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TheLemmaLlama
Dec '22
2

So I'm writing a scene and am trying to figure out a realistic balance of reactions from people in-universe (modern real-world setting). Anyway:

Let's say you're walking through a moderately busy outdoor plaza/town square kind of place, kind of like this maybe:

stuttgart-germany-large-town-square-called-schlossplatz-modern-art-sculpture-entitled-crinkly-avec-disque-rouge-july-artist-192127979.jpg1600x1156

Next to the statue, there's a large shopping trolley covered in tarp, with a cardboard sign mounted on it which reads:

THIS IS A PUBLIC SUICIDE
For your own safety, viewing my body is not recommended
Read my suicide note here: [here, there's a QR code as well as a link to a blog hosted by a blogging site you recognise]

BCF Trolley.jpg1417x1417 284 KB

Questions:
- How likely are you to notice this trolley?
- If you notice it but can't make out the writing on the sign, what do you do, if anything?
(The words 'This is a public suicide' is about as legible as this:

127356843-ecological-activists-hold-french-signs-a-cardboard-sign-with-french-writing-saying-there-is-no-plane.jpg1300x866

, while everything else on the sign is smaller)
- If you notice it and see the writing on the sign, what do you do, if anything?
- Meta: Did my content warning influence you on whether or not you thought this scenario involves a character's actual suicide (rather than, say, a prank or something)?

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    Dec '22

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    Jan '23
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AxemanRifflord
Dec '22

Honestly, I could very well walk by noticing the trolley but not staying long enough to make note of the note itself. Even then, I’m not confrontational to even want to call attention to it.

TheSingularitySeed
Dec '22
1

-I would notice it because I read all signs and graffiti. And I like to take pics of weird ones.

-If I can't make out the writing on the sign, I would get closer to read it because I always do. And to see if it's picture-worthy.

-If I see the writing and there's no crowd, I assume it's a publicity stunt. I would see what I could without touching the tarp, check the QR code and then peek under the tarp anyway.
If there's a crowd, I'll go by their reaction.

-Meta: I don't think so.
Edit: But the scenario itself didn't make me think it was real in-universe if that matters.

NickRowler
Dec '22

I know at least in the US, if there is any suspition of an attempted suicide, you should contact the authorities. If there was no person in the cart, people would still call 911 because some people might think it could be a bomb threat.

There has been people who hung dumbies or scarecrows from trees and people called the police to investigate. So that is probebly what would happen.

RobertBMarks
Dec '22

It seems to me that you are likely to see three possible reactions, depending on the nature of the person walking by:

  1. Not noticing it is there at all and just walking by it.

  2. Noticing it is there but not properly registering it or thinking it isn't real (variations on shrugging shoulders, making a comment about it being avant-garde or in bad taste, or taking a picture and posting it on social media).

  3. Noticing it, thinking it is real, and calling the police.

How long it takes for the authorities to arrive would probably depend on how long it takes for somebody to have reaction #3.

TheLemmaLlama
Dec '22
TheSingularitySeed

Every bit of info helps :smiley:

Ye, I basically had the same thought; this is essentially to gauge how quickly someone would actually have reaction #3 in reality, so I know how much it should 'spread' (e.g. via social media) before authorities step in :sweat_02:

So I'm looking for how many people are actually likely to notice and think it's real, and how many people would call authorities anyway even if they think it's not real :stuck_out_tongue: Hence why I want to collect individual reactions :]

Ordinaryaverageguy
Dec '22

What do you mean "in universe"? In your story universe? We'd need to know more about that world. I mean, it's possible this is just a normal thing & special street cleaners come around every night to remove the bodies. In real life? Then I'd go with what @RobertBMarks said, with the possible addition of some who'd complain about how self-absorbed the dead person must have been to, without as much as a "by your leave", deposit their rotting corpse in a public square for the rest of the world to clean up.

TheLemmaLlama
Dec '22

Haha I guess that might've put undue emphasis on the world; I assumed people would think real life unless I specified otherwise :stuck_out_tongue:

I was also moreso looking for individual reactions, so I didn't think it would be relevant (of course I could theorize about how other people would react and come to similar conclusions as you guys mentioned here, but that doesn't mean I'd get the balance right :sweat_02: )

Maybe my title is kind of misleading and implies I'm looking for more theorization rather than candid reactions, so I'll change that XD

Legendofgenii
Dec '22

I’d think it was some kind of public art, especially due to the location and the QR code.

