Why are people so fascinated by the Columbine Shooting?

Hey guys, what do you think is the reason why the shooting fascinates so many people (including me)? Do the shooters who copycat them or who are inspired by them have the same reasons that they are fascinated by the event as we do?
Do some of you feel a bit connected to Eric or Dylan?

Sorry for any grammar mistakes, my first language is not English

I think its a mixture of different things. I know for me its the fact that two 17 year old kids could agree on committing such an atrocity, create such a detailed (albeit poorly executed) plan and gather the weapons while keeping the whole thing a secret for over a year. You mix in the way JeffCo bungled the entire situation from even before the shooting,and on top of all that, shroud the whole thing in mystery by not releasing the basement tapes. And there you have it

For me it was also a number of things. The fact that it was the first shooting I ever saw unfolding live, the fact that the killers were only a few years younger than myself, the fact that I had a creepy and marginally similar experience the night before, and the fact that I would come to identify with some of Eric and Dylan's rantings. This, combined with all the different (and much perpetuated) rumors and myths, the level of coverage, the slow leak of information, the botched police investigation and subsequent fallout, the mysteries and unreleased documentation...It all combined to make Columbine not just a singular incident but a vast and long-lasting "event" the likes of which I'd never seen. We've had (way too many) mass shootings since, but for all of these reasons and more I've always found Columbine to be the most unforgettable. It left a big impact on me.

I think people are so fascinated by Columbine because they were struck in the face by the fact that even their son, their cute nephew or the polite son of their neighbors could become a murderer without anyone noticing any red flags.

Neah wrote:

I think people are so fascinated by Columbine because they were struck in the face by the fact that even their son, their cute nephew or the polite son of their neighbors could become a murderer without anyone noticing any red flags.

Or perhaps that it wasn't too hard to imagine that they themselves could become the kind of person who would commit a rampage.

QuestionMark wrote:

Neah wrote:

I think people are so fascinated by Columbine because they were struck in the face by the fact that even their son, their cute nephew or the polite son of their neighbors could become a murderer without anyone noticing any red flags.

Or perhaps that it wasn't too hard to imagine that they themselves could become the kind of person who would commit a rampage.

Well, I thought that about myself, but I didn't know if everyone was thinking this or not.

For me it’s for their friendship that’s really intrigued me. Also the fact that they could’ve been anybody’s friend or brother. I was also an angry kid and it scared me because I hid a lot of it like Dylan did. My brother was always getting into trouble getting bad grades but I was the one my parents really should’ve been worried about because I was like a powder keg ready to explode. I actually never got into trouble for anything I kind a got snapped back into reality after Columbine

I'd be suprised if people don't become facinated by the new 'CMR' group.

miketheratguy wrote:

For me it was also a number of things. The fact that it was the first shooting I ever saw unfolding live, the fact that the killers were only a few years younger than myself, the fact that I had a creepy and marginally similar experience the night before, and the fact that I would come to identify with some of Eric and Dylan's rantings. This, combined with all the different (and much perpetuated) rumors and myths, the level of coverage, the slow leak of information, the botched police investigation and subsequent fallout, the mysteries and unreleased documentation...It all combined to make Columbine not just a singular incident but a vast and long-lasting "event" the likes of which I'd never seen. We've had (way too many) mass shootings since, but for all of these reasons and more I've always found Columbine to be the most unforgettable. It left a big impact on me.

OT but would you mind sharing what experience you had the night before?

Ziamber II wrote:

I'd be  suprised if people don't become facinated by the new 'CMR' group.

For me it's literally just the fact of two shooters and how they bonded and communicated with each other before and during the massacre. Since we don't get two shooters almost ever.

Think there are quite a lot reasons for it.

The biggest one for me is the legacy Eric and Dylan left, their journals, tapes, people knowing them and talking about them. They left a space to speculate about their reasoning and feelings. And also not being some simple autists or schizo's, but very smart kids to prepare such gunshow in their age makes it thrilling. Their intelligence is magnificent, I don't think I was close as smart in my 18, even though I was quite a clever young guy. And the amount of drama in their lives that led them to doing so, what we do read between the lines, makes me feel for them. Again, they weren't some autists or sociopaths, they were completely aware and I do really want to see the tape with Eric crying in his car to prove it once and for all. And even the way they murdered people, kinda shows they were overcoming themselves to do it to put an end to it as to end their own lives. Copycats with higher body counts only make me cringe as most of them are only autists with no empathy, dumbasses and heartless murderers, IT'S NOT ABOUT BODY COUNT.

Another reason is an Eric's personality, which I find to have so much in common with. Being clever kid, but small and physically weak, having anger issues, issues with girls - all that is very relateable to me. Not all that bad in my case, of course, I managed to sort it all out, and wasn't ever dogged in school, but I do perfectly understand how bad and hopeless he could feel at where and when he lived. And that makes me almost love him, no homo though. I can tell that all his anger was born from his disability to change or fix some key important things to him. And his decision to end his own life was born from it as well.

