OT: Shooting in Oregon Mall

[jstewismybastardson]

i guess it goes hand in hand (with being more desensitized to violence) but I lean more towards society at large being less empathetic and I cant explain where or when it all went wrong ... is it that we're babysitting our kids with technology? idk?

 

[SLY]

Do you think video games such as Modern Warfare, or Call of Duty share in this desensitized outlook this country has towards violence? Namely, gun violence

That's tough to say. Does it play a role? Yes. But people have gone on murdering sprees long before we had video games and graphic movies. There is just something wrong in some peoples brains.

 

[SLY]

i guess it goes hand in hand (with being more desensitized to violence) but I lean more towards society at large being less empathetic and I cant explain where or when it all went wrong ... is it that we're babysitting our kids with technology? idk?

I couldn't tell you where or when... I hate to beat a dead horse, but people just lack compassion nowadays. There is no care for your fellow man.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

today, ive seen "elements" who would usually defend the right to bear arms move their debating tactics to ... "this would never happen if we kept god closer to our hearts"

 

[evolver115]

i think it all depends on the person.. i think the vast majority still respect the devastating power that weapons and violence have both to the victim and to the people surrounding the victim

but to the crazy few, and those that can be easily manipulated, i dont think there's any question

I think we can also insert Hollywood into the equation, as well.

Aurora, CO and the sick kid who dyed his hair like the Joker and opens fire on innocents in a screening of said movie... That is not just a coincidence.

 

[SLY]

I wonder how many in the gun control is not the answer camp may have thought "oh great now I have to defend owning guns again" as their first thought when this was announced. when I read about the "possible" shooting this AM I thought I hope its nothing then I went into class. I had a strange feeling to check the news half way through and looked on my phone and saw the information. I teared up in class. I didnt have much thought after that, just why kids. why

I had that same exact thought. Sickening, because I'm sure many thought that.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I have BF4L on ignore but see he's posted in the thread a lot. Is he regaling us with bullshit stories of how he singlehandedly saved Boston one night and the cops all thanked him and hugged him and told him he had the biggest penis ever and all wanted to touch his Golden Peacemaker of Peace?

Or is he sticking to the "Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns DERP DERP DERP" argument so far?

Funny how I don't see his name in any thread until bullets have ripped through some innocent person's flesh.

Thank you for making me smile. This thread needed that!!

 

[mattola]

I had that same exact thought. Sickening, because I'm sure many thought that.

im not picking on anyone in general for that I was just wondering aloud. I have a whole other thought about the religious out there I am not going to share. I dont think we need that argument today

 

[jstewismybastardson]

and im not taking shots at anyone because ... hell ... I do it myself (technological babysitting) I let my 4 year old son play angry birds on my phone and you watch someone that age get so mentally engrossed and tunnel visioned on that little screen and nothing else and you just wonder what something like that (or something more graphic) could do to the development of a young mind

 

[awaz]

I think we can also insert Hollywood into the equation, as well.

Aurora, CO and the sick kid who dyed his hair like the Joker and opens fire on innocents in a screening of said movie... That is not just a coincidence.

ya.. but i still think it's just the susseptible (sp) few that have this type of reaction (jstew brings up a good point with age and developing minds).. as embarrassing as it probably is, i play as much or more call of duty as anyone i know, but the only time i've been shooting i was absolutely terrified of the shotgun i was holding

I couldn't tell you where or when... I hate to beat a dead horse, but people just lack compassion nowadays. There is no care for your fellow man.

couldnt agree w/ you more

 

[jstewismybastardson]

and yah my son has a preschool classmate mate who has told him about playing a game called grand theft auto on the computer

 

[mattola]

and yah my son has a preschool classmate mate who has told him about playing a game called grand theft auto on the computer

that is some youngling playing that game wow

 

[Comeds]

Are we as a nation becoming desensitized to violence?

I think the answer is a resounding affirmative. Look at the ages of the two most recent mass attackers. Just young adults. Neither over the age of 25. From my perspective, still just kids.

It surprises me to see this take place, but it still isn't a complete shock. We are inherently violent by nature. We entertain ourselves with violence in the theater, in video games and to a lesser extent..even in sports.

I believe we as a society need to evaluate just how casual we are about violence.

I had to learn about a bunch of studies on that topic when I was in college years ago. There was no proof then that movies and/or video games caused an increase in violent thoughts or acts in a healthy person. Maybe there have been more studies recently showing more of a link, but I haven't seen it. Doesn't Japan have some very violent movies and video games? I haven't read about incidents like today happening there very often.

Sick fucks will find inspiration anywhere.

One day, I was driving to work in Baltimore City when I happened upon an active murder scene. Cops everywhere, news crews, sheeted body in the street etc. And my first thought was "Fuck, now I'm gonna be late".

It was at that moment that I made the decision to leave the area. I hated myself for thinking that. But it was all too common an occurrence when I worked downtown.

Bah. I'm out all. hug your kids. Or your gun. Whatever's most important to you.

I was on my way back from lunch a few years ago and was the first car stopped at an intersection by police. I was annoyed at first then was pretty shocked and saddened to see them cover up the body of a motorcyclist that was in an accident. That fucked me up all day, I cannot imagine seeing a homicide.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

There is a heavy amount of literature out there concerning gun control laws and gun violence. it is pretty one-sided, but I will withhold judgement. I study violence epidemiology and wrote some pieces in that area while in grad school. Use Google Scholar and look around. It is really fascinating what some of the results tell us.

I will say this: Events like this would likely not be stopped by any gun laws. There are nut jobs who just don't care about laws and the world is riddled with easy to acquire assault rifles because nations don't have a proper method for the disposal of weapons of war. It is an ongoing problem. This is not to say that gun control is not a good idea, just that it likely would not stop something as surreal and insane as this.


That is all that I am going to say on the topic, but I ask you to go to google scholar and look around.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

that is some youngling playing that game wow

it boils down to the dad ... the dad plays it ... the son sees it ... the son want to play it ... the dad lets him ... probably because he's a lazy sack of shit who doesnt want to go kick a ball around with him

irresponsible if you ask me

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

One last caveat:

Even if we, the US and Canada properly disposed of weapons of war (and both countries have been caught selling them to other nations) and accounted for every one, unfortunately other poor governments and gangster regimes would not, so it is not as simple as that. It is a terrible debacle we have gotten ourselves into.

 

[mattola]

it boils down to the dad ... the dad plays it ... the son sees it ... the son want to play it ... the dad lets him ... probably because he's a lazy sack of shit who doesnt want to go kick a ball around with him

irresponsible if you ask me

yeah I agree. very irresponsible.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

back to reaction:

I cannot fathom or get my head around this. It is unthinkable. I am also furious at the media for sticking microphones into these kids faces and parents faces. Go away. It is ghoulish.

Prayers to all.

 

[evolver115]

I had to learn about a bunch of studies on that topic when I was in college years ago. There was no proof then that movies and/or video games caused an increase in violent thoughts or acts in a healthy person. Maybe there have been more studies recently showing more of a link, but I haven't seen it. Doesn't Japan have some very violent movies and video games? I haven't read about incidents like today happening there very often.

Sick fucks will find inspiration anywhere.

Japan has some of the most enveloping gun control laws of any democratic country. They have gone above and beyond to eliminate gun violence in their society.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/a-land-without-guns-how-japan-has-virtually-eliminated-shooting-deaths/260189/

A good read on Japanese gun violence

To get a gun in Japan, first, you have to attend an all-day class and pass a written test, which are held only once per month. You also must take and pass a shooting range class. Then, head over to a hospital for a mental test and drug test (Japan is unusual in that potential gun owners must affirmatively prove their mental fitness), which you'll file with the police. Finally, pass a rigorous background check for any criminal record or association with criminal or extremist groups, and you will be the proud new owner of your shotgun or air rifle. Just don't forget to provide police with documentation on the specific location of the gun in your home, as well as the ammo, both of which must be locked and stored separately. And remember to have the police inspect the gun once per year and to re-take the class and exam every three years.

 

[mattola]

this truly is the most horrifying act I have ever been a witness to. I cant think of anything else that compares. I know there are moments in life that are truly grotesque and evil (mason killings) but this just ranks somewhere up at the top in my lifetime. I imagine there are others but this one is something