In Bowling For Columbine, Michael Moore wants us to believe that Americans are violent not because they are armed with weapons that can take down helicopters, but because they are being scared by the media. Mr Moore's theory is fairly straightforward: since Americans live in an environment of fear, they are more prone to violence. I'm not sure if I agree, but at least Mr. Moore proffers a theory.
The recent school shooting at the University of Virginia got me thinking -- why do these incidents occur more frequently in the United States than anywhere in the world? The U.S. doesn't have a monopoly, that's for sure -- there have been many a school massacre around the globe -- but why does it happen in the States all the time?
First I thought, it's probably media/TV coverage. Since the U.S. has the best TV in the world, we know more about the shootings because of CNN. It's not that there are more U.S. school shootings, they're just more publicized.
...
Nah. There really are more school shootings in the States.
So as is my usual practice when I have these ideas in my head, I go to Wikipedia and try to find out more about the subject. Type in "school shooting" and you get sent to this page.
In Wiki's list of 41 "notable" school shootings, 27 occured in the U.S.
So the question begging to be asked is, "WHY?"
I'm thinking it might be because of all those violent video games (I'm not kidding. I'm not saying that everyone who plays with those silly things becomes killers. I'm saying crazy kids with a propensity for violence who play with those silly things do.) or because kids just aren't raised right in the States. It's certainly not because they have poor law enforcement. The perpetrators go to jail.
Why is it that in the Philippines, where there is almost zero law enforcement, kids aren't shooting each other? They're beating each other with paddles and calling each other "brother" but no one is shooting people randomly.
Is it because we have no guns? Is it religion? Fear of shame that such an act might bring to one's family?
I'm not sure what the answers to these questions are. Let me Wikipedia and get back to you.
2 comments:
If I may venture an answer, I think it's because in the Philippines, our culture of having extended families also means having a support group. Though they are friendly, people in the US are more individualistic. Whereas here, you have your parents, your siblings, your grandparents, your cousins, your parent's siblings, not to mention your tita-titas. So I think we have less very disturbed youth because they are more taken care of, my so many more people.
What you wrote in this blog post is exactly what I was thinking.
Well, I think neither Google nor Wikipedia can really answer the "Why?" question in full. But one can hypothesize.
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The usual violent stories we get to read or watch in RP are these: jobless/penniless man running amok, drunken men stabbing each other, abused 'boy' killing abusive Chinese "amo," drug-crazed people murdering others, etc.
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In Switzerland, people either commit suicide or they kill their own families (e.g. husband killing his wife and children). I think the individualistic society and the fast-paced lifestyle here drive people crazy, too.
In 2001, a Swiss madman shot more than 10 people with his Swiss Army gun in the canton parliament of Zug.
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Bottom line: There are lots of psychotic people all around the world. And they cause harm to others in various forms.
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