10 Reasons “13 Reasons Why” is Actually Bad for Society

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10. The show’s structure suggests that suicide isn’t final
9. The adults on the show are depicted as oblivious and/or unhelpful
8. It equates transgressions that aren’t equally bad
7. It provides an inadequate examination of mental illness and makes suicide seem rational
6. The show suggests that suicidal individuals can be saved by kindness alone
5. The show promotes the idea that no one can be trusted
4. Hannah’s suicide results in justice
3. The show blames others for Hannah’s suicide
2. The show suggests that suicide is an effective vehicle for revenge and a way to have control
1. The show may spark copycat behavior

Source/Further reading:

[charlotte-mgwj]

As a mental health worker, I simply cannot thank you enough for making this video, one of the best you've ever made.

[KissyAdair]

I hate the byline, "Why would a dead girl lie?" Um, for all the reasons a live girl would lie. Pride, reputation, protecting someone, the list is endless.

[cupcakexlindsay]

Especially the second season. Hannah's "ghost" literally talks to Clay almost every episode. Like they have conversations. And that's so misleading. When you're dead you're dead. You don't get to talk to your friends still.

[damiandennis]

As someone who attempted suicide a few times, and ended up comatosed after one of the attempts. I absolutely hate this show. The worst offense it commits is justifying the mind set you're in when you have suicidal thoughts.

[minnie]

It’s almost impressive just HOW BAD they messed up.

[Sam_Kings]

I didn't watch the series, but I thought it was disturbing that Clay took it upon himself to enact some sort of vigilante justice upon those Hannah blames for her death. Which leads to a whole myriad of consequences from an attempted suicide to an attempted school shooting. If he wanted justice he should have given the tapes to the police.

[starglittersys]

this show romanticizes suicide and is honestly just a garbage fire that shouldn't be supported. the producers of the show were told not to show her suicide scene, but they did anyway.

[grivar]

Really? You couldn't make an exception this one time and do 13 reasons?

I'm disappointed Simon.

[pineapplejohn]

I watched both seasons and now I hate Hannah. I can’t feel sympathy for her because it’s to hard. Depression is hard to live with and I have it. None of her actions in this show and she’s a bully her self. She blamed people for nothing and made them feel guilt

[BatJester]

I actually began to watch 13 reasons yesterday. I got 10 mins into it before turning it off. My sister almost died from a suicide attempt when I was 13 years old. This is not a subject that needs a tv show, especially in this way.

[LordPyro]

That show is a total mess; I’ve heard that the people making it talked to psychologists and other people experienced in dealing with suicidal people and then ignored all the advice they received. They were specifically told NOT to show Hannah killing herself and then they went and did it anyway. The show tries to show that it’s treating the issue with serious thought and tact but it’s not. Don’t watch this show, don’t promote this garbage fire.

[dennisdow]

My 16 year-old adopted son hung himself about 3 weeks ago. No mental health issues that we saw. No note. No prior warnings to anyone in the family. Some bullying at school as he had an IQ of 70 so was picked on for that. Obviously that he was adopted would likely have been a factor. However, unknown to me at the time he was watching "13 Reasons Why" repeatedly. I can't help but think the series play a role in his suicide.

[HereticWoman]

I disagree about the guidance counsellor. When I disclosed years of sexual abuse to my high school guidance counsellor, she did nothing. She lied and told me it would be reported (it wasn't) and seemed to only care that it wasn't happening any longer. She never suggested counselling or any additional help or that I talk to anyone else at all about it.

I am sure they are trained much better today, but to imply that no guidance counsellor would ever act like that is dishonest and untrue.

[debries]

The more I hear about this show, the more I dislike it.

[Thatcaramelchic]

Honestly I can’t stand Hannahs character and had a hard time sympathizing with her. Like you said she added things to the list that were so petty and insignificant reasons to commit suicide and blamed those people as if they wronged her the same way a rapist or abuser would have. Clay shouldn’t even be on that tape she’s all melodrama I couldn’t even watch the latest season.

[Richard-Freeman]

I shouldn't be as surprised as I am that this show was that terribly irresponsible.

[juliasam]

this show pretends that its trying to help and get the conversation about those topics going, but all its doing is just generating noise so they can get more and more attention. I hate it so much, I unintentionally avoid any movies/tv shows that has any of the actors or producers from it.

[Zach-Fetters]

It's also pretty messed up that Netflix has been bagged by the families of the people influenced to commit suicide by the show and won't even respond to them

[GeoPol]

The whole point of Mr. Porter being a terrible counselor isn't to say that all guidance counselors are like that, it is to show how an under prepared one could lead to what Hannah did. Trust me, not ever guidance counselor is perfect and knows what they are doing and a few really do behave that way.

[melisawoodruff]

The sad fact is there isn’t enough help out there. Even after a suicide attempt getting help is really hard. You are more likely to be stigmatized than helped.