Canadian Cullenista corrupts kids' craniums

These are from Cullen's Twitter feed:

To Cullen:
Finished Columbine a few weeks ago yet it is still with me. Powerful and insightful. Excellent discussions with my classes.

From Cullen:
Thank you! What class are you teaching it?

To Cullen:
I used it in 2 - Media Studies and Gr. 11 English (Crime and Violence).

From Cullen:
Nice! Thanks. RT

...

What is it with Cullen and his incessant attempts to get teachers to force their kids to read his book? Has the man no shame?

Cullen has said that he wants to "shine a light" on Columbine and its related issues. But he suppresses the facts that don't support his theories.

Canadian youth, hear me! Go not into the light! Stop where you are! Turn away from it! Don't even look at it!

Go ahead and read his book, but don't accept it as the golden fountain of ultimate knowledge about Eric and Dylan. Be skeptical of everything he says. Seek out as many sources as you can. Read all that is readable. Learn all that is learnable. Only then can you begin to draw conclusions that have any degree of validity.

Cullen must be good writer for making everybody believe his book. I wonder why it's always has to be his book that schools are reading, why can't they give students other books of Columbine to read like Kass or Larkin. I read Larkin's book. It was rather boring in some parts but I like how it talks about the environment of the school and the community and how there is bullying.

Lporter101 wrote:

Go ahead and read his book, but don't accept it as the golden fountain of ultimate knowledge about Eric and Dylan. Be skeptical of everything he says. Seek out as many sources as you can. Read all that is readable. Learn all that is learnable. Only then can you begin to draw conclusions that have any degree of validity.

In fairness to the guy (i'm no fan either) I think that the same is to be said about any book covering these types of subjects, and of course he is going to whore himself out - why else did he honestly write the book on that specific topic?

Great, we're going to have a generation of kids who believe Eric was a ladies man.

brewcrew86 wrote:

Lporter101 wrote:

Go ahead and read his book, but don't accept it as the golden fountain of ultimate knowledge about Eric and Dylan. Be skeptical of everything he says. Seek out as many sources as you can. Read all that is readable. Learn all that is learnable. Only then can you begin to draw conclusions that have any degree of validity.

In fairness to the guy (i'm no fan either) I think that the same is to be said about any book covering these types of subjects, and of course he is going to whore himself out - why else did he honestly write the book on that specific topic?

When's the last time you saw Kass on CNN? Or Larkin at a school, preaching to the unwashed kiddies?

It's one thing to write a book and promote it; it's another to spend every minute of every day HUSTLING HUSTLING HUSTLING.

He wants publicity? Fine. But that doesn't mean that we have to sit back and let him dominate the public discourse.

I read on article about Brian Rohrbough and how he has a problem with Cullen's book (Kass book as well).http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/05/brian_rohrbough_has_problems_w.php. Anyways, I like how he said it's not the final word on Columbine. I don't know what he means when he said 'the truth is there'. Do we really know the truth? Is there one? But yeah, he is right people who read Cullen's book will take it as definitive. It's a sad thought for longtime researchers and members of this board. It happens. The kids who require to read his book, may not care much about what they are reading. It's a school assignment, they probably forget it about once their done.

Why is Cullen's book taught in schools anyway? I know that Columbine is an important historical event and should always be remembered but isn't it limited in its scope? I mean, it is not like other events in US or European history that shaped the world as we know it and have affected everyone. This has always puzzled me.

Kinda wonder if the ten years of research Cullen did, he didn't like what he research and decided to spin his own story. His whole book could be something he wish it happened.

Cullen didn't do any research. He just wrote a fictional book about Columbine.

He must did some research at least. Hey guys, don't hate on Dave Cullen. Just hate on his book....... and the really annoying, arrogant things he does.

perpetual state wrote:

He must did some research at least. Hey guys, don't hate on Dave Cullen. Just hate on his book....... and the really annoying, arrogant things he does.

There are people who literally hate him, and it is inexcusable, vile, ridiculous and entirely out of line.

Despite what anyone may try to say, you will find the majority of this juvenile, moronic hatred of him as a person primarily on tumblr.

