Why Do We (You) Care So Much? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

hostedbyrobertstack · 08-17-2017, 09:43 AM

So, I was thinking about this today, and I apologize if there has been another post about this in the past. After thinking about cases quite frequently throughout the day, all the time, I started to think...with myself and all of the others on here, Why do we care so much? What is the reason? Is it compassion for innocent victims? Is it guilt that these victims have been taken too soon and innocently? Is it that we want to see guilty parties brought to justice to pay for what they've done? Or we just are intrigued by mysteries/true crime and the critical thinking aspect of it?

I think, for me, it's a combination of everything. Interested to hear other people's thoughts on this. It's also weird that, when other people find out that I care about unsolved mysteries/murders, and even make a point to visit the sites when I am in certain cities, that they cannot relate and think it's insane.

freakbook · 08-17-2017, 10:00 AM

For me it's the compassion for victims, and the critical thinking aspect behind it. Like looking at Kurt Sova's case, 5 different people could come up with 5 different theories and they could all be wrong. I care about certain cases more than others because I feel like the victim's tragic death deserve more attention than when some people just lazily write it off as an "accident". I also just love to argue.

I'm known to get extremely hot-headed on certain cases on this board (Kurt Mcfall, Angela Hammond, Andre Jones) because I feel like they deserve more of an investigation/proper discussion rather than a lazy "suicide" or worrying more about if a suspicious character is innocent rather than trying to find out what really happened to a missing pregnant woman.

I'm with you on being called insane for being a fan. Only my fiance knows my love for UM, which she hates

Now thanks to Amazon she hates it even more

Todd Mueller · 08-17-2017, 10:14 AM

Interesting question... For me, it is the combo platter, too.

Mostly, I am fascinated by cases that have no clear solution or aren't what they seem on their face (even if they end up being benign). Two of my all-time favorites are the Charles Morgan case (because of the $2 bill with the map sewn in his underwear) and the Sarah Joe grave (with the papers and tin foil). Other cases like Jack Davis, JonBenet, John Cheek, etc. are really intriguing.

I also like to see bad guys go to jail and to have missing people found and brought back to their families. It's funny because as a kid I thought the Lost Loves stories were lame, but as an adult with children of my own, I think about them more and think it is really cool to have people reunited.

I think many of us just like a good story, and the more convoluted and bizarre, the better. If I had to rank my favorite type of segments I would say: Unexplained Death, Missing, Wanted, and UFO (the good ones anyway

).

TheCars1986 · 08-17-2017, 10:54 AM

Morbid fascination with true crime mixed with trying to "help" resolve cases that are still unresolved.

Jon · 08-17-2017, 11:22 AM

This is the perfect "old" tv show to discuss long after it has aired. I watched UM when I was a kid and waited anxiously every week for case updates...now 25-30 years later rediscovering it, I get to relive that feeling with all the information that is available in 2017....I can re-watch a segment, look it up on the internet (William Eugene Hilliard is still in jail! YES!!)

So many cases were in the back of my mind for so long...now I can bring them back to the forefront and finally get closure for a large number of them. That's what makes this show so unique...I can watch reruns of old shows that I like, but it's usually just for nostalgia. There's not going to be anything new about them, but for UM there's a treasure trove of facts, opinions updates, etc. since the show originally aired.

hostedbyrobertstack · 08-17-2017, 11:30 AM

....And, why, when I see someone related to a case post here (family member, friend, investigator, etc..) or find them on Facebook, do I feel like it's my equivalent to how some people feel when meeting a celebrity? haha

LooksLikeCRicci · 08-17-2017, 11:40 AM

For me, I want to know 1) whodunit, 2) why they dun it, and 3) I want to see closure for the family/friends involved

I really get hung up on the "why" part. I think the show had a major influence on me going down the career path I chose.

...these comments obviously don't apply to UFO/Ghosts/Miracle/Treasure segments. I usually went to go make popcorn or something while those were airing...

