It seems to defy logic, says the Associated Press: Criminals intentionally recording themselves on video beating and robbing someone, then posting it on YouTube so anyone anywhere can see it, including police. The latest example of this increasingly common phenomenon comes from Chicago, where police arrested seven teens who apparently did just that. Their video had gone viral.
It may be a modern twist on the age-old penchant for boasting about one’s exploits to impress the community and to warn rivals. “Medieval warriors putting the heads of their enemies on sticks, scalping and even school yard brawls in the `50s , they’re all ways of displaying that dominance in public,” said Pam Rutledge, who heads the Media Psychology Research Center in Palo Alto, Ca.. “These news tools , the Internet, YouTube , just let you spread the word much farther.” Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said, “This is a national epidemic. It’s not something that’s particular to Chicago.”