Paul Logan of YouTube fame has unconditionally apologized after being heavily criticized for uploading a controversial video, showing footage of one of hundreds of suicide victims from Japan’s Aokigahara forest, also known as “suicide forest” – for obvious reasons.
Logan has removed the video, and understandably so, which he posted under the title “We found a dead body in the Japanese Suicide Forest…”
His text image apology on Twitter – addressed to the “Internet” – appears to be an attempt at damage control, basically, after being subjected to a social media backlash for his indiscretion.
But again, it could be a straight-from-the-heart, truly-felt, sincerest of apologies. One would like to hope it’s the latter.
But one has big-time doubts!
Dear Internet, pic.twitter.com/42OCDBhiWg
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) January 2, 2018
“Let’s start with this — I’m sorry,” wrote the 22-year-old self-proclaimed “Goofy dude with BIG goals.”
“This is a first for me. I’ve never faced criticism like this before, because I’ve never made a mistake like this before. I’m surrounded by good people and believe I make good decisions, but I’m still a human being. I can be wrong,” Logan continued.
Should we, then, believe that the good people Logan is surrounded by also erred as humans, by not advising him against posting the offending footage.
“I didn’t do it for views,” he said.
As If!
If truth be told, the video, reportedly, received more than 6 million views in less than a day!
“I get views. I did it because I thought I could make a positive ripple on the Internet, not cause a monsoon of negativity. That’s never the intention,” continued the YouTube star with an astounding 3.9 million followers and over 19,000 likes on Twitter.
“I intended to raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention and while I thought ‘if this video saves just ONE life, it’ll be worth it,’ I was misguided by shock and awe, as portrayed in the video. I still am.”
Well, he shocked and awed the world too!
“I do this sh*t every day,” he said.
Uploading the dead Japanese’s footage was indeed a sh***y thing to do!
“I’ve made a 15 minute TV show EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past 460+ days. One may understand that it’s easy to get caught up in the moment without fully weighing the possible ramifications,” he went on.
So, far it’s all humble!
But, here comes a bit of arrogance in the apology.
“I’m often reminded of how big of a reach I truly have & with great power comes great responsibility… for the first time in my life I’m regretful to say I handled that power incorrectly. It won’t happen again,” he braggingly regretted, using the Spiderman line analogy.
“I love everyone. I believe in people. I’m out here. Peace #Logang4Life,” he closed.
If New York Magazine is to be believed, Logan introduced the video saying:
“I think this definitely marks a moment in YouTube history because I’m pretty sure this has never hopefully happened to anyone on YouTube ever. Now with that said: buckle the f**k up, because you’re never gonna see a video like this again!”
To me, these words sound more like an attempt at sensationalism and not at raising “awareness for suicide and suicide prevention,” as he has claimed in his apology.
“Suicide is not a joke. Depression and mental illness are not a joke. We came here with an intent to focus on the ‘haunted’ aspect of the forest. This obviously just became very real, and obviously, a lotta people are going through a lotta s**t in their lives,” he said.
While we know that suicide, depression and mental illness are not a joke, I wonder if Mr. Logan is aware that uploading videos of dead people is also not a joke.
Let’s take a look at some of the reactions to the apology. Looks like nobody is buying it!
i’m truly sickened by this logan paul situation. i lost my brother to suicide… my brother took his own life by hanging himself… how insensitive and sick can you be to film someone in that state ?
— mommy (@CorinnaKopf) January 2, 2018
Dear @LoganPaul,
How dare you! You disgust me. I can’t believe that so many young people look up to you. So sad. Hopefully this latest video woke them up. You are pure trash. Plain and simple. Suicide is not a joke. Go rot in hell.
Ap
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) January 2, 2018
Logan Paul’s video was not a mistake. He took time to edit the video and took time with his thumbnail stop defending him.
— Amelia? (@pizzagrethanz) January 2, 2018
Logan Paul’s apology letter amounts to:
– I didn’t do it for success I’m successful already
– I laughed at that dead body and zoomed in to raise awareness
– I make too many videos to think about what I uploadHe’s not sorry about his insensitivity. He’s sorry he got called out.
— sarah♥️? (@slapmegrayson) January 2, 2018
Dear @LoganPaul,
When my brother found my sister’s body, he screamed with horror & confusion & grief & tried to save her. That body was a person someone loved.
You do not walk into a suicide forest with a camera and claim mental health awareness.
— Anna Akana (@AnnaAkana) January 2, 2018
@LoganPaul You’re an idiot. You’re not raising awareness. You’re mocking. I can’t believe how self-praising your “apology” is. You don’t deserve the success (views) you have. I pray to God you never have to experience anything like that man did.
— Sophie Turner (@SophieT) January 2, 2018
if you really care logan paul then donate your 2018 youtube revenue to suicide prevention charities, @afspnational is a great one https://t.co/Jl3AQcsfyB
— Nate Garner (@natekgarner) January 2, 2018
The amount of personal + social unawareness Logan Paul has displayed in THAT video is mind blowing to me. How could one w such power and influence have the audacity to put something so thoughtless online? You have potentially intensified an entire family’s grief beyond measure.
— Rebecca Black (@MsRebeccaBlack) January 2, 2018
***National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Toll-free number (24×7): 1-800-273-8255***