Quote:
Originally Posted by Envitro
The one thing I'll say, regardless of guns, is is anybody asking the question of "Why?"
Why is this happening so frequently? It's not like the gun or the availability of guns causes people to go on a shooting rampage?
I'm really interested in the root cause of this systemic issue in the U.S.
Now, I guess we have to be really careful since we can't talk about the U.S. as a contiguous nation when it comes to gun laws, cultural, or socio-economic factors, but I'd love to hear some theories on why this is an issue in the U.S.
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Look at American culture (forgive my generalizations here). The strong and the free, liberty for all, the greatest country in the world, anyone can make it, rags to riches stories, celebrity worship, exceptionalism, etc. Americans are conditioned from birth that they are the greatest and are bold, brash, confident and full of self-belief, even when entirely unwarranted. It is these qualities that have inspired true greatness and amazing achievements by many amazing people, but also allow stupid, troubled, or angry people to act out their beliefs with no self-reflection or filters. More hubris, less shame.
The reality is that most people are just average (in fact 50% are below average
) and will never achieve the success that is their 'entitlement'. Obviously this is true in any society but i feel that self-expectations are just higher in the US and arguably harder to meet than elsewhere. Then there's a whole industry around stoking these disappointments and finding blame. While there is a strong aspect of racism, xenophobia, and intolerance to this it is more than that, it's a culture of grievance. People complain, people sue, people road rage, people blame government and resist authority. If I don't achieve the success I deserve it's someone else's fault. (and yes it often is someone else's fault with the more extreme disparity in economic and social conditions). Add in mental illness as an amplifier.
America has a culture of violence. Revolution, civil war, glorification of the military, continuous military conflict, gang warfare, violent movies, violent video games, personal conflict, settling things 'man to man'. It's no surprise when someone with a grievance turns to violence, whether it's against immigrants who stole their job, gays who are predating their kids, teachers who bullied them, etc. While these factors exist elsewhere they are amplified in the US.
Now add in guns, both their availability and the fetishization of them. AR15s are an efficient killing machine and look cool AF, just like the weapons we see on the big screen and use on the small screen everyday. The ones that are fondled and polished before every battle scene, the ones that we always pick in call of duty (when is the last time you used a bolt action rifle in a FPS game?). The ones that every hero uses to go out with a blaze of glory, killing all those people who deserve to die. Yes we all see those same movies and play those games but we don't all have the easy ability to recreate them.
Put it all together - a high degree of entitlement, low degree of self-awareness (among some), unrealistic expectations, violence as mainstream, and a ubiquitous gun culture - and it's no wonder there are more violent outbreaks in the US than elsewhere.