Azifri
Dec '22

If I see this scenario in fiction then you 100% spoiled it for me with the content warning (which is why I prefer general warnings and not the spoiler type of warning, but that's another topic). Anyway, trying to imagine the situation in real life, I'd very likely notice the trolley but probably think it's yet another edgy urban intervention.

DasIstWunderblyat
Dec '22
  1. Maybe noticing it.
  2. It most likely be just a prank or modern art thingy. Not to mention it must involve two people to do that, and if it was real that accomplice would have a fun time getting trouble with the law. Another possibility it is being real it was a very sloppy murder cover-up thing only a disturbed culprit who wants to challenge if the authority cpuld caught them would think of. l wouldn't think too much unless it somehow start to smell or leak bodily fluids, but well, I'd just call another people to deal with it. Go get all the attention you want from them.
  3. No, because these days people use content warning for mention of suicide alone.
TheLemmaLlama
Dec '22

Many thanks for everyone's input :smiley: So I guess it mostly gives off public art vibes (and for those who didn't specify an action, I assume you'll just go 'huh' and walk past like I do when I see weird public art installations? :P)

Good to know :sweat_02: Though if it really was an edgy urban intervention in-universe and not an actual suicide, what would you think? Would it feel like the content warning was 'false advertising'?

...

I'm thinking I might want to warn for a 'fakeout' as well, in case people are affected by that kind of thing in the moment even if it turns out to be fake later - so I'm wondering how good of an idea that is :stuck_out_tongue:

So far I'm thinking a general warning, with a link to more specific warnings for those who would like to see them, but ye that's another topic XD

Azifri
Dec '22

I don't think I'd take it that way. In all honesty, I prefer zero content warnings, buuuut if for whatever reason there has to be one, then I prefer the general ones and that they're there for a good reason so CWs don't become even more meaningless than they already are on the internet. So not gonna lie, part of me :angel: would think your CW is a tasteless joke, while another :smiling_imp: would be clapping because nice trolling!

Also, pretty sure the CW they'd use for a situation that may be a suicide but isn't would be "implied suicide" or something like that, because they try to be as spoilery as possible lol

Awesomeness_Studios
Dec '22

With the way I am, I’d probably believe it was real but I wouldn’t know what to do (after reading through other people’s comments I realize that I can simply call the police).

As for how the description affected me, I didn’t expect anything at all, except that it would have to involve suicide at some point. Most things worthy of CW in fiction don’t bother me, but I guess the least spoilery my one could be “mention of suicide.” Doesn’t really say how it’s going to happen, but simply that it’ll be there (and if actually we see the process of a suicide happen in the story, then maybe bump it up to “depictions of suicide”).

Now, what I did really expect was for some fantasy horror thing to happen. Reading this, I assumed that it was actually a fantasy scenario with some horrific dead monster inside (“for your own safety”), and I would assume that the protagonist would probably scan the QR code first (cuz why mention it if it’s not going to be used, yknow). Fiction doesn’t always need to be realistic, so if this makes it easier to push the story along then feel free to do it.

UrMom
Dec '22

Yeah, I tend to notice weird things so I'd probably see it and read the sign... Then I'd look under the tarp because I'm that kind of person. Since I have a weird, most likely socially unacceptable, view of death I may or may not call 911. Depends on if the whole thing is an art thing, a joke, and how far along they are if it's real.

I probably wouldn't be too affected mentally or emotionally since I've seen worse, and again, I got a weird relationship with death.

Not really, my thoughts were more about how graphic the post may get, also from what I remember your comics seem a bit too chill to jump to something that heavy. (Assuming you mean it to be related to your comics.) Unless you somehow pull it off as a black comedy thing.

Lady_T_Musings
Dec '22

I would honestly have walked up to it and been curious bc I would be in the mindset that this is some kind of performative contemporary art piece and scanned the QOR code to read the note. Probably would have even taken a picture to talk about it and post to a few friends telling them about it and then be on my way... UNLESS a visible body part was hanging out somewhere. That would make me look under bc I would have wanted to know if it was a sculpture underneath over just a bunch of pillows shaped like a person. If I saw a real body under there I'd call 911.

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