However, if he wants to post things publicly, and continue declaring himself and his book as "the ultimate authority/last word/definitive truth", he's going to get reactions from people in the fashion you find on this forum and a few other places.

Quote :

There are people who literally hate him, and it is inexcusable, vile, ridiculous and entirely out of line.

Yeah.

I don't hate him. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't envy him to some degree.

LPorter101 wrote:

Quote :

There are people who literally hate him, and it is inexcusable, vile, ridiculous and entirely out of line.

Yeah.

I don't hate him. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't envy him to some degree.

I mean this very sincerely:

Personally, I don't feel that you hate this man as a person. At all.

When I used to lurk SCMRPG, from what was available then, I did not think you hated him even then.

You are pointing out his lies, exaggerations, biases, condescension, assumptions, and unnecessary, unfounded self-assuredness in relation to the subject of columbine.

You are using other PUBLIC commentary he makes to voice your views and feelings concerning this.

Is it everyone's cup of tea?

No.

And it doesn't have to be.

Cullen's "version" of this subject is not everyone's cup of tea, either.

It also doesn't have to be.

HOWEVER, he and his drones are basically hellbent on demanding that people just turn off their inherent critical thinking skills, and suck up his "version" of this subject with a straw, and OBEY, and chirp away, like a mantra, that his is the "DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT. THE UNADULTERATED TRUTH".

You are countering that, and so are a number of others (NOT including the people who hate him as a person, of course), all in your own ways. And it needs to be done.

Quote :

You are pointing out his lies, exaggerations, biases, condescension, assumptions, and unnecessary, unfounded self-assuredness in relation to the subject of columbine.

Yes, exactly. His self-important posturing - "All hail the King of All Columbine Media! Kneel before me and prepare to receive the truth, ye unwashed laymen!" - drives me nuts.

Quote :

You are using other PUBLIC commentary he makes to voice your views and feelings concerning this.

Yes.

Quote :

HOWEVER, he and his drones are basically hellbent on demanding that people just turn off their inherent critical thinking skills, and suck up his "version" of this subject with a straw, and OBEY, and chirp away, like a mantra, that his is the "DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT. THE UNADULTERATED TRUTH".

Tell me about it...

The gaps in the available evidence leave plenty of room for speculation and interpretation. But so many people can't tolerate uncertainty. They demand a simple four-word (ERIC PSYCHO DYLAN EMO) explanation that wraps up all the loose ends, and if someone says, "It's more complicated than that," or "The evidence is inconclusive at best," they go ballistic.

Quote :

You are countering that, and so are a number of others (NOT including the people who hate him as a person, of course), all in your own ways. And it needs to be done.

Well, thank you.

I just wish I were better at it...

perpetual state wrote:

He must did some research at least. Hey guys, don't hate on Dave Cullen. Just hate on his book....... and the really annoying, arrogant things he does.

I'm not hating on him. I don't care about him enough to hate him nor do I know much else about him except what he says about Columbine. What I dislike about this bullshit artist is how he goes around saying his book is "facts" when his book is bullshit; fiction. If people are actually going around saying they "hate" him, that is pretty harsh. I don't visit Tumblr that often, because, to me, it is like a cesspool on the Internet. I also don't visit Twitter either to see what kind of bullshit he says there. I have based my opinion of dislike from reading his book, reading articles and watching interviews. That was enough for me to come to my own conclusion but I don't feel any hate for him. I also don't see anyone else here saying they "hate" the man but a lot of others are just as pissed as I am about what he goes around claiming are "facts".

Quote :

unnecessary, unfounded self-assuredness

The important thing to remember about his self-assuredness is that it's a pose. He's desperately insecure.

Think about it - he's so intolerant of criticism that he refuses even to acknowledge the existence of dissenters. He's an intellectual ostrich - "If I stick my head in the sand, I won't see them, and they won't be able to see me!"

I keep thinking, "If I were in the position Cullen claims to be in, how would I react to my critics?"

The answer is that I would relish the opportunity to tell them exactly what I thought about them, and their criticism. If I were truly confident in the absolute correctness of my views, I would demolish the haters' silly little claims, casting aspersions on their intelligence and sanity as I did so. I would be more than happy to suggest various bodily orifices in which they could insert their reactions to my work.

