the absence of empathy in our society

before we continue, here are my usual disclaimers. i will discuss delicate content matter such as school shootings. if you are uncomfortable with the topic, you’re free to move on. i have.. debatable opinions on this subject so if you’re prone to getting pissy about internet strangers and their beliefs, beware. if you believe i am doing something wrong by discussing such a topic, block—don’t report. other than that you may read on.

often times when school shootings occur, the media jumps on the story like a pack of wild animals. i don’t blame news outlets for its televised coverage, but many self proclaimed journalists with influence tend to sway public opinion. when it comes to anything really, you’re going to find two groups of people. the influencers and the easily influenced. the easily influenced cannot think for themselves and follow whatever they’re told. in america especially, where media literacy is rarely practiced, many people fail to consume content critically. for a relevant example, the “satanic panic” of the late 90s were sky high. after the events of columbine, many reporters claimed that violent video games and television influenced the perpetrators, dylan klebold and eric harris to commit such a crime. parents (who i dont blame for being terrified of what their kids were capable of) were quick to blame the exact same things that the mainstream media was peddling. this mob mentality is what makes society such a dangerous place for anyone to grow up in. each school shooting that occurs, no sympathy is garnered for the perpetrators. i can understand to an extent. i do not excuse or condone their actions in any way. but.. going as far as to call them monsters is truly disgusting. believe it or not, they were kids too. they were damaged kids who deserved help, but didn’t get it from a flawed system that was supposed to help prevent these things. your society that claims to care about people like us just chews us up to spit us back out. and to go as far as to alienate them further after you pushed them to do such thing is typical. there is no empathy for the mentally ill, the system is not on your side. so naturally, people feel inclined to rebel against what they believe represents the system. sure, it’s not practical or ethically right to shoot up your school because of it. really, it’s counterproductive. but do you think someone who’s been berated to that point gives a shit? your society breeds shooters, it is a society with no empathy and no way out, so don’t come crying when you get blood on your hands. these perpetrators deserved empathy, they deserved a chance that they were never given. you’ll never get anywhere by passing the blame, all you’re doing is passing the torch. so next time you see another dead kid’s photo in the news, remember the community you live in and feign surprise.

end of entry disclaimer because i am fully aware of the people who have zero interest in learning the perspectives of others. yes, the victims of these events did not deserve what happened to them. i truly feel sorry for those who have lost their lives unfairly due to these events and i cannot imagine the insurmountable grief their families carry because of it. this is simply a criticism of the surrounding community and their refusal to contribute to a solution. i have nothing but respect and solidarity for the victims—i do not intend to disrespect them in any way. i am just tired of seeing the same story that could’ve been prevented every month. 

(this has been crossposted to my blog on tumblr @infrxred)