Isn’t this a truly horrific thing to have happen? It always makes me sick when some deranged lunatic murders a bunch of innocent people. This is what happens every single time a disaster like this happens:
1. Murder and mayhem.
2. Round the clock news and commentary. Talking heads come at this from every angle. The following things are blamed:
-Violence in video games
-Mental illness
-Liberalism
-Christianity
-Lack of Christianity
-Feminism
-Lather, rinse and repeat
This list is far from inclusive and I may add to it if I am so inclined. Stigmatization of all these things will result.
3. Then comes the debate about gun control and second amendment rights. “Guns don’t kill people. people kill people.” “But guns allow you to kill many more people.” Blah blah blah. My facebook feed is full of this stuff.
4. If there is a trial it will go on and on while people watch and dissect it.
Then it will all settle down and the public will grow bored of it until the next lunatic decides to murder a bunch of people. Or maybe Oprah will do something thrilling, who knows.
My personal thoughts on this are the same as most people, why why why why why? What happens in a persons’ head to make them do this? Why is it always young men that do these crimes? You hardly ever hear of a woman doing this. I want to bring up a few points for your consideration.
Giving these guys publicity may be part of what inspires them. They could kill themselves or they could take a bunch of people down with them and become notorious. I am sure being infamous is very appealing. As far as mental illness goes, I do think that having all this anger directed at people could be considered a mental illness. I wonder what would have happen if mental illnesses were treated like every other illness and he had checked himself into a hospital for medication and treatment. What would happen if you showed up at the hospital and told them you wanted to massacre a bunch of people? I really have no idea but I would hope they would try to stabilize him. People who are depressed and angry and losing touch with reality need help.
If it is considered a mental illness it will further lead to the stigmatization of mentally ill people and lead to more people suffering silently further leading to more catastrophes. Suicide is a common phenomenon, far more common than going postal. It is a little known fact that people suffering from a mental illness are much less likely to be violent than everybody else.
As for the angry young man angle, I really have no idea what to say about that. Male violence is a global epidemic and I am not sure how to fix it.
nettleburn 
One Comment
Male violence is part of our messed-up culture, and when I say messed-up I mean messed-up. Our culture has been obliterated by the industrial revolution and the material changes that came with it. We no longer have values beyond pleasure seeking and wealth and far too many young men have no idea what to do with themselves beyond eat, drink and seek thrills.
May we survive long enough to develop meaningful roles and values, and in the meantime who needs automatic assault rifles and endless media attention on their destructive power.