I would tell them, "I spent ten years researching and writing my book, and I've made up my mind as to what really happened to those two boys. If you disagree, go write your own fucking book and get your own fucking publisher and get your own fucking TV gig. If you're not able to do that, then go back to your shitty little circle-jerk of a message board and leave the public forum to speakers who actually know what they're talking about. Say whatever you want - I don't give a shit. I'm infinitely more successful than any of you will ever be."

Then I would lean back in my chair in my fabulous New York apartment and congratulate myself on my awesomeness.

See, that's how I am - I'm honest and openly aggressive. If you love me, that's wonderful; if you hate me, too bad.

Cullen is dishonest and passive-aggressive. But he's also arrogant enough to believe that he never has to answer for his mistakes.

What do you call an arrogant, passive-aggressive, truth-distorting author who refuses to acknowledge, let alone challenge, his critics?

Is "coward" too harsh?

Is it bad that I moved all the copies of Columbine to the fiction section at the library?

jettfyre80 wrote:

Is it bad that I moved all the copies of Columbine to the fiction section at the library?

Yes, actually.

I used to work at a library, and it always pissed me off when I found a book in a place where it didn't belong. That meant that someone who was looking for the book where it *did* belong wouldn't have been able to find it.

(I worked in cataloging, not circulation, but I still had to retrieve books from the shelves on occasion. It was a real pain not to be able to find a book when I needed to modify its record.)

But I forgive you.

Lol sorry but you gotta admit it's totally justified.

tfsa47090 wrote:

perpetual state wrote:

He must did some research at least. Hey guys, don't hate on Dave Cullen. Just hate on his book....... and the really annoying, arrogant things he does.

There are people who literally hate him, and it is inexcusable, vile, ridiculous and entirely out of line.

Despite what anyone may try to say, you will find the majority of this juvenile, moronic hatred of him as a person primarily on tumblr.

However, if he wants to post things publicly, and continue declaring himself and his book as "the ultimate authority/last word/definitive truth", he's going to get reactions from people in the fashion you find on this forum and a few other places.

Ideally, nobody should hate anyone, but Cullen acts like he hates fans and anyone who dares to do any in-depth questioning of his book as the ultimate authority and openly doubts his theories so I think that contributes to him getting some hatred back.

PaintItBlack wrote:

tfsa47090 wrote:

perpetual state wrote:

He must did some research at least. Hey guys, don't hate on Dave Cullen. Just hate on his book....... and the really annoying, arrogant things he does.

There are people who literally hate him, and it is inexcusable, vile, ridiculous and entirely out of line.

Despite what anyone may try to say, you will find the majority of this juvenile, moronic hatred of him as a person primarily on tumblr.

However, if he wants to post things publicly, and continue declaring himself and his book as "the ultimate authority/last word/definitive truth", he's going to get reactions from people in the fashion you find on this forum and a few other places.

Ideally, nobody should hate anyone, but Cullen acts like he hates fans and anyone who dares to do any in-depth questioning of his book as the ultimate authority and openly doubts his theories  so I think that contributes to him getting some hatred back.

I always wonder why more people don't actually question him? Like when they are interviewing him? Why don't they say "Well how do you KNOW this?" I am betting he has some kind of agreement beforehand, like he says, "now don't question anything I say or I won't do this interview".

This is beginning to turn into the "Dave Cullen" forum. Perhaps we should create a forum just for him.

Jenn wrote:

This is beginning to turn into the "Dave Cullen" forum. Perhaps we should create a forum just for him.

Ah, that's not necessary. I think I'm pretty much done.

LPorter101 wrote:

Jenn wrote:

This is beginning to turn into the "Dave Cullen" forum. Perhaps we should create a forum just for him.

Ah, that's not necessary. I think I'm pretty much done.

Thank Jesus.

Ivan wrote:

LPorter101 wrote:

Jenn wrote:

This is beginning to turn into the "Dave Cullen" forum. Perhaps we should create a forum just for him.

Ah, that's not necessary. I think I'm pretty much done.

Thank Jesus.

Actually, I think Juan deserves more of the credit. But Fernando did chip in quite a bit, as well.