The other important part for many people is Eric and Dylan relationship, the kind of trust they had to each other and kind of resolve to plan, prepare and do it all together. It is very sentimental, and shows again they were perfectly aware of everything, Columbine massacre wasn't simply produced by some single withdrawn autistic mind, otherwise one of them would back down and stop the other one from doing it. One could speculate infinitely about Columbine as people do for 20 years so far.

Vallutaja wrote:

Think there are quite a lot reasons for it.

The biggest one for me is the legacy Eric and Dylan left, their journals, tapes, people knowing them and talking about them. They left a space to speculate about their reasoning and feelings. And also not being some simple autists or schizo's, but very smart kids to prepare such gunshow in their age makes it thrilling. Their intelligence is magnificent, I don't think I was close as smart in my 18, even though I was quite a clever young guy. And the amount of drama in their lives that led them to doing so, what we do read between the lines, makes me feel for them. Again, they weren't some autists or sociopaths, they were completely aware and I do really want to see the tape with Eric crying in his car to prove it once and for all. And even the way they murdered people, kinda shows they were overcoming themselves to do it to put an end to it as to end their own lives. Copycats with higher body counts only make me cringe as most of them are only autists with no empathy, dumbasses and heartless murderers, IT'S NOT ABOUT BODY COUNT.

Another reason is an Eric's personality, which I find to have so much in common with. Being clever kid, but small and physically weak, having anger issues, issues with girls - all that is very relateable to me. Not all that bad in my case, of course, I managed to sort it all out, and wasn't ever dogged in school, but I do perfectly understand how bad and hopeless he could feel at where and when he lived. And that makes me almost love him, no homo though. I can tell that all his anger was born from his disability to change or fix some key important things to him. And his decision to end his own life was born from it as well.

The other important part for many people is Eric and Dylan relationship, the kind of trust they had to each other and kind of resolve to plan, prepare and do it all together. It is very sentimental, and shows again they were perfectly aware of everything, Columbine massacre wasn't simply produced by some single withdrawn autistic mind, otherwise one of them would back down and stop the other one from doing it. One could speculate infinitely about Columbine as people do for 20 years so far.

Man, what the hell is with all your derogatory references to autism in this post? It's no wonder you think they're so smart when you're clearly lacking in that department. Turn it down a notch buddy, not everyone is interested in Columbine because they hero-worship the two like you have shown in your posts on the forum.

For me there are multiple reasons, why I am fascinated with the Columbine. First, it’s a mystery, that surrounded the Columbine incident. Fact, that the two middle class American boys from good families wanted to kill the whole school is very disturbing for the society. Their suicides are even more dramatic for me in a comparison to the shooters, that didn’t kill themselves. Maybe it’s more about morbid fascination , but the fact that the two killed people and themselves looks very intriguing. And sure, gothic elements in a music (German industrial bands), computer games (Doom), and intense interest in violence (WW2, gangs, guns, firearms, etc) contributed to the fascination with a Columbine.

AdamnLanza wrote:

Man, what the hell is with all your derogatory references to autism in this post? It's no wonder you think they're so smart when you're clearly lacking in that department. Turn it down a notch buddy, not everyone is interested in Columbine because they hero-worship the two like you have shown in your posts on the forum.

Feels stalked and targeted. Maybe you need to turn it down, buddy?
Also "hero worship", says the guy with the name of mass murderer Tell me if this hurts, and you don't like my attitude to a 7 y.o. kids' autistic murderer you worship?

Talking about being derogatory, well, calling someone autist is a popular insult on the internet, and here in my post I use it as such an insult to copycats rather than meaning to offend peaceful people with an actual disease. It's a slippery slope, but I totally hate all other murderers, not just mentally challenged ones. All I see in them is an ugly evil, wish to do something "cool" and a lack of reasons and realising of how terrible is what they do. Mental disabilities or not, doesn't cut it for me at all, rather vice versa, I feel really hateful for people doing such things without realising, without empathy, without suffering for what they do. It's just plain stupid and should never happen. Columbine is the only case that I can somehow understand and relate to and I tried to explain why.

Vallutaja wrote:

AdamnLanza wrote:

Man, what the hell is with all your derogatory references to autism in this post? It's no wonder you think they're so smart when you're clearly lacking in that department. Turn it down a notch buddy, not everyone is interested in Columbine because they hero-worship the two like you have shown in your posts on the forum.

Feels stalked and targeted. Maybe you need to turn it down, buddy?
Also "hero worship", says the guy with the name of mass murderer Tell me if this hurts, and you don't like my attitude to a 7 y.o. kids' autistic murderer you worship?

Talking about being derogatory, well, calling someone autist is a popular insult on the internet, and here in my post I use it as such an insult to copycats rather than meaning to offend peaceful people with an actual disease. It's a slippery slope, but I totally hate all other murderers, not just mentally challenged ones. All I see in them is an ugly evil, wish to do something "cool" and a lack of reasons and realising of how terrible is what they do. Mental disabilities or not, doesn't cut it for me at all, rather vice versa, I feel really hateful for people doing such things without realising, without empathy, without suffering for what they do. It's just plain stupid and should never happen. Columbine is the only case that I can somehow understand and relate to and I tried to explain why.

