"why are there so many mass shootings today?"

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  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,778
    It's in our history.  I just watched (finally) Scorsese's film "Gangs of New York".  Obviously dramatized but based on events that illustrated how ultra violent America was then, was when we were founded, is now.   America thrives on violence.  We tried to turn that around in the groovy sixties and now even a lot of ex-hippy boomers are into just.  Disgusting.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Smellyman
    Smellyman Asia Posts: 4,528
    ajedigecko said:
    ...a good article to read.
    ...addresses the root systemic problem.

    http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/why-are-there-so-many-mass-shootings-today
    Great, a conservative 'think tank' article...no thanks
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,192
    I've read in a couple articles that the majority of mass shooters/killers are on similar prescription drugs.  Any truth to this?
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    mcgruff10 said:
    I've read in a couple articles that the majority of mass shooters/killers are on similar prescription drugs.  Any truth to this?
    Any credible links to this?
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Also, bear in mind that some of the sources perpetuating this myth are Scientology- linked, either openly or more covertly. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    PJ_Soul said:
    rgambs said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    ^^^ So the problem is that people are violent dicks and aren't allowed to "express" that anymore, so turn to mass murder? Jesus, that does not reflect well on people (of the male variety, namely). I think the solution, in that case, will be found in how America is raising/socializing children, especially boys. Because a well-adjusted person really shouldn't have this overwhelming urge to physically fight. That there is a premise that they need an outlet for their physical rage even exists defines the problem. Human beings are more than capable of dealing with their emotions in a different and more constructive way than that. It's just that some societies don't bother teaching them how.
    Dealing with undesirable urges and eliminating them are two very different things.
    A high testosterone human male is pretty likely to encounter that urge now and again, and aside from a lifetime of meditation on the subject, that isn't going to change.
    Our biology is still very much in play, a civilized man rejects and suppresses the urge to violence and sex, but our brain chemistry still produces those urges regularly.

    That being said, this theory is dumb lol
    Well that's what I'm saying. People are capable of dealing with their emotions, and should always be expected to (outside of certain mental illnesses). That doesn't mean they don't have the emotions, but they should always be expected to be able to control the violent expression of them. That said, I do still think that if a "civilized man" is regularly being overcome by violent and sexual urges to the point that they need to consciously be suppressed in order not to lash out and go around hitting and raping, there is something seriously wrong with that person. I mean, I hope you're not suggesting that it's normal for a guy to have violent and hard-to-control sexual urges. If you are.... well, I would see that as pretty fucked up. I know a whole lot of men, and none of them are needing to actively "suppress" those two feelings to avoid acting out of line. If someone's brain chemistry is doing that to them, then they should be seeing a psychiatrist.
    PJ_Soul said:
    rgambs said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    ^^^ So the problem is that people are violent dicks and aren't allowed to "express" that anymore, so turn to mass murder? Jesus, that does not reflect well on people (of the male variety, namely). I think the solution, in that case, will be found in how America is raising/socializing children, especially boys. Because a well-adjusted person really shouldn't have this overwhelming urge to physically fight. That there is a premise that they need an outlet for their physical rage even exists defines the problem. Human beings are more than capable of dealing with their emotions in a different and more constructive way than that. It's just that some societies don't bother teaching them how.
    Dealing with undesirable urges and eliminating them are two very different things.
    A high testosterone human male is pretty likely to encounter that urge now and again, and aside from a lifetime of meditation on the subject, that isn't going to change.
    Our biology is still very much in play, a civilized man rejects and suppresses the urge to violence and sex, but our brain chemistry still produces those urges regularly.

    That being said, this theory is dumb lol
    Well that's what I'm saying. People are capable of dealing with their emotions, and should always be expected to (outside of certain mental illnesses). That doesn't mean they don't have the emotions, but they should always be expected to be able to control the violent expression of them. That said, I do still think that if a "civilized man" is regularly being overcome by violent and sexual urges to the point that they need to consciously be suppressed in order not to lash out and go around hitting and raping, there is something seriously wrong with that person. I mean, I hope you're not suggesting that it's normal for a guy to have violent and hard-to-control sexual urges. If you are.... well, I would see that as pretty fucked up. I know a whole lot of men, and none of them are needing to actively "suppress" those two feelings to avoid acting out of line. If someone's brain chemistry is doing that to them, then they should be seeing a psychiatrist.
    I wasn't talking about an urge to rape, just the urge to slap/punch assholes and the urge to copulate with attractive females.
    Most males experience those urges pretty regularly, though some guys aren't as slappy as others.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Thirty Bills Unpaid
    Thirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    We have tried to explain evil behaviour for our entire existence. I am not sure we are capable of doing that.

    Why did the serial murderer do what they did? What made the mass murderer 'snap'? How can we prevent these things from happening? We note commonalities among these types and we trace their roots to try and understand what made these people do what they did... but I don't think we are capable of truly understanding or, for that matter, accepting what we seek.

    Apes such as chimpanzees and baboons demonstrate cruelty in various manners. Unfortunately, straight across the board, we're not too far removed from them in this particular facet of life. As much as we have developed intellectually and socially... we still harbour inherent levels of evil. The perfect storm of nature and nurture periodically creates a disaster of a human being that displays exceptional levels of evil.  
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • tbergs
    tbergs Posts: 10,502
    Thirty Bills Unpaid said:
    We have tried to explain evil behaviour for our entire existence. I am not sure we are capable of doing that.

    Why did the serial murderer do what they did? What made the mass murderer 'snap'? How can we prevent these things from happening? We note commonalities among these types and we trace their roots to try and understand what made these people do what they did... but I don't think we are capable of truly understanding or, for that matter, accepting what we seek.

    Apes such as chimpanzees and baboons demonstrate cruelty in various manners. Unfortunately, straight across the board, we're not too far removed from them in this particular facet of life. As much as we have developed intellectually and socially... we still harbour inherent levels of evil. The perfect storm of nature and nurture periodically creates a disaster of a human being that displays exceptional levels of evil.  
    And sometimes we even elect them to the office of President.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 40,026
    edited October 2017
    PJ_Soul said:
    rgambs said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    ^^^ So the problem is that people are violent dicks and aren't allowed to "express" that anymore, so turn to mass murder? Jesus, that does not reflect well on people (of the male variety, namely). I think the solution, in that case, will be found in how America is raising/socializing children, especially boys. Because a well-adjusted person really shouldn't have this overwhelming urge to physically fight. That there is a premise that they need an outlet for their physical rage even exists defines the problem. Human beings are more than capable of dealing with their emotions in a different and more constructive way than that. It's just that some societies don't bother teaching them how.
    Dealing with undesirable urges and eliminating them are two very different things.
    A high testosterone human male is pretty likely to encounter that urge now and again, and aside from a lifetime of meditation on the subject, that isn't going to change.
    Our biology is still very much in play, a civilized man rejects and suppresses the urge to violence and sex, but our brain chemistry still produces those urges regularly.

    That being said, this theory is dumb lol
    Well that's what I'm saying. People are capable of dealing with their emotions, and should always be expected to (outside of certain mental illnesses). That doesn't mean they don't have the emotions, but they should always be expected to be able to control the violent expression of them. That said, I do still think that if a "civilized man" is regularly being overcome by violent and sexual urges to the point that they need to consciously be suppressed in order not to lash out and go around hitting and raping, there is something seriously wrong with that person. I mean, I hope you're not suggesting that it's normal for a guy to have violent and hard-to-control sexual urges. If you are.... well, I would see that as pretty fucked up. I know a whole lot of men, and none of them are needing to actively "suppress" those two feelings to avoid acting out of line. If someone's brain chemistry is doing that to them, then they should be seeing a psychiatrist.
    I am confident you are correct, however......how could you possibly know this?  you don't think that if they had these issues that they'd tell you about it, do you?
    Your boos mean nothing to me, for I have seen what makes you cheer



  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,910
    HughFreakingDillon said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    rgambs said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    ^^^ So the problem is that people are violent dicks and aren't allowed to "express" that anymore, so turn to mass murder? Jesus, that does not reflect well on people (of the male variety, namely). I think the solution, in that case, will be found in how America is raising/socializing children, especially boys. Because a well-adjusted person really shouldn't have this overwhelming urge to physically fight. That there is a premise that they need an outlet for their physical rage even exists defines the problem. Human beings are more than capable of dealing with their emotions in a different and more constructive way than that. It's just that some societies don't bother teaching them how.
    Dealing with undesirable urges and eliminating them are two very different things.
    A high testosterone human male is pretty likely to encounter that urge now and again, and aside from a lifetime of meditation on the subject, that isn't going to change.
    Our biology is still very much in play, a civilized man rejects and suppresses the urge to violence and sex, but our brain chemistry still produces those urges regularly.

    That being said, this theory is dumb lol
    Well that's what I'm saying. People are capable of dealing with their emotions, and should always be expected to (outside of certain mental illnesses). That doesn't mean they don't have the emotions, but they should always be expected to be able to control the violent expression of them. That said, I do still think that if a "civilized man" is regularly being overcome by violent and sexual urges to the point that they need to consciously be suppressed in order not to lash out and go around hitting and raping, there is something seriously wrong with that person. I mean, I hope you're not suggesting that it's normal for a guy to have violent and hard-to-control sexual urges. If you are.... well, I would see that as pretty fucked up. I know a whole lot of men, and none of them are needing to actively "suppress" those two feelings to avoid acting out of line. If someone's brain chemistry is doing that to them, then they should be seeing a psychiatrist.
    I am confident you are correct, however......how could you possibly know this?  you don't think that if they had these issues that they'd tell you about it, do you?
    Well, I guess I just don't feel like people can effectively hide that kind of thing very well over time. Actively suppressing rage and overwhelming sexual urges is not something non-psychopaths are going to be able to hide consistently forever. Obviously I don't KNOW this as some kind of absolute fact - I just feel confident in my opinion about it..... sometimes we have to be able to generally trust our instincts when it comes to this kind of thing. I feel pretty safe saying that the majority of normal, well-adjusted men aren't walking around with violent rage and nearly uncontrollable sexual desire boiling just under the surface. That many men wouldn't be able to hide it that well IMO.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Lizard
    Lizard So Cal Posts: 12,092
    i think you cannot overlook lack of respect.. for life, for fellow human beings...... see it everywhere in American society... and all the way to the top of the WH.
    So I'll just lie down and wait for the dream
    Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin' at me
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,778
    Lizard said:
    i think you cannot overlook lack of respect.. for life, for fellow human beings...... see it everywhere in American society... and all the way to the top of the WH.
    Well said, Lizard.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Degeneratefk
    Degeneratefk Posts: 3,123
    Lizard said:
    i think you cannot overlook lack of respect.. for life, for fellow human beings...... see it everywhere in American society... and all the way to the top of the WH.
    Bingo
    will myself to find a home, a home within myself
    we will find a way, we will find our place

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