bitflipper
Actually, although I normally eschew such touchy-feely sociological fantasies, in this case I think the kid really is a victim. I just don't know of what.
 
Think about it this way...kids aren't born with the desire to shoot people or bomb schools, they have to learn that.
 
School shootings are a recent phenomenon, even though guns, teen impulsiveness, insecurity and fascination with violence are not. You have to wonder what's changed. 

I wonder if it may have something to do with the technology that allows us to have a virtual peer group. In the days before school shootings were popular, if you wanted to commit mayhem you were pretty much on your own. You might be able to find a couple of buddies in your town who were into raping the teacher or fire bombing the orphanage, but more likely than not if you suggested those amusements to your classmates, you would be met by considerable negative peer pressure. Now, when most of us have imaginary friends who we only know from forums and social media, and when television stops everything to show us helicopter shots of wounded students running across the school yard, it is easier to identify with the acts of a disturbed individual three states away.  

Thank you J

Actually: LINK School shootings are not something new.
 
J

According to my teachers, I was a disturbed kid. They even had the psychologist evaluate me because I was drawing "disturbing things" - horror movie and heavy metal inspired images. Demons eating brains, and such. I do think I was odd, but totally sane, because I was perfectly aware of the line between that fictional world and reality.
 
I also had trouble fitting in, I was bullied, though irregularly. My dad had guns at home - which I had access to. Actually, the old man often threatened to use his guns for a variety of purpose when he was drunk. Me, I'd learned how to shoot a riffle as a cadet when I was 12.
 
I listened to the meanest music I could find - it never was heavy enough. I loved horror movies, dressed all in black, had the all-time record for skipping classes, hung out in the cemetery, got drunk, got high, hated authority - but very passively.
 
NEVER EVER did it cross my mind that violence was an option to handle my problems. It wasn't something I could even have conceived.
 
I thank my mother for that. The way she raised me and the way she somehow always knew what I was up to, and if I did something stupid, I couldn't get away with it - I was shown just how stupid it was. That was a thing in my days - your mother always knew. And she talked with me. A lot. And made me understand. She didn't want me just to do the right thing just to avoid being caught, she wanted me to understand and do it, always. 
 
And it's something that she instilled so deeply that, no matter how I can theorize and rationalize things, ultimately, respect for others - regardless of how I perceive them - is always mandatory. Even if no one's looking, even if there's no camera. 
 
But I don't think the rest of my generation was brought up to the same ethics (if they were actually brought up) - and we see the results. I can't imagine when this new generation get kids of their own. It's hard to imagine that they'll be able to push the bar even lower.
 
Another huge difference I see is that, back in my days, it wasn't just my parents but all the parents in the neighbourhood who kept watch. And we respected adults. If you did anything stupid, any one of them would grab you by the wrist and drag you to your mom or dad.
 
Nowadays, the opposite is happening. Adults are scared of kids. If you see a kid doing something stupid, you don't want to get involved. Call 911 and let a professional handle it.
 

Rain
According to my teachers, I was a disturbed kid. They even had the psychologist evaluate me because I was drawing "disturbing things" - horror movie and heavy metal inspired images. Demons eating brains, and such. I do think I was odd, but totally sane, because I was perfectly aware of the line between that fictional world and reality.
 
I also had trouble fitting in, I was bullied, though irregularly. My dad had guns at home - which I had access to. Actually, the old man often threatened to use his guns for a variety of purpose when he was drunk. Me, I'd learned how to shoot a riffle as a cadet when I was 12.
 
I listened to the meanest music I could find - it never was heavy enough. I loved horror movies, dressed all in black, had the all-time record for skipping classes, hung out in the cemetery, got drunk, got high, hated authority - but very passively.
 
NEVER EVER did it cross my mind that violence was an option to handle my problems. It wasn't something I could even have conceived.
 
I thank my mother for that. The way she raised me and the way she somehow always knew what I was up to, and if I did something stupid, I couldn't get away with it - I was shown just how stupid it was. That was a thing in my days - your mother always knew. And she talked with me. A lot. And made me understand. She didn't want me just to do the right thing just to avoid being caught, she wanted me to understand and do it, always. 
 
And it's something that she instilled so deeply that, no matter how I can theorize and rationalize things, ultimately, respect for others - regardless of how I perceive them - is always mandatory. Even if no one's looking, even if there's no camera. 
 
But I don't think the rest of my generation was brought up to the same ethics (if they were actually brought up) - and we see the results. I can't imagine when this new generation get kids of their own. It's hard to imagine that they'll be able to push the bar even lower.
 
Another huge difference I see is that, back in my days, it wasn't just my parents but all the parents in the neighbourhood who kept watch. And we respected adults. If you did anything stupid, any one of them would grab you by the wrist and drag you to your mom or dad.
 
Nowadays, the opposite is happening. Adults are scared of kids. If you see a kid doing something stupid, you don't want to get involved. Call 911 and let a professional handle it.
 

 
I recall my neighbors having some authority over me as well.  Now kids tell adults "you 'ain't my dad [link=mailto:%@#%"]%@#%"[/link] .  Oddly though I had very little supervision at home and mostly raised myself, so who knows why kids turn out how they do.
 
rain i think it is awesome how you were raised!

jbow
Actually: LINK School shootings are not something new.
 
J

I was part of one of those... (1979)

I think there is a LOT more pressure on kids now days, as they are all connected to each other ALL the time.
 
It used to be one of us would maybe say something dumb, but it wouldn't get shared with more than a small number of people.
 
Now, if you accidentally wear white past Labor Day, it's on TMZ, or whatever, because at any time, a single brain fart comment could be seen by every person who is close and important to you.  My son is spending just about every waking moment buried in his phone.
 
Bob Bone
 
 

robert_e_bone
I think there is a LOT more pressure on kids now days, as they are all connson'sed to each other ALL the time.
 
It used to be one of us would maybe say something dumb, but it wouldn't get shared with more than a small number of people.
 
Now, if you accidentally wear white past Labor Day, it's on TMZ, or whatever, because at any time, a single brain fart comment could be seen by every person who is close and important to you.  My son is spending just about every waking moment buried in his phone.
 
Bob Bone
 
 

So true. Embarassing situations are now amplified and even viral at times. In the incident at my son's school, authorities actually made it worse by embarrassing the kid in front of everyone. So glad he won't be back at the school but . I fear he has found more rationale to justify his hate in his mind.

craigb

jbow
Actually: LINK School shootings are not something new.
 
J

I was part of one of those... (1979)

 I Don't Like Mondays? 

sharke

craigb

jbow
Actually: LINK School shootings are not something new.
 
J

I was part of one of those... (1979)

 I Don't Like Mondays? 

Yep.