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When boys cry wolf
I wrote last week about the Houston Chronicle’s incomplete description of an at-large suspect. I’m still troubled by the implications there, but there have been further developments in the story itself.
It turns out the boy made the story up. (I wrote more here.)
Which of the following presents a bigger hazard to society, do you think?
1. PC-driven, incomplete descriptions of at-large suspects, or
2. Jaded cynicism that results when people cry “wolf”.
Myself, I think it’s #2. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any way to avoid it.
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5 Responses to “When boys cry wolf”
In defense of jaded cynicism: what is so bad about it?
For example, there have been over the past decade or so, several high profile rape/assault cases – since exposed as fabrications – that featured African American males attacking white females. (If you make a false accusation of rape, it “helps” to tap into one of the most infamous racial topos in American cultural history).
In the Duke case, another race-defined – this time against whites – fabrication blown up by a rogue DA, some academics, and local activists.
There have been innumerable incidents of “racist” graffiti…racist vandalism…directed at visible minorities in academic settings that have since been exposed as the work of the “so-called” victims. (Google for this, if you like. This is a fascinating phenonmen.). These “victims” claim – after the fact, and enjoyment of their victimhood – that they were trying to “raise awareness” of racism on campus.
In all of these incidents…media outrage…demonstrations…cue the mob with torches and pitchforks.
Has anyone forgotten the series of so-called child abuse cases from the 1990s, for which people are still paying the price, and which in many cases the now-older children have recanted. Shades of Miller's “The Crucible”.
A bit of jaded cynicism would have served to nip all of these outrages in the bud.
Some healthy questions would be asked. Scepticism, instead of a blind willingness to believe (whenever the belief suits one's ideological/racial perspective).
To be clear: None of this is to deny that racism, rape, child abuse etc. are realities of our time.
However, the blind willingness to believe – fuelled by the media – allows innumerable false accusations to be accepted.
Duke is particularly interesting in this regard, as universities are supposed to be centres teaching critiical thought. Yet there was very little critical thinking done among Duke faculty over the university's treatment of the Lacrosse team.
A little jaded cyncism might go a long way.
Many of society's ills have been with us always, including rape or child abuse, but I see your point, Marlowecan. And it's true that some jaded cynicism might have gotten in front of the Duke case earlier. Maybe.
At my blog, where I posted about this also, someone commented about when cries of wolf lead to an innocent person's incarceration — and that's also true. A false accuser *can* sometimes become trapped in the webs of their own lies.
But consider, too, how it would feel to be the person who was molested, or raped — but not believed. Or the parent of a child who was abducted because some “healthy cynicism” was applied to the child almost-abducted earlier in the day.
Well you know there's the presumption if innocence in our justice system. However the media jumps on these sorts of stories- whether fabricated or not- and many people assumes that the accused is really guilty. Without knowing all the facts. Perhaps the media needs to approach these sorts of stories differently, to encourage critical thinking. But of course the media thinks that in reporting these stories they are off the hook by saying, “Joe Blow allegedly raped Susie…” while building it up.
False accusations hurt genuine victims. So much is true.
I don't see a clear way to divvy up the necessary cynicism, though, since too much cynicism can also hurt genuine vicitms.and prevent genuine culprits from being prosecuted.
In the cited Duke U. case, it wasn't just condmenation of the boys that flared up before the facts were known; Equally loud were the voices condemning the accuser prematurely.
Who was right and who was wrong was determined much later. Initially, there were two sides, taking up positions according to with whom they identified. There was nothing judicious about how either side applied cynicism.
While the ordeal the Duke boys underwent is truly horrible, just think about the ordeal of genuine victims who lack equal financial resouces to plead their case successfully.in court. Undue cynicism could hurt them even more.
I don't think cynicism is the answer. It's withholding judgement untiil all the facts are in.
PS I can't help noting the racial undetones in this. While the Duke boys will live on forever in commentary where is the outrage about all the black men serving prison terms for rape and later vindicated by DNA tests? How many wrongly accused black men does ti take to ignite the same level of passion about injustice as do a few rich white boys?
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