Todd Mueller · 08-17-2017, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

...these comments obviously don't apply to UFO/Ghosts/Miracle/Treasure segments. I usually went to go make popcorn or something while those were airing...

HAHAHA! Dammit... I just spit up coffee on my keyboard reading that.

I should clarify that I like the UFO segments where there was more to the story, like Kecksburg. Obviously SOMETHING happened there. But the ones that were just sightings or strange lights... MEH. Those were pretty lame, IMHO.

(They really expanding the idea of what a mystery is at times, too: lucky rock, boy genius, Brandon Lee, etc.)

justins5256 · 08-17-2017, 06:17 PM

I'm just nostalgic and it reminds of my childhood, I guess. Plus, I like trying to disentangle the logic and figure out what happened, or at least the most probable theory. I do think it probably influenced my career path too. I'm getting my PhD in criminal justice.

LooksLikeCRicci · 08-17-2017, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

I'm just nostalgic and it reminds of my childhood, I guess. Plus, I like trying to disentangle the logic and figure out what happened, or at least the most probable theory. I do think it probably influenced my career path too. I'm getting my PhD in criminal justice.

I smell expert witness testimony in your future.

zack007attack · 08-18-2017, 12:40 AM

For me, it's many of the same reasons addressed on this thread. But another reason is to see a light shined on darkness.

There is also something to be learned from each of these cases. Many of these victims and their families are dealing with grief that was caused under circumstances which can be either usual or unusual. They have the mental strength and courage to share their stories with the world to raise awareness to the rest of us. It's a method of trying to prevent others from risking the same fate or tragedy they have had to endure. In essence, the show became very much like a public service announcement.

cdr369 · 08-18-2017, 02:46 PM

For me, it is nostalgic and a piece of my childhood that I loved (I would have much rather watched UM than the Ninja Turtles, which says a lot about of boy born in the 1980s).

As an adult now, and thirty plus years have passed since most of these crimes have occured, most people no longer remember them (save and except close friends and family members of the victim). In some ways, I feel like it is a responsibility to keep discussing some of these cases, regardless how cold they are, so that they are not forgotten.

I don't really care too much about the "why". I just care more about knowing what happened, and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. In some instances, I do not even care to see the perpetrator punished (I know, I know, do not hate me), but would much rather just prefer to know what happened. For example: In two cases offhand, both Jack Davis Jr., and also Kurt Sova, I do not feel there was any criminal motive. I feel that it was a group of kids, and drugs and alcohol were involved, and maybe things got out of hand. I still think that after all of these years, someone will come forward and say what really happened during a party. Perhaps sooner, if the desire for knowledge outweighs the desire to prosecute. And this is what keeps me coming back.

soilentgreen · 08-18-2017, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdr369

As an adult now, and thirty plus years have passed since most of these crimes have occured, most people no longer remember them (save and except close friends and family members of the victim). In some ways, I feel like it is a responsibility to keep discussing some of these cases, regardless how cold they are, so that they are not forgotten.

I don't really care too much about the "why". I just care more about knowing what happened, and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. In some instances, I do not even care to see the perpetrator punished (I know, I know, do not hate me), but would much rather just prefer to know what happened. For example: In two cases offhand, both Jack Davis Jr., and also Kurt Sova, I do not feel there was any criminal motive. I feel that it was a group of kids, and drugs and alcohol were involved, and maybe things got out of hand. I still think that after all of these years, someone will come forward and say what really happened during a party. Perhaps sooner, if the desire for knowledge outweighs the desire to prosecute. And this is what keeps me coming back.

Well said. For me, it's a desire for victims' families to find closure as well as curiosity; I'm a history buff, so cases from certain eras tend to interest me more. It's hard to imagine going decades without knowing where a a loved one is or the circumstances of their murder, but this is something that people live with every day.

