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draftsman

Mass Murder(er)s – Why?

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Hello,

 

As you probably know, just recently another massacre occurred at the Virgina tech - a student shot 32 people to death. These mass murders seem to be the phenomena linked with the Western society and appear "irrational" at least in part, since the killer usually kills people, who just happen to pass by at the time of his rampage (of course, murder is always "irrational", but mass murders are usually "irrational" (evasive) even on the "conventional" level - from the point of view of the intent behind them).

 

What do you think are the reasons/causes for such horrible acts?

 

Best regards,

Draftsman

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I think there are so many reasons for this: violence in the media, over-exposure of past similar events, the pressure to succeed, the superficiality and ignorance of some of the people on campus, their karmic heritage (none of the people who were killed that day were truly innocent, from a buddhist standpoint...), the lack of security on campus, the lack of support for potentially depressed students on campus, the overprescription of anti-depressant drugs without enough investigation into what really causes the depression, and of course, last but not least in the United States, the much-too-easy access to firearms which are becoming deadlier and deadlier. I mean, look at this guy, he killed 30 people in a matter of minutes! Talk about effective guns! I'm thinking that at the time the american forefathers included the right to bear arms in the US constitution, they never expected nor even dreamt that guns would become so efficient! Otherwise, they might not have included this right in the constitution to begin with... Christ!

 

I pray for the victims, their families, the murderer and his family... Om Mani Peme Houng Om Mani Peme Houng Om Mani Peme Houng Om Mani Peme Houng (X many many times!)

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I think it is above all about the personal responsibility of the person, who commited the crime. He acted out of disturbed emotions, out of anger. Ok, we all have got some disturbed emotions, they are searching way out to be expressed, but it is on us to express them in the most harmless way specially regarding the other sentient beings. Emotions carries a lot of energy behind, which can be used also to benefit, to be creative, to change ourselves, and nevertheless to change the society and people around. If one is angry then better for example to volunteer for digging the channels somewhere, energy would be released, good work would be done, a gap to think would be created, mind would be focused on positive self-image and one would get grounded. This you cannot get from society, this you give to the society you live in.

 

Kind regards,

Simona

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Hello,

I think there are so many reasons for this: ... the superficiality and ignorance of some of the people on campus, their karmic heritage (none of the people who were killed that day were truly innocent, from a buddhist standpoint...)
I think it is above all about the personal responsability of the person, who commited the crime. He acted out of disturbed emotions, out of anger.

I find interesting what you both mention: the question of responsibility. The man, who shot the people, made the video in which he said things like "you pushed me in the corner ... I will not back down this time ... You will have blood on your hands", as if the other people on campus are responsible for his acts (and even if this could have been true - he shot people randomly not selectively). Similarly, in the West people are not used to accept the view that the victims met their karma - of course not that they are "guilty", but in the sense that they created the causes to experience suffering. It seems that "we the people" have the tendency to blame others for our problems.

 

last but not least in the United States, the much-too-easy access to firearms which are becoming deadlier and deadlier. I mean, look