerable spot to film an incoming tsunami (especially after the 2004 tsunami) really means someone needs to be removed from the gene pool. That doesn't mean his film is useless if it's located, far from it.

The campers on Johnston Ridge who filmed the side of the mountain being blown out did provide invaluable photos of the event happening. However, camping that close to a volcano that had the highest level of warning was an unacceptable risk to anyone who wanted to live through the experience.

That good things can come of stupid behavior doesn't make that behavior any less stupid. At least such people will serve as warnings to the rest of us.

Get to higher ground or at lest the top floor of a sturdy building. Get the hell away from a volcano that's been rumbling, especially if it has a huge bulge in one side that you've got a good line of sight to.

I'm sure the next few years will come up with other examples.

[Chris_Texas]

6. When you get behind a camera it tends to leave you feeling separated from events

It's killed a fair number of photographers. This guy was not the first nor will he be the last.

[AngryAmish]

7. Results 1 - 10 of about 8,490 from democraticunderground.com for "thinning the herd". (0.33 seconds)

sigh

[pintobean]

9. Well done

[JuniperLea]

8. The Party of Scrooge...

Is always wanting to "decrease the surplus population" one way or another. I'm not surprised he would say something like that out loud.

[Xithras]

10. The guy walked out to the end of a sandbar where the river meets the sea, looking for the tsunami.

He was either terminally stupid or suicidal. There really isn't much middle ground with this one.

Then again, it WAS in Del Norte, which sits atop the Emerald Triangle. Maybe he was just stoned off his arse....

[slackmaster]

11. It's tacky but he's not technically wrong

:shrug:

[gratuitous]

12. I agree

And, just for the record, there's a bit of a difference between posting something online in an obsure corner of the internet, and broadcasting on a nationwide cable television program.

[Johonny]

14. +1

[pintobean]

15. What obscure corner of the internet are you referring to?

[NuclearDem]

16. The tsunamis are coming for you Beck!

[DeeJay]

17. But in the same breath, Beck said he didn't believe in natural selection

So on one hand he points to an example of it, yet at the same time, says it doesn't exist?

Beck is an idiot, that's for sure.

[LanternWaste]

19. The greater our own stupidity...

I've observed an interesting human attribute...

The greater our own stupidity, the greater the desire to point out the stupidity of others. Maybe it's projection, maybe it's a bizarre comparison for better validation. Regardless, the people who consider themselves to be the most clever are usually the first to point, while the people we collectively maintain to be the most clever among us are more often than not, quiet and reserved about the mistakes and tragedies of others.




I did so enjoy your graphic... :)

[hobbit709]

38. There used to be a bit of graffiti on the wall at the Texas Chili Parlor

"The survival value of intelligence has yet to be proven"
someone added underneath that
"Maybe so but no smart person sticks his head up during a firefight"

[Initech]

21. Lack of empathy displayed proudly.

[Nye Bevan]

22. Dupe

[Nye Bevan]

23. For once I agree with Beck. Darwin award candidate. (nt)

[WillowTree]

24. Just another way to say Natural Selection, Both are accurate in this case.

[WildEyedLiberal]

25. DUers make Darwin Award jokes ALL THE TIME

I think those are tasteless and callous, too, though. The difference is that I expect Beck to be tasteless and callous. It never fails to disappoint me when supposed "progressives" set aside their alleged empathy and compassion to point and laugh at some dumb unfortunate bastard who actually DIED. I'd bet dollars to donuts everyone here has done something stupid, too. Good thing it wasn't fatal or we'd all be ripe for mockery at the hands of the Darwin Awards sadists, I guess.

[Nye Bevan]

29. Like when DUers yuck it up about an Indonesian fisherman who was killed by Komodo Dragons?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=8633809&mesg_id=8634474

Despicable, right?

[WildEyedLiberal]

31. You seriously have a random comment of mine from 2009 bookmarked?

That's pretty creepy. I'd comment upon the difference between ironically remarking upon the unfortunate circumstances of someone's death and claiming that the person deserved said death, but I'm guessing it'd be lost on you. But either way, the whole cyberstalking thing? Not cool.

[Nye Bevan]

32. No bookmarks needed, I simply did a quick DU Google of WildEyedLiberal Darwin

When DUers make pious, holier-than-thou posts about how mean it is to make fun of people dying, it's interesting to see whether they have ever done that themselves.

[WildEyedLiberal]

36. Well it's a good thing I didn't make fun of that guy dying then, isn't it?

:eyes:

Thank God we have the DU Police like you to keep us all in line.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MadBadger]

27. Is that any different than one of us giving him a Darwin award?

I dont think so

[KillCapitalism]

30. Well the guy did do something incredibly dumb.

If you see the ocean recede by a lot, common sense should tell you to run for the hills.

[bobbolink]

33. This sure brings out the insensitivity of DU.

:cry:

[deutsey]

34. "Thinning the herd"...I think that's how the elites see us: as a herd of animals

It's nothing new. That's how the elites throughtout history have seen the "lower" classes: a dull-witted herd that needs to be controlled and exploited.

[Bigmack]

35. Beck's comments are exactly what's wrong...

with this country.

Beck and his asshole compatriots are saying on national media things that would have been uttered quietly to their golfing buddies over a beer.

Now, they've made crude, sexist, racist, and fascist statement mainstream.... and you hear them all over the place.

[Codeine]

37. For once he's right.

You don't want people like that in the gene pool.