Part of my interest resulted from a family mystery; my paternal great-grandmother was murdered, allegedly by one of her stepsons (no one was ever charged) and it affected my grandfather's childhood and the rest of his life. He became a police officer and never really discussed his mother with any of us. A school friend of mine committed a senseless, drug-related murder as an adult (and is serving a long sentence as a result) I hate what he did and the pain he's caused the victim's family, but I miss the kid that he was.

dynoguy88 · 08-18-2017, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdr369

I don't really care too much about the "why". I just care more about knowing what happened, and putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Trying to put the puzzle pieces together can be fun. It can be an adventure trying to figure out what happened from points A, B and C that somehow made us arrive at point D.

However, while I don't always need to know, sometimes I do care about the "why."

For instance, I'd really love to know why the trucker tried to turn Jay Durham into a human pancake. Or why the man driving the black pickup truck decided to shoot "Carol" in the face. These instances were completely unprovoked and so unnecessary to the point where you want to pull your hair out. What made them do it? Was it the thrill of trying to kill a stranger out in the open road where eyewitnesses are bound to be close? Is attempted murder something they love? Did a horrible upbringing by a psychotic family make them this way? Did these men have wives and children at home?

UM profiled many disgusting people who killed and while their mentality was deluded and their actions never justified, you knew why they did it. But in these cases? I got nothing. I want to know why.

hostedbyrobertstack · 08-18-2017, 08:57 PM

I agree w/ the puzzle aspect of it. My mind is very busy and needs to be focused on something or challenged. I find trying to figure out the solution to mysteries a very good exercise for my mind. If I don't have anything challenging to think about or try to figure out a solution to, I notice I get very bored and have too much energy.

08-17-2017, 09:43 AM	#1
hostedbyrobertstack Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2007 Location: OH Posts: 436	Why Do We (You) Care So Much? So, I was thinking about this today, and I apologize if there has been another post about this in the past. After thinking about cases quite frequently throughout the day, all the time, I started to think...with myself and all of the others on here, Why do we care so much? What is the reason? Is it compassion for innocent victims? Is it guilt that these victims have been taken too soon and innocently? Is it that we want to see guilty parties brought to justice to pay for what they've done? Or we just are intrigued by mysteries/true crime and the critical thinking aspect of it? I think, for me, it's a combination of everything. Interested to hear other people's thoughts on this. It's also weird that, when other people find out that I care about unsolved mysteries/murders, and even make a point to visit the sites when I am in certain cities, that they cannot relate and think it's insane.

08-18-2017, 12:40 AM	#11
zack007attack Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 30, 2009 Posts: 402	For me, it's many of the same reasons addressed on this thread. But another reason is to see a light shined on darkness. There is also something to be learned from each of these cases. Many of these victims and their families are dealing with grief that was caused under circumstances which can be either usual or unusual. They have the mental strength and courage to share their stories with the world to raise awareness to the rest of us. It's a method of trying to prevent others from risking the same fate or tragedy they have had to endure. In essence, the show became very much like a public service announcement.
	Last edited by zack007attack; 08-18-2017 at 11:16 PM. Reason: adding details

08-17-2017, 10:00 AM	#2
freakbook Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 10, 2017 Posts: 2,256	For me it's the compassion for victims, and the critical thinking aspect behind it. Like looking at Kurt Sova's case, 5 different people could come up with 5 different theories and they could all be wrong. I care about certain cases more than others because I feel like the victim's tragic death deserve more attention than when some people just lazily write it off as an "accident". I also just love to argue. I'm known to get extremely hot-headed on certain cases on this board (Kurt Mcfall, Angela Hammond, Andre Jones) because I feel like they deserve more of an investigation/proper discussion rather than a lazy "suicide" or worrying more about if a suspicious character is innocent rather than trying to find out what really happened to a missing pregnant woman. I'm with you on being called insane for being a fan. Only my fiance knows my love for UM, which she hates Now thanks to Amazon she hates it even more