AdamnLanza is a play on words. I know English isn't your first language so I'll spell it out for you. To "damn" or "be damned" is to be sent to hell, which if such a place exists, is where Adam Lanza would probably be.

I see you're getting all high and mighty because Adam killed children, and one of the young children was autistic, which I assume you're referring to, although maybe you didn't know that and you're just referring to Adam's autism, I don't know, I don't have my crystal ball handy.

Anyway, your boys killed minors as well technically, and one of them was mentally handicapped, down's syndrome I believe. I don't care if "autist" is a "popular" insult on the internet and our boy Vallutaja just learned a new word, there's no need to insult those with autism and schizophrenia by comparing them to murderers you find pathetic then double back on it pretending you meant no harm. Just be respectful and you'll in turn be respected. If not then this is a public forum and I'll feel free to respond to your posts in a constructive if critical manner.

I'm just trying to point out the seeming double standards of in the same post claiming you're in love with Eric Harris but that all these other murderers are pathetic and, in your own words "schizo autists" or whatever. You might as well be calling them retards, which would be even more offensive. How about just calling them pathetic or depraved and leaving it at that.

Columbine attracts a lot of interest and a lot of people, and I just have a feeling that maybe you identify and little too strongly at times based on some of your posts where you try to paint them in a heroic light.

Kyle had a learning disability because of a stroke. He didn’t have down syndrome.

And again it doesn’t matter no one deserved to die. There’s no way either of them would’ve known he had a disability. He wasn’t targeting nobody was targeted.

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Ziamber II wrote:

I'd be  suprised if people don't become facinated by the new 'CMR' group.

I would find them facinating...........

When I was doing a project for my history class, I was originally going to do something else in time. But I had no choice but to do columbine. Ive never heard of the shooting before and I started do research (starting with looking up facts and watching the zero hour documentary), and it got my attention and led me to come here and learn more

AdamnLanza wrote:

AdamnLanza is a play on words. I know English isn't your first language so I'll spell it out for you. To "damn" or "be damned" is to be sent to hell, which if such a place exists, is where Adam Lanza would probably be.

I see you're getting all high and mighty because Adam killed children, and one of the young children was autistic, which I assume you're referring to, although maybe you didn't know that and you're just referring to Adam's autism, I don't know, I don't have my crystal ball handy.

Anyway, your boys killed minors as well technically, and one of them was mentally handicapped, down's syndrome I believe. I don't care if "autist" is a "popular" insult on the internet and our boy Vallutaja just learned a new word, there's no need to insult those with autism and schizophrenia by comparing them to murderers you find pathetic then double back on it pretending you meant no harm. Just be respectful and you'll in turn be respected. If not then this is a public forum and I'll feel free to respond to your posts in a constructive if critical manner.

I'm just trying to point out the seeming double standards of in the same post claiming you're in love with Eric Harris but that all these other murderers are pathetic and, in your own words "schizo autists" or whatever. You might as well be calling them retards, which would be even more offensive. How about just calling them pathetic or depraved and leaving it at that.

Columbine attracts a lot of interest and a lot of people, and I just have a feeling that maybe you identify and little too strongly at times based on some of your posts where you try to paint them in a heroic light.

Let me explain, it's not just my double standards, it's my own double thinking to say so. I do doubt myself on thinking one way or another, and I admit it to myself that if I knew more, my perspective could totally change. Murdering people is the most terrible doing, and I don't see a problem with anyone calling murderers "retards" or anything like that, it's understandable, and if anyone were to call E&D like that I would accept it, and the other day I could say something like that myself with no respect to murderers as factually they deserve none. Hell, all the mass murderers including E&D got a lot of insults to their side, pretty sure about that, and I don't blame people for saying things. No insult would bring one's child back to life, but at least it makes them feel a little better, let them have that.

I don’t think calling the killers derogatory names is going to make anyone feel better, especially not the grieving families, but insulting them by comparing their actions to those who are autistic or schizophrenic is undoubtably going to hurt or offend some people. Other than that, I think we’ve strayed a bit far off topic so I’m willing to leave it at that.

I think it just intrigues me that in some ways, I and many other people can relate to some of what they were feeling emotionally. That's not me saying i'd ever go as far as Eric and Dylan did, I think what they did was atrocious of course. But regarding the anger, resentment, loneliness and overall sadness the two boys felt is something a lot of us can understand. It's why many people seem to sympathize with them, or for them.
They were two young kids who possibly could have been saved if people would've kept a closer eye or if they had just asked for help. But instead they went down a dark path of destruction. I have to wonder how or why they chose to go that far. Eric and Dylans story raises so many questions... it leaves us questioning for more, yearning to know what happened between the two of them to decide to hurt their classmates. I guess we find solace in dissecting the evidence they left behind because everyone wants to know.
I myself suffer from numerous mental disorders, even on medication like Eric was. I used to have journals filled with gruesome drawings containing murder and notes about how suicidal and angry i was. Assuming both Eric and Dylan had diagnosable disorders, it scares me to think that I'm in a way grouped with such individuals. It's just crazy to think two young boys from the white suburban America had the idea to bring such a rage of destruction, and I just want to know why and what others think.

Sympathy, relation, curiosity