The real problem isn't people doing stupid things for attention -- that's always existed and always will. The problem is in the general public paying attention. If we were less of a "gee whiz" culture, these people wouldn't be getting our attention in the first place.
Of course, if the mainstream media weren't reporting on it, how many of us would know about it at all? The upside? The more stupidity is posted to the web, the less time we all have to look at it. Eventually, we become desensitized, and then the stakes for our attention raise -- again.
