What to ask yourself before you consume true crime | Lindsey A. Sherrill | TEDxWilsonPark

As true crime media has exploded in the last several years, producers, especially podcasters, have used the medium to go beyond entertainment to teach, mobilized, and advocate for criminal justice reform throughout the US and the world. But with the increase in popularity, we must also have increased awareness of how to consume it responsibly.
#truecrime
Lindsey A. Sherrill (Phd, The University of Alabama; BS, MBA, University of Montevallo) is an Assistant Professor of Business Communication at the University of North Alabama. Before academia, Lindsey spent ten years in the wholesale nursery business in Alabama and Georgia and three years covering sports and local events for the Atmore Advance, a small town paper in south Alabama. Lindsey has always been fascinated with true crime and has translated that fandom to research, including her dissertation, which won the 2020 University of Alabama Communication & Information Sciences Outstanding Dissertation award. Her research in true crime media as well as journalism and political communication has been presented at multiple national and international conferences, and has been published in notable outlets such Journalism Practice, Communication Theory, Journal of Communication, Journal of Broadcast & Electronic Media, and Mass Communication and Society. Lindsey is the author of a forthcoming book on true crime, podcasting, and criminal justice reform entitled Suddenly the Podcast was Sexy: Growth, Entertainment, and Advocacy in True Crime Podcasting (Lexington Books). She splits her time between Florence, AL and New Orleans, LA, along with her road trip buddy, Freddie Mercury, a 13-year-old Portuguese Pointer. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@roundandsquareful]

I'm a true crime "fan," and this video came across my feed. I didn't want to watch it at first because I felt ok about watching true crime and didn't want anyone telling me I shouldn't... but I decided to watch it anyway, and I am glad that I did... it's going to make me think more about which true crime channels I'll be watching and why I'm watching them. Glad you spoke out about this! Definitely don't want to be part of causing more pain to the victim-survivors (like their families.)

[@BurroGirl]

I like this talk! I'm an avid true crime consumer and it has made me think harder about why I do it. Thank you!

[@PhiLeo7973]

Lindsay A. Sherrill's presentation shines Supernova style, as does her smile, ideas, and lofty goals.phil🇺🇲

[@jessiehermit9503]

If y'all aren't interested in this, please just quietly go away. Nobody cares, and I'm sure that this woman doesn't need your hateful, presumptuous attitudes.

[@BurroGirl]

Thank you! People can be so mean.

[@minaryeon9259]

Well there are those who are entertained by real pain and the tradegies of others. Which is very wrong.

[@chrisleggatt3240]

Kindness costs nothing, neither does negativity, just with less effort unfortunately

[@lbrowning2543]

I’d love to see your dissertation , this is great. I can hardly watch modern movies that are so gory for gore’s sake. How puzzling is it to get angry pushback and snark for that position. I think it’s an addiction, “bloodlust.” It’s affecting our culture. I totally agree violence in storytelling must be connected to consequences for not respecting human life.

[@luker.6967]

They aren’t just gory for gores sake, they are gory for the sake of realism.

[@lbrowning2543]

@@luker.6967 Marvel is so real. A day doesn’t go by I don’t see at least two people have their eyes gouged out for no reason.

[@mallagallabumbum8209]

@@lbrowning2543 How are Marvel movies "gory"? They are literally suitable for (older) children.

[@chrisleggatt3240]

Perhaps there is safety in fiction?

[@Gonzaloa1414]

I don’t like true crime series because I suffered watching it and I prefer to enjoy or acquire good knowledges While I watch any series. Very good dissertation.

[@LawyerMysteryMaven]

You make great points to think about. Thank you. I’d love to read the dissertation.

[@1234singingismylife]

I’m a Licensed Private Investigator. True crime has always been my favorite.

