| NeonSamurai |
03-11-09 12:23 PM |
You know, I don't think guns are the source of the problem, they just increase the body count. The real problems are the media, entertainment, the toxic environment of most schools, and the kids themselves.
Starting with the kids and working backwards. Now it is obvious that there is something wrong with them when they end up going on a shooting spree, the question was what was the cause of it all. Well the first thing is that these kids tend to be different from other kids, they either think, talk or, act (or a combination) differently. Now that normally isn't a problem, until you reach school.
The school system tends to be a very toxic and stifling environment. As much as we like to think otherwise, kids pretty much are vicious intolerant little bastards. They hate difference of any kind and will try to enforce sameness in a group. Those that don't or can't conform they will attack, and ostracize. Different kids are rejected by their peers, and often bullied and brutalized for it. This tends to get worse as children grow older and usually peaks towards the end of highschool. This in my opinion is the principal trigger (and why they target their peers, as they are pretty much paying their peers back for all that was done to them).
The entertainment industry spreads messages of violence and that it is the way to get even. It's a constant reoccurring theme in virtually all forms of entertainment (movies, tv, games) that violence is the best solution to problems, that violence is cool, and that violence is fun and rewarding. This will naturally infect peoples views especially children which have not built up a defense.
Then there is the media and how they report such attacks. They pretty much reverse glorify the acts. Such attacks are spread across the media with reactions of fear and outrage. The individuals who committed the acts are made famous. Media coverage is intense on such events. Pretty much the media turns the individuals into anti heroes, especially in the minds of similar kids.
Last there is the issue of brain development in teenagers which cause them to act rashly and irrationally. I'll spare you the science of it all, lets just say it involves too many neurons and short circuits. It's the principle reason why teenagers will do incredibly stupid things, like try to escape the police in a high speed chase because a tail light is burnt out on the car.
Ok so to sum up, brutalized rejected different kids see going on a rampage as being a good idea because: a) the media makes it sound good, nothing like going out in a blaze of glory. b) entertainment has taught them that the best way to solve problems is to shoot them. and c) their brains are wired making them prone to irrational thought and foolish decisions.
The reason why school massacres are a more modern thing is simply because we have reached critical mass. Rejection and brutalization is not a new thing at schools, nor are people being different, or how teenagers think new either. What has changed is the media, entertainment, and social acceptance of violence. However the best way to deal with the problem would be to deal with the key reason behind the violence, the school environment. Putting the brakes on the media and limiting access to violent entertainment wouldn't be such a bad idea either.
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