The ‘Gloomy Sunday’ magic in live sociology research
According to Back (2012:34), ‘live sociology involves developing the methodological opportunities offered by digital culture and expanding the forms and modes telling sociology through collaborating with artists, designers, musicians and filmmakers and incorporating new modes and styles of sociological representation.’ I want to talk about the fact that the music passed down as suicide force from the film "Gloomy Sunday"(1999), researching through live sociology, sensory ethnography and digital method.
Firstly, I use the digital method to research this music and film, Overwhelming information about the evil spirits is spread out on the Internet. Gloomy Sunday, the legend is the self-taught composer of France, Rezső Seress (, 1899-1968) wrote a song in 1933. It is said that it was created by Rezső Seress in a very sad mood after breaking up with his girlfriend. Black Sunday is not one of the three major bans in the world. The music was not only released the album, but also often broadcast on the radio. It is said that more than 100 people committed suicide by hearing this song.
In addition, I use sensory ethnography to research. When the movie started, a very sad music sounded, my nerves were a little tight, my scalp was numb, my body was slightly tremble, I felt so sad. As the picture shifted from Budapest's landmark to the Danube, it was also dark, a bit of a repressed atmosphere, and I feel that this movie must be a tragedy. In the middle of the movie, a typical pedigree and well-educated young woman was touched like me after hearing the music. At this time, the music became a sad version of the girl’s sorrow, which was even more bleak than the original. The young woman committed suicide after repeatedly playing the song. I must admit that this song is really sad, touching, and my senses are responding, but it does not reach the suicidal mood like the characters in the movie.
Finally,I use live sociology combining live experience, art value, sensory ethnography and digital method to research. There are many people who listen to this music, but most of them have no abnormalities, and not everyone commits suicide after listening to it. Some people's psychological suggestion is very high, it is easy to accept the relevant stimulus. When they receive the relevant stimulus, then it will mobilize all the defense systems of their body to make a brilliant state, and then produce related reactions. That is to say, "Gloomy Sunday" kills people because some people have strong psychological suggestive ability. When they hear music and lyrics, they are infected by the sad and frightened emotions, so they will commit suicide. However, there are very few people with a strong sense of psychological suggestion. Checking the representative of the year can be found: that period can be said to be a very special period. In economic times, it was in the Great Depression. Many people were unemployed at home, and they were unable to afford food. In politics, wars were frequent, people were displaced, and their families were destroyed. After many people have experienced this, they will turn into people with strong psychological implications. "Gloomy Sunday" can be said to be an incentive. The reason people really commit suicide is the pain of their hearts. After the 1960s and 1970s, the world pattern has become more stable, the world is relatively peaceful, and the economy has developed rapidly. There are not so many messy causes of great trauma to the soul. After the environment changes, "Gloomy Sunday" naturally loses the magic of killing.
In conclusion, live experience is not only just about what happened, but also the background of the event, combined with various research methods to achieve the reality in combination of art and live sociology. As Back (2012:33) states that, ‘We need to move from the arrogant convention in sociology to assimilate other practices on its own terms and within its own image (ie a ‘sociology of art’ or a ‘sociology of computing’) to a more collaborative practice that is mutually transformative (ie sociology with art or sociology with computing) . As a consequence I am not suggesting that the boundary between sociology or ethnography can be collapsed with art but I am implying that research practice can be more artful. Here the issue of artfulness is not just about form. It is also about being mindful of the kinds of realities that are enacted and produced.’
Back L. (2012) ‘Live sociology: social research and its futures’. The Sociological Review 60: 18-39