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ellenrr

(3,869 posts)

59. i'll take a try at an answer..

Thu Dec 3, 2015, 06:56 PM

Dec 2015

besides the guns,
I think what is wrong is that our society is so atomized.
People don't have community, they feel alienated and their lives feel purposeless.

I'm reading a fascinating book, "The Spiral Notebook: The aurora theater shooter and the epidemic of mass violence committed by American youth."

written by 2 authors who live in Denver. Their son was 5 when Columbine happened, and 15 when James Holmes shot up the theatre.

they have researched major school shootings, focusing on James Holmes, but others too.
And interspersed are comments by Millennials - "a group dogged by big pharma, anti-depressants, and ADHD drugs, by a doomsday/apocalyptic mentality and by an entertainment industry that has turned violence into parlor games." (book jacket)

to read these youngsters' comments is illuminating and heart-breaking.
If I knew how to scan, I'd post them.
Really, they make me cry to read about how they see their lives, and how they see the world-- empty, hollow, meaningless

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Highlight:

Couple Kept Tight Lid on Plans for San Bernardino Shooting [View all] ellenrr Dec 2015 OP

so from what I am reading - this could still be case of individual rage ellenrr Dec 2015 #1

So, next time someone pisses me off, I'll grab the body armor and long guns and pistols-- Proserpina Dec 2015 #5

true. ellenrr Dec 2015 #8

that was the takeaway phrase for me too. nt restorefreedom Dec 2015 #24

If that works for you! atreides1 Dec 2015 #20

The First should of been locked up for Murdering her brother years earlier One_Life_To_Give Dec 2015 #35

I've heard and read about how... atreides1 Dec 2015 #50

Lanza (Sandy Hook) was bullied as a child in school wordpix Dec 2015 #45

Bullying, Ostracism, Public Shaming have a way larger effect on people than the establishment is Dont call me Shirley Dec 2015 #55

Bad examples Marrah_G Dec 2015 #47

Yes, his mother reportedly warned babysitters "Don't turn your back on him" whathehell Dec 2015 #62

exactly. Much as we would like to prevent ellenrr Dec 2015 #57

"Why was he able to buy bombs, no one needs to buy bombs." EX500rider Dec 2015 #60

Come on honey...it's time to show them who is boss. ileus Dec 2015 #31

It's not "either/or". It could be "workplace violence" by an actual terrorist. Xithras Dec 2015 #56

and a bunch of pipe bombs and a remote control detonation system....nt Jesus Malverde Dec 2015 #71

They kept the lid so tight the NSA did not detect it with all their spying OakCliffDem Dec 2015 #2

It was never intended to protect us. daleanime Dec 2015 #3

+1000. GoneFishin Dec 2015 #9

+2000 Jesus Malverde Dec 2015 #11

I agree. Enthusiast Dec 2015 #14

Well played. Well played. GOLGO 13 Dec 2015 #15

plus a freakin zillion. nt restorefreedom Dec 2015 #25

+1 harun Dec 2015 #54

The Patriot Act puts a lot of money into the economy. Hoppy Dec 2015 #17

Just this: PassingFair Dec 2015 #33

What good is the Patriot Act? Ikonoklast Dec 2015 #46

Chief: 'the attack did not seem to be �a spur-of-the-moment thing."' ellenrr Dec 2015 #4

I know they don't have any idea about motivation 6chars Dec 2015 #6

Ever see the movie "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas? Myrina Dec 2015 #26

yes. anything's possible 6chars Dec 2015 #28

That works for one person, but for a couple? With a baby? GliderGuider Dec 2015 #36

Great movie. Recommended. mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2015 #38

It's two people, not one. That isn't a workplace grudge. Yo_Mama Dec 2015 #40

Columbine KittyWampus Dec 2015 #43

Yep, liked that movie. Just a regular guy slowly losing it. TwilightGardener Dec 2015 #51

Ever see the movie "The Lord of the Rings"? Igel Dec 2015 #69

but people will cling to that here, the same way the right refuses to admit Warren Stupidity Dec 2015 #13

We blame it on the mentally ill. But the problem is guns. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #7

after every shooting, there is always a call to re-evaluate mental health in this country ellenrr Dec 2015 #10

That whole argument (the mentally ill one)is so full of holes. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #12

You spoke for me... I feel the exact same way. secondwind Dec 2015 #16

Part of the problem is health care (or lack there of) SmittynMo Dec 2015 #18

Is ISIS and Al Queda incitement to violence a problem too? 6chars Dec 2015 #30

"How on earth did we let things get this bad?" olegramps Dec 2015 #39

Agreed. nruthie Dec 2015 #42

I read Drudge just to see what the other side is up to. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #44

I know exactly how you feel. nruthie Dec 2015 #41

i'll take a try at an answer.. ellenrr Dec 2015 #59

Speaking as an anthropologist leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #61

its what it is - a bullshit right wing meme Cosmocat Dec 2015 #19

It's ok to label certain behavior as "crazy". christx30 Dec 2015 #21

And some people aren't crazy all the time. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #64

Thank you. We have always tried to cover up the real evil that jwirr Dec 2015 #52

Yes. We should ban them, like in Paris. n/t cigsandcoffee Dec 2015 #23

France has 1,800 gun deaths a year leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #27

About 20K of our 33K are suicides. Banning guns won't change that number much. cigsandcoffee Dec 2015 #32

Those figures include all gun deaths. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #37

the right wingers rockfordfile Dec 2015 #66

When the French EdwardBernays Dec 2015 #29

What is the population of France? zalinda Dec 2015 #53

France is not a small country EdwardBernays Dec 2015 #58

Yes, and it's a LOT easier (in normal countries, anyway) to restrict firearms than to determine whathehell Dec 2015 #63

And a lot of our shooters were under psychiatric care leftyladyfrommo Dec 2015 #67

True...It's just a dodge. n/t whathehell Dec 2015 #68

I wonder if the wife was radicalized already then brainwashed her husband. DCBob Dec 2015 #22

authorities are looking into how he met her, maybe in S.A. wordpix Dec 2015 #48

Maybe! Marrah_G Dec 2015 #49

This whole thing is just bizarre. Frank Cannon Dec 2015 #34

Yep Strelnikov_ Dec 2015 #70

All I know is it is going to keep getting harder on Islamic people hollowdweller Dec 2015 #65