Logan Paul is one of the fastest growing YouTubers on the platform. His vlogs have given him literally millions of followers and he has established himself as a prominent figure.
In the early part of January 2018 Logan released a video exploring Aokigahara Forest, or ‘The Suicide Forest’ in Japan. It is sadly named The Suicide Forest as each year as each year well over 100 people travel to the forest in order to end their own lives.
Aokigahara itself is actually quite a popular site for content creators. The area is supposedly haunted and thus attracts ghost hunters and has featured on urban exploration channels depicting people looking for things that people have left behind.
Whilst morbid, the content is largely respectful to the area and those that have lost their lives there. However, Logan Paul took it a step further and released the footage of himself and crew finding the body of a man who had recently hung himself. For some bizarre reason he decided to film the body and his reaction to it and upload it to the internet.
As you can imagine there was a HUGE backlash from this footage with people across the world calling him out for the disrespect that he showed to that man and his family. The video was taken down and an apology issued and that was the last we heard of Logan. Until this video came out:
I think it’s an interesting piece of media portrayed almost as a documentary. He admits his ignorance on the matter and seems genuine in wanting to further his understanding and the understanding of his audience.
I also liked that he went out and approached Kevin Hines, who has done a lot of TED Talks on the subject and Dr John Draper who runs the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Both are leading figures in reducing the stigma and raising understanding of suicide and who both did a fantastic job in explaining the correct way of raising awareness and how to help those around you who may be in crisis.
Logan has also donated a million dollars to various suicide prevention schemes and charities and has also said he would like to continue to make an effort in being a part of the conversation surrounding mental health. I hope he does make that effort. He has a huge platform and truly has the power to make a difference.
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