The Real Cultural Explanation for School Shootings (article mentions CHS)

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I'm liking this comprehensive approach to thinking about school shootings. Thoughts?

Also, sorry if this isn't in the right place. I did some poking around to see if there was a better one but wasn't exactly sure where it should go.

Maybe this could have gone in mass shootings or other? Not sure

Quote :

White men transforming the world according to their will, using their hands
...
Don’t have to abide by stupid rules or unfair structures. They can transition from nobodies to earthly gods through aggression and will.

I agree that there's this aspect of social Darwinism within everything someone does. I think that America has the perfect conditions to warp people into becoming mass shooters. It breeds dissatisfaction, apathy, frustration and fatalism for the people that need the most help. This almost always leads to violence in some way.
There are lots of aspects of American culture that, when combined, creates a massive trend in mass shooters.

I read something interesting in sociology textbook about suicide. I was wondering if school shootings could be considered a suicidal act (some don't kill themselves after, do most have the intention to?).
The meaning of suicide needs to be considered to understand the social trend (these could be considered what the meaning of mass murder to the individual is). There were 4 main ones listed:
A release from the cares of the world,
To tell people how profound their feelings are on an issue,
To ask for help or sympathy,
Or the belief that they've been forced to. (Revenge)
If it was related to mass murder, would any be different? Would there be more?

The type of society that a person lives in could influence suicide levels as well (the types given seem to be a separation of parts of Columbine's society (percieved and real aspects)):
Egoistic - look out for yourself only out close relatives (low social integration and social institutions try to counter these values with a sense of belonging)
Altruistic - welfare of the group most important (commit suicide on behalf of wider society/change for the better e.g. Kamikaze pilots)
Anomic - society in a time of rapid social change and social mechanisms that restrict human selfishness are weakened (people are left alienated, bewildered or revert to natural selfishness)
Fatalistic - oppressive society (no will to live and prefer death)

In some ways, most of these could make an amalgamation that shows American society (especially recently, do you think we're in a time of social and cultural change?), whether it's only perceived as such, or if it is actually like that.

"I agree that there's this aspect of social Darwinism within everything someone does. I think that America has the perfect conditions to warp people into becoming mass shooters. It breeds dissatisfaction, apathy, frustration and fatalism for the people that need the most help. This almost always leads to violence in some way."

False. It's the same in almost all first world countries. Same in Europe where I'm from. And people accept it.

Given what you both have said, I do think Western societal structure in general is to blame. I think it's brought humanity as a whole to a tipping point; the bubble will burst, if you will. This is a really overwhelming subject but I think about it often. Sometimes I just wish we could all return (without our present knowledge of the admittedly awesome luxuries we get to enjoy) to hunter-gatherer times. Obviously that's not realistic, though and I don't mean it as such.

lolovliv, I like how you included those sociology terms. I agree, I think Western culture is a mix of all, which leaves people feeling the maximum level of hopelessness.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] That's true, I still wonder what the difference is with America (History of gun crime and violence leading to a cycle of more hopelessness being "solved" with mass shootings?) I'm not sure, there's a lot more factors to pick from

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] I know what you mean, I listen to Lanza's previous talk on that radio station. He really explains humanity's constant frustration and hopelessness well.
Thank you that topic's for the upper year, so I don't know a great deal about it, but I skimmed through suicide, media and moral panics and found so much could relate to E/D and other shooters in some way

Hmm maybe I'll have to give that audio a listen after all. Haven't really gotten into anything about Lanza or any other shooters really.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] I don't know a lot about it either, but
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is really revealing about Lanza's character and perception of the world. Its quite useful in understanding the deep dissatisfaction of many in the Western world