08-17-2017, 10:14 AM	#3
Todd Mueller Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,626	Interesting question... For me, it is the combo platter, too. Mostly, I am fascinated by cases that have no clear solution or aren't what they seem on their face (even if they end up being benign). Two of my all-time favorites are the Charles Morgan case (because of the $2 bill with the map sewn in his underwear) and the Sarah Joe grave (with the papers and tin foil). Other cases like Jack Davis, JonBenet, John Cheek, etc. are really intriguing. I also like to see bad guys go to jail and to have missing people found and brought back to their families. It's funny because as a kid I thought the Lost Loves stories were lame, but as an adult with children of my own, I think about them more and think it is really cool to have people reunited. I think many of us just like a good story, and the more convoluted and bizarre, the better. If I had to rank my favorite type of segments I would say: Unexplained Death, Missing, Wanted, and UFO (the good ones anyway ).

08-17-2017, 10:54 AM	#4
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,613	Morbid fascination with true crime mixed with trying to "help" resolve cases that are still unresolved.

08-17-2017, 11:22 AM	#5
Jon Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 22, 2011 Location: TX Posts: 926	This is the perfect "old" tv show to discuss long after it has aired. I watched UM when I was a kid and waited anxiously every week for case updates...now 25-30 years later rediscovering it, I get to relive that feeling with all the information that is available in 2017....I can re-watch a segment, look it up on the internet (William Eugene Hilliard is still in jail! YES!!) So many cases were in the back of my mind for so long...now I can bring them back to the forefront and finally get closure for a large number of them. That's what makes this show so unique...I can watch reruns of old shows that I like, but it's usually just for nostalgia. There's not going to be anything new about them, but for UM there's a treasure trove of facts, opinions updates, etc. since the show originally aired.

08-17-2017, 11:30 AM	#6
hostedbyrobertstack Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2007 Location: OH Posts: 436	....And, why, when I see someone related to a case post here (family member, friend, investigator, etc..) or find them on Facebook, do I feel like it's my equivalent to how some people feel when meeting a celebrity? haha

08-17-2017, 11:40 AM	#7
LooksLikeCRicci Likes to live in a clean house Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 4,050	For me, I want to know 1) whodunit, 2) why they dun it, and 3) I want to see closure for the family/friends involved I really get hung up on the "why" part. I think the show had a major influence on me going down the career path I chose. ...these comments obviously don't apply to UFO/Ghosts/Miracle/Treasure segments. I usually went to go make popcorn or something while those were airing...

08-17-2017, 06:17 PM	#9
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	I'm just nostalgic and it reminds of my childhood, I guess. Plus, I like trying to disentangle the logic and figure out what happened, or at least the most probable theory. I do think it probably influenced my career path too. I'm getting my PhD in criminal justice.

08-18-2017, 02:46 PM	#12
cdr369 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 13, 2015 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 227	For me, it is nostalgic and a piece of my childhood that I loved (I would have much rather watched UM than the Ninja Turtles, which says a lot about of boy born in the 1980s). As an adult now, and thirty plus years have passed since most of these crimes have occured, most people no longer remember them (save and except close friends and family members of the victim). In some ways, I feel like it is a responsibility to keep discussing some of these cases, regardless how cold they are, so that they are not forgotten. I don't really care too much about the "why". I just care more about knowing what happened, and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. In some instances, I do not even care to see the perpetrator punished (I know, I know, do not hate me), but would much rather just prefer to know what happened. For example: In two cases offhand, both Jack Davis Jr., and also Kurt Sova, I do not feel there was any criminal motive. I feel that it was a group of kids, and drugs and alcohol were involved, and maybe things got out of hand. I still think that after all of these years, someone will come forward and say what really happened during a party. Perhaps sooner, if the desire for knowledge outweighs the desire to prosecute. And this is what keeps me coming back.

08-18-2017, 08:57 PM	#15
hostedbyrobertstack Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2007 Location: OH Posts: 436	I agree w/ the puzzle aspect of it. My mind is very busy and needs to be focused on something or challenged. I find trying to figure out the solution to mysteries a very good exercise for my mind. If I don't have anything challenging to think about or try to figure out a solution to, I notice I get very bored and have too much energy.