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Well we just had another mass shooting in Oregon. I think all of us probably have wondered about this because it seems to have become a somewhat common phenomenon. I will offer my views and look forward to the views of others. Well first we must distinguish between mass shooting involving family members or acquaintances as these involve probably some inherent instability in a person coupled with a grievance or complaint against the victims. Yet surprising not much of a difference vis-a-vis mass shootings involving strangers. It still involves an unstable person and the victims while not personally known to the perpetrator can still been seen by said attacker as a source which said attacker has a grievance or problem with. I would say that a root of a reason may be the many divisions in the world and fragmentation of humanity as well as the constant exposure to people who may be disturbing to the attacker. Also, this attacker may be using drug or alcohol which would make matters worse. Gun availability provides the attacker with a means to carry out attacks without personal contact or excessive brutality which may be contributing to said attacks. Now, I do not pretend to really know the answers so that is why I am fishing for some convincing theories and explanations.

Lost angry children coming of age as lost angry children facing peak opportunity in a society that has forgotten how to turn children into adults. Lord of the Flies meets the experiment of letting TV and video games raise your kids.

I'm generalizing here, but I think a big component here is ideological polarization and the atrophying of people's socialization skills and empathy. The internet is detached enough that it leads to people thinking of others as less than human and the main goal of life is to be "right". It kind of encourages bully-like behavior.

I also think that people have trouble finding some higher purpose to existing. The main currency of culture is fame and wealth, and even when you get it, more often you feel empty and miserable at the top of the heap. What people really want is to connect with other people and that's getting harder and harder to do as genuine social bonds erode in favor of shallow substitutes like FB likes and tinder hookups.

4 Things (not in any order)

- Mentally unstable people: Always have existed and present everywhere but a necessary ingredient.
- Social media: Unlimited opportunity for mentally unstable people to be juiced up/radicalized etc. This is new.
- Guns/Gun Culture: Somewhat unique to America, giving easy access but also now the method of choice for mass killing
- Limited opportunity: Less and less for those of marginal intelligence and social skills to do in our society which fosters "the loser" feeling

Clearly the mass shooters are deranged---either from mental illness or drug use or both.

Several of the past mass shooters have either been serious potheads or had a history of taking psychotropic drugs under prescription. I wonder what the back story on this guy will turn out to be---he certainly looks wacked out.

I would add the media sensationalizing each of the incidents and giving the perps their "15 minutes of fame". There was actually an article in this morning's paper discussing the justification made by, I think, the Associated Press that researchers needed the information to study the phenomenon therefore publishing details of the killer was a public service. I say that's bullshit. They print the name and bio of the perps for the sensational news story. If legitimate researchers need the information they shouldn't be using the press as their source. Very little of what is printed in the media or said on television is very accurate.

Of course mass shooters are mentally ill or deranged. The question is more though why they choose this venue?

dinopello wrote:- Guns/Gun Culture: Somewhat unique to America, giving easy access but also now the method of choice for mass killing

This is probably the primary reason. A sick culture fed with the constant bombardment from present day media that the gun is the ultimate way to seek personal justice and that it's your freedom and right to use it anyway you see fit. From news and entertainment on TV, to movies and games, even our politics, the mentally deficient are steered towards gun violence as being the great equalizer.

It's just becoming more apparent now with all the preaching about Ignoring laws and the lawmakers and making up your own code when things don't go your way. The gun has become an object of worship.

Zardoz Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOROvO2fxTc

I think Jman hit on to something. That is the sensationalism and 15 minutes of fame. If a person feels they have a legitimate reason for these attacks, this coverage of the attacks maybe a way for the person to make their case. Witness the fact that in many of these attacks the person directly or indirectly explains their inner turmoil and reason for attack. Also, the attention could be a factor as some of the people involved in attacks could be loners who have been unable to adequately fit in because of their views or already "weird" behavior. So the attention is a crying out for others to see them and acknowledge them rather then ignoring or ostracizing them.

planty, don't forget your media training. If it was a muslim shooter, he's a terrorist. If it's a black shooter, he's a drug addict. And if he's a white shooter, he has mental health issues (poor thing) and slipped through the cracks of the system. What it never discussed is a pathological culture. One you seem to fit in nicely with planty.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - J Krishnamurti

Apneaman wrote:Number of guns per capita by country


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of ... by_country

I'm amazed that this isn't the first reply! Instead posters are looking everywhere else first to try to pin the blame, it's ease of access to lethal weapons then it's mentally unstable people who take advantage of this easy access to lethal force.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34423534
Mercer is not believed to have a criminal history allowing him to legally own a large cache of weapons. He is shown posing with a rifle in a photograph posted online.

Just what kind of society thinks that it's OK to have more weapons in the hands of the general public than the local militia.

dolanbaker wrote:

Apneaman wrote:Number of guns per capita by country


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of ... by_country

I'm amazed that this isn't the first reply! Instead posters are looking everywhere else first to try to pin the blame, it's ease of access to lethal weapons then it's mentally unstable people who take advantage of this easy access to lethal force.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34423534
Mercer is not believed to have a criminal history allowing him to legally own a large cache of weapons. He is shown posing with a rifle in a photograph posted online.

Just what kind of society thinks that it's OK to have more weapons in the hands of the general public than the local militia.

The Swiss have lots of guns too. They just don't have a gun culture. While we have almost twice the guns per capita that they do we also have three times the death rate by guns. So, it's more than simple access. It's also our social acceptance of their use.

AP I have to thank you so much for enlightening links and a basis to understand the sick culture that is America. When greed, competition, individualism and narcissism are your values no wonder we are sick. Sick cultures produce sick people, some sicker then others hence mass shootings. Wonderful video-link to "Why American Failed" author Berman
The basis for our neurosis and pathology has roots from the founding of this country.

Lore wrote:

dolanbaker wrote:

Apneaman wrote:Number of guns per capita by country


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of ... by_country

I'm amazed that this isn't the first reply! Instead posters are looking everywhere else first to try to pin the blame, it's ease of access to lethal weapons then it's mentally unstable people who take advantage of this easy access to lethal force.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34423534
Mercer is not believed to have a criminal history allowing him to legally own a large cache of weapons. He is shown posing with a rifle in a photograph posted online.

Just what kind of society thinks that it's OK to have more weapons in the hands of the general public than the local militia.

The Swiss have lots of guns too. They just don't have a gun culture. While we have almost twice the guns per capita that they do we also have three times the death rate by guns. So, it's more than simple access. It's also our social acceptance of their use.

Yes, I agree but the Swiss see guns as a tool( they do national service and the guns are issued by the government for a specific purpose), rather than as a status symbol.

dolanbaker wrote:Yes, I agree but the Swiss see guns as a tool( they do national service and the guns are issued by the government for a specific purpose), rather than as a status symbol.

Exactly, which is what I was saying. Here we view guns as a backup to overthrow our government if it gets out of hand. That being pretty subjective and rather ridiculous on the face of it since we are well past the days of civilian/military equality in armament.