[@babayaga4320]

Why does someone need to ''find something new'' if they're only interested in a story out of morbid curiosity? Who are they hurting, exactly? _How does it make you feel?_ That's irrelevant, people don't need to feel one way or the other when it comes to a true-crime story, or any other story. _How do people involved in the story feel?_ It depends on who they are in the story, obviously. If it's the person that was murdered, they don't feel anything, if it's a family member or someone close to them, they'll feel however they want to feel. I would imagine a lot of them just don't seek out, and listen to the stories that could involve things they don't want to hear in the first place. What about the news every night, that covers these subjects, how often does the main stream media take feelings into consideration? I'd say almost never, so why does she expect that from a podcast? Public information is just that, public. _Are people in the story being hurt?_ Well, obviously, it's true crime lady. _Does this inspire me to act?_ Wtf does that have to do with anything? A story doesn't need to make you feel like you need to ''act'' or save the world, it doesn't _need_ to inspire anything at all.

[@melmack2003]

I have rules about what I watch.....I am drawn to the investigative aspect of the genre and I'm seeking a 'just' conclusion. I think I'm now more paranoid about society but it saved me from a mugging.

[@metathorn_square]

This conversation could also extend to live-streaming trials with commentators and super chats, a new genre currently going through some growing pains.

[@ashleymcclarren3951]

Guilty!

[@Ninjanugets123]

i enjoyed this ted talk! it's an interesting topic.

[@victoriousjoy9338]

So good. I've been a long term victim of domestic abuse and your point is compassionate and real.

[@venust.4119]

Great talk. Living in the US, I see that providing fear is a service just like a manicure, or a massage, or medical services. People are willing to pay money to be scared because we evolved being scared periodically, we need it just like we need the feeling of being loved and etc. But enjoying watching others' demise as it unfoldes...it's beyond my understanding. This talk gives a good layout of what might be involved.

[@fc4660]

True crime, gore and anything of that nature I’m too sensitive to watch it gives me nightmares and I don’t enjoy the Feelings of watching things like that. I recall Diana Cooper said that the day after she was curious and watched a Jeffrey Epstein program she had to cleanse her home of the dark energy. That rings true for me too.

[@wayfa13]

what was the dark energy made of?

[@StoryLobby]

An interesting topic

[@benjamindover4337]

You can always tell the people who watch tons of true crime. They have this fearful timidity, assuming every human interaction is a prelude to being murdered.

[@antfactory1]

That true cause I’m like this,

[@liabw05]

I notice I’m way more paranoid and reserved with other people after watching true crime stuff. I have since stopped watching. Fine to be cautious but not be fearful all the time.

[@cameraamnhac]

hello friends

[@gean4890]

In my experience it is the exact opposite. They are bold and fierce in commanding respect and being heard because they are ready to take on whatever comes their way.

[@liabw05]

@@gean4890 maybe for you but everybody responds differently.

[@MrCvjalexander]

Food for thought.

[@KamillsWorld]

When i was younger I was always haunted when americas most wanted would come on tv at night and id somehow end up waking up when it came one then not be able to sleep....I feel true crime is probably interesting to watch cause you do learn red flags to look for and stuff that has happened before and already been solved but it is a bit worrisome that those shows dont give a full picture of a crime committed and it does probably desensitize you to actual crimes shared on the news...I think if it was something that had happened to us we probably wouldnt have been as interested in it watching it cause you seperate it a little bit from reality and tend to forget these are actual people who died or murdered someone cause they play it out like its a tv drama

[@patriciaobrien5977]

I’ve asked myself many times why I’m interested in true crime. I’m only interested in it when it’s very well told and/or well-written. But I think my fascination with it is that it is really far from the realm of what I’ve experienced. Murder as a solution to relationship issues-what? It’s fascinating. Like jumping into another world. I saw another comment here that stated once crime came close to home s/he lost the addiction. I think I would too.

[@diamondjaegypsy5422]

You should STOP watching true crime

[@chroniclesoftheshady]

@The Glarer this is very interesting

[@arcavahaethon2669]

I believe true crime fandom is similar to horror fandom. It's a schadenfreude-like phenomena where we 'get' to experience the horror someone else went through, and we get a dopamine release from the mystery because we have inquisitive minds. I would also separate the fandom into 4 main groups: advocates, active viewers, passive viewers, and fantasizers. Advocates use their interest to benefit an justice agenda, usually (if not solely) political in nature. Active viewers watch expansive true crime, do their own research, and enjoy a volume of information (think people who watch JCS and Matt Orchard, myself being one. Passive viewers are the people who want to watch something on a casual level, even if not on a casual frequency. These are your Dateline, 20/20, and 48 hours fans. They enjoy a mystery but their attention is so relaxed that they don't mind you taking an hour with 6 commercial breaks to deliver 30 seconds of information that you actually revealed in an introductory tease. Fantasizers are people who probably enjoy snuff films, and they are stimulating an urge by living vicariously through a very infamous crime or criminal. They often become obsessed with specific serial killers or events, and they will never admit to being part or this classification. They will state they are a member of the prior 3. I am not motivated to act, nor would I accept such a mission. I am merely an observation made by my observer. The existence of toxic behavior merely informs you there is a fandom. Take a look at any other for any media

[@Nomad_Skateboarding]

I just listened to the Ted talk daily podcast with this topic on it. My feeling is, you can pretend to couch what you're doing any way you want, but it's still horrific your love of this.

[@cameraamnhac]

Good

[@neilpbullock157]

What I naturally contemplate when I listen to a TED talk is that most individuals have no clue what a TED talk is, much less want to listen or self-educate. Sad. I do applaud the private inds or groups who take action to solve cases, new or cold.

[@r.t.m.7611]

this ted talk was a true crime

[@ravi9153]

Pop culture of crime story telling Why am i interested in this being servicers, victims to motivate for s elf struggle or more bit curiosity

[@AgentZeroNine1]

Too pragmatic and too constructive for the general public to go along with this speaker's message. The general public just cares about being entertained, regardless of anything.

[@gean4890]

Did I miss why I should consider seeking other interests if my answer to her questions were not acceptable to her?

[@bananawammabama]

You may have - at the beginning, middle and end she mentioned it can be EXPLOITATIVE, salacious, prurient, demeaning, hurtful and offensive to victims and victim's families. If your answers weren't "acceptable" to her (she never said this by the way) - you are probably guilty of committing those wrongs.

[@smallfootprint2961]

How do you get anything done when you're so obsessed with this?

[@bananawammabama]

Did you not hear her say she wrote a dissertation on it? Or the fact that she's doing a TED talk on it? What do YOU get done???

[@ljcooper-cornell59]

It seems like a long way to say…. SHAME ON YOU! The only question I’m left with is …,

[@adamargaritaalcantara5050]

No yo no hablo ingles no se lo q dices

[@sandraagui6126]

Dijo que aprendas inglés así podes entender los discursos in English.

[@mallagallabumbum8209]

Or just don't overthink and consume true crime as entertainment. Like a horror movie.

[@IsolationLifts]

Remember when Ted talks were actually good? I memba

[@Freddan0]

The analysis doesnt make any sense. "women watch TC because they know someone who was murdered and use it to heal". Yeah, no

[@bananawammabama]

Um. why?

[@miskatonic6210]

Why is she so nervous? She's so out of breath, it's irritating.

[@thisone2540]

“ could I of gotten away with it”

[@Muriel20091]

of? Really?

[@thisone2540]

@@Muriel20091 it’s a yt comment not an essay. You must be the life of the party you pretentious clown.

[@Ddkrew1]

Or skittles

[@williamf.buckleyjr3227]

What to ask yourself when a ted talk is recommended: "Ted Talks are still things?"

[@merc9nine]

This was such a worthless discussion. I thought there was going to be some deep insight into why we are interested in stuff like this, or why women who get cheated on seem to all watch documentaries about other people having affairs and what that all means, but instead it was just a shallow view and a waste of time. Not sure what else I expected from a true crime fan.

[@saigeskinner6535]

this

[@javiglezfreelance]

Is it me or Ted Talks are worse everyday? Not everyone has to have a Ted Talk, anecdotal narrations like this are completely a waste of time. I don’t understand why would anyone care about what this woman has to say. I want to hear from the neurologists, the sociologists, psychiatrists and clinical studies. Just my opinion, I wanted to share it in case I’m not the only one seeing it that way.

[@justme-dm7sb]

You have the right idea but she is talking to the people looking at gore and sensationalism and the producers that feed that side of it.

[@lbrowning2543]

Just the trolls see it that way so far. No one has raised a valid criticism. The talk is based on her own data collection, which passed a doctoral committee, peer review and a book. It’s not anecdotal. Maybe listen again.

[@javiglezfreelance]

@@lbrowning2543 I’m definitely not a troll. To me it genuinely felt like a waste of time, probably the least interesting talk, on a topic that I’m super interested in, that I’ve seen in my entire life. She gave me the vibe of an aficionado telling people the correct way of doing something, without backing it by any scientific research or anything at all. Hard to watch. But hey if you liked it, good for you. I just don’t understand what anyone would like about this specific talk. But I’m willing to try to see it from a different perspective if you care to share what’s interesting in your view about it.

[@tabularasa]

@@javiglezfreelance This person is a PhD. Perhaps reading the description box of this video would have helped you understand her perspective / credentials better. She appears to have done some deep research into media consumption, and the ethics of this kind of journalism. This research might not be of great interest to you, it might not be astrophysics or neurology, but it's still compelling for many people, and has a useful role in society. I find it interesting that you see her as "telling people the correct way of doing something," but when I go back and listen to those four ethical questions she asks 11:57 it just seems like common sense to me, to have this level of curiosity. Why _wouldn't_ you want to listen to crime stories with these concepts in mind? It's a way of checking in with our ethics, our mental health, and our own contributions to our communities. These seem like some pretty useful suggestions Also, let's remember, this is a TEDx talk. This is not from the main annual TED event. TEDx is spread all over the world, and the quality of speakers does vary widely. I believe that TEDx has watered down the TED brand, and there have been some very questionable speeches delivered over the years. (I complain about it on this channel frequently lol) But this is not one of them. This talk, although maybe kind of stumbling and breathlessly delivered, has valid information and asks valid questions.

[@javiglezfreelance]

@@tabularasa Thank you for your reply. It’s very informative and I genuinely appreciate it. You are totally right about the common sense part, maybe that’s why I felt it was so obvious. But I was failing to consider that not everyone might see it that way it at first and upon seeing this they might reconsider their point of view. I guess I just miss being mind-blown by some of the old talks. Anyway, thank you so much!

[@mohamedel3rby253]

God loves you and takes care of you. The biggest loss that a person loses in this life is to live and die while he does not know God or His Messenger, Muhammad, the last of the prophets and the Islamic religion, the last of the heavenly religions, from intelligence. Before you believe in something or not, study it and try to understand it well, and then you have the choice. By reading the Noble Qur’an with translation and trying to understand it before time runs out

[@aleka..]

go away religious spammer

[@mohamedel3rby253]

@@aleka.. Why

[@ironmaiden1236541]

Where's the What to Ask Yourself Before Eating Buckets of Fried 🐔 talk?

[@jasonpatterson5596]

what does this mean to anyone no one cares your opinion means nothing to anyone in any 3rd world country if they even care in the 1st world countries

[@tabularasa]

I'm sorry to say that the breathless delivery was a bit distracting... Cardio can be great endurance training for public speaking. Otherwise, the ethical points made and the four questions asked were definitely valid, worthy of everyone's consideration when consuming dark media. This is why I have been glad to observe Karen and Georgia's trajectory over the years, usually striving to do the right thing

[@dodgeguy6988]

this speaker is clearly not on a whole food plant based diet, diet is more important than this topic..

[@dodgeguy6988]

@@RT...... 100 percent relevant in my brain atleast..diet and lifestyle should be the front runner for every topic and passion for life...

[@bananawammabama]

than*

[@Kirsten_is_cursed10]

You can’t even spell, go away.