Have you ever gone to those creepy websites like Siklink or Rotten where there are stories and photos of accident victims graphically displayed? There are also graphic photos depicting scenes of horrible violence, fatal gunshot wounds, torture wounds and autopsies.
It's hard to take but, like watching a train wreck, something that peaks one's curiosity.
For me it really shows how fragile the human body is.
I remember seeing a series of photos showing the results of a massive auto accident. One of the unfortunate victims was some poor soul whose body parts were scattered all over the road. I'm talking intestines, arms and legs scattered asunder.
John Wayne, for those too young to know, was the Iconic American Hero. I don't know if he ever played a bad guy but I doubt it. He was a Cowboy, a Soldier, a Farmer, the true American Male upholding the American Dream.
In his movies John Wayne was the recipient of a lot of bullets. He was shot and wounded many many times and more often than not died in the arms of the woman he loved.
Back in that day a bullet left a nice clean wound, hardly staining his shirt much less severely damaging his body. And death was almost seen as glorious especially if one sacrificed one's body for Country or Family or God.
Just in the last 20 years or so have we seen Hollywood actually try and depict actual reality through such movies as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Born on the Fourth of July, etc.
The damage caused by modern weapons to the human body is catastrophic. The same can be said for the damage caused by a high speed auto accident.
I think that up to and including the Vietnam era, many young men, having been exposed to the John Wayne image arrogantly marched off to war not thinking of the terrible consequences that might befall their bodies and minds.
I really think that exposing the general public and young men in particular to the realities of war can help to prevent war.
The same applies to driving our cars. I have a 5 Litre Mustang and now and then I am tempted to take the car to its limits on an open stretch of highway. But whenever I get that thought I also remember the images I saw on that website.
And that changes my mind.
I think kids need to see those images as disturbing as they might be. They need to see the result of one loss of judgement while driving. They need to see the carnage their precious bodies may suffer if they take the responsibility of driving too lightly.
They might get nightmares, they might cry and they might emotionally traumatised for a while.
But they need to see the reality to save their lives.
