Trigger warning: Suicide.
To be honest, I have never liked Logan Paul. From the bits and pieces I have seen from my niece and nephews watching Disney Channel, something about him always struck me as cocky and insincere - another wannabe actor who clearly saw himself as talented and hilarious. However, the years of attempted stardom have evidently gone to his head; he has officially taken his goofy schtick too far with a misguided and ill-humored trip to the Suicide Forest of Japan.
Admittedly, Logan opened his infamous "vlog" with a remark about the severity of his trip, calling it "the most real vlog [he] has ever posted on [his] channel," along with a warning about the graphic nature of the content. However, all sincerity was immediately thwarted by Logan's childish antics and jokes about death. If anything, he merely proved how an Internet "comedian" should avoid such serious and traumatic topics.
That being said, the most horrifying part of Logan's insensitive post, was his accidental encounter with a real and recent suicide victim. Understandably, the group was shocked and distraught; as they grappled with the sight of life's pain and delicacy, they truly didn't know what to say or how to act. But what Logan did decide to do, was enough to disrespect the victim and his family, to horrify tens of thousands of young followers, and to throw the Internet into a frenzy. He decided to keep recording.
Yes, as the group hiked closer to the hanged and lifeless body, Logan recorded every step of the way - coming within feet of the victim with cameras pointed directly at his face.
Some devoted fans blame his disrespect on likely shock or trauma - that he was merely acting without sense on account of the horrible circumstance. However, a public figure (and one with an adolescent fan base, at that) has the responsibility to make smarter decisions.
In other words, even if Logan acted poorly in the heat of the moment, he could have decided to remove disturbing scenes, to start a meaningful discussion about his findings, or to not use the content at all. And yet, the subsequent days of filming and editing brought neither reason nor clarity; he posted his encounter for the world to see without concern for the victim or his viewers.
Would I say that I'm surprised? Absolutely not. Because when it all comes down to it, any publicity is good publicity; as long as Logan Paul was able to rile the Internet over his name and controversial content, he succeeded in his business. So despite his poorly-timed reminder that "mental illnesses are not a joke," and despite his expressionless apology posted in the aftermath, I wholeheartedly believe that viewership was at core of his actions.
That being said, what Logan did for the sake of fame was shallow and inexcusable. In this case, a troubled man who struggled too much to endure this world was further exploited for the sake of a jokester's wealth and popularity (something which simultaneously exposed young fans to deeply disturbing content). But as is the nature of Logan Paul. To him, life (and death) are nothing more than jovial, money-making opportunities.
