Popular Culture Review 30.1
Why ’ s creative team , communicates a message entirely antithetical to the intended commentary of the program .
CONCLUSION
As evidenced through The Sorrows of Young Werther , “ the magnitude of the increase in suicides ... is proportional ” to its prominence in cultural dialogue ( Gould et al . 1271 ). Although no actual completed suicides have been attributed to 13 Reasons Why , its cultural prominence does imbue the series with considerable influence . While the purpose of 13 Reasons Why�to raise awareness regarding suicide�is commendable , the program ’ s social commentary is diluted due to its presentation as a revenge fantasy , wherein Hannah ’ s suicide ultimately results in legal and moral consequences against those who wrong her in life . This betrays the intended message of 13 Reasons Why by glamorizing suicide as a method of attack against those who persecute you . Numerous mental health experts have expressed concern about the series for this reason , arguing that 13 Reasons Why may actually help influence members of its audience towards committing suicide . This scenario is unfortunately not one outside the realm of possibility , after acknowledging the recognized influence of fictional portrayals of suicide in popular media .
Although positioned as a breakthrough text , 13 Reasons Why ultimately continues the flawed portrayal of suicide in popular media by failing to actually articulate any alternative to suicide , or promote resources available for at-risk youth . Notably , “ guidelines for the treatment of fictional portrayals of suicide in film and television have not been developed ” ( Gould et al . 1275 ). Mass media has the potential to be a powerful tool in educating audiences about suicide prevention , informing viewers of causes and warning signs of suicide . Although 13 Reasons Why has generated significant
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