So depressing
This aired on Cinemax tonight and caught my attention. It's rare to see such an in depth look into someone like Stevie. Honestly I think he's definitely guilty, and whereas I don't feel sympathy for him, I do feel a sense of empathy, and maybe even social responsibility.
He's a product of society and an inept slice of culture. Raised early on surrounded by ignorance and hatred without a single person to come to his defense, the cards were always stacked against him. He wasn't taught or shown the basics of human interaction. His only experiences were that people didn't care about each other, that they're mean and cruel to one another, and that no one cares if you suffer, live, or die. No one ever showed the slightest guilt towards him for what they had done, how would he ever be able to empathize with anyone around him as an adult? This story wasn't just about Stevie, but all the people like him, people who's chances of overcoming adversity of that degree are statistically almost impossible. He simply doesn't have the tools to better himself, and as a society we like to maintain the hopeful outlook that within the American dream every person is capable of rising above adversity...it's not true. And it's sad seeing it so blatantly. Unfortunately happiness, hope, and love aren't included with life.
He still did what he did and deserved punishment. I don't feel bad at all that he was sentenced to prison, he's not really a safe person to have in society. I don't believe this documentaries intent was to make the viewer to feel sympathy for Stevie, it was just to put on display a sad fact of life that most people just don't know, or don't care to know. I'd never say that it's impossible for people to enact positive change in their lives, but when you're that damaged and that age, well it becomes more of a cautionary tale. Chances of a positive outcome are inexplicably bleak. I hope the best for him despite his actions, it's just too pathetic and sad.
Such a depressing documentary, which I suppose makes it successful. It made me feel something and stop to think about it. But damn is it depressing.