Human nature never ceases to amaze me.

[Hibbyradge]

How could someone conceive a voyeuristic idea like this and why the appetite for it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17303746

[CropleyWasGod]

How could someone conceive a voyeuristic idea like this and why the appetite for it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17303746

Think you have answered your own question. The words "voyeuristic" and "appetite".... two primal driving forces in human nature.

[Future17]

How could someone conceive a voyeuristic idea like this and why the appetite for it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17303746

I think it would be quite an interesting (although possibly disturbing) watch.

I don't think we should stop attempting to learn and expand our understanding of human nature, just because the subject material is considered shocking or taboo in some way.

It's not as if people are committing crimes just to get on the show.

[Beefster]

How could someone conceive a voyeuristic idea like this and why the appetite for it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17303746

"To Western eyes the show's format may seem exploitative, but Ding disagrees.

"Some viewers may consider it cruel to ask a criminal to do an interview when they are about to be executed.

"On the contrary, they want to be heard," she says."

[CropleyWasGod]

I think it would be quite an interesting (although possibly disturbing) watch.

I don't think we should stop attempting to learn and expand our understanding of human nature, just because the subject material is considered shocking or taboo in some way.

It's not as if people are committing crimes just to get on the show.

My dark side is already conjuring up the possibilities....

[Big Ed]

I think it would be quite an interesting (although possibly disturbing) watch.

I don't think we should stop attempting to learn and expand our understanding of human nature, just because the subject material is considered shocking or taboo in some way.

It's not as if people are committing crimes just to get on the show.

I could see the argument, of trying to understand the complexities of the mind of a murderer, if it was a four or six part study; but this show was on every Saturday night for five years. That suggests to me that the millions who watched it were less interested in scientific cognitive advancement and more interested in salacious entertainment.
However I'll try and keep an open mind when I watch the BBC programme about it.

[Alec Splode]

How could someone conceive a voyeuristic idea like this and why the appetite for it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17303746

Putting death penalty arguments to one side; can't see a problem with that tbh.
At least there seems to be a point to the programme rather than the mind-numbing car-crash voyeurism of say; Jeremy Kyle.

[Future17]

My dark side is already conjuring up the possibilities....

There's a film script in there somewhere...:greengrin


I could see the argument, of trying to understand the complexities of the mind of a murderer, if it was a four or six part study; but this show was on every Saturday night for five years. That suggests to me that the millions who watched it were less interested in scientific cognitive advancement and more interested in salacious entertainment.
However I'll try and keep an open mind when I watch the BBC programme about it.

Fair point. I suppose it's the kind of program which might start out as a scientific (or even philosophical) endeavour, before the nature of TV and ratings etc. turns it into something more sinister.

[blackpoolhibs]

I watched this last night and the one thing that surprised me was, if you paid enough money to the family of someone you had murdered, you could perhaps escape death if they then accepted the money and spoke up on the murderers defence.


It was difficult to watch at times, knowing these people had minutes to live.

[McHibby]

"To Western eyes the show's format may seem exploitative, but Ding disagrees.

"Some viewers may consider it cruel to ask a criminal to do an interview when they are about to be executed.

"On the contrary, they want to be heard," she says."


I find the whole idea of this really disturbing, it seems very macabre. This part (in bold) genuinely annoyed me. Who bloody cares if they want to be heard, murderers don't deserve the time of day, never mind the attention of a TV programme. I wonder how the victims' families feel about it - they don't seem to be mentioned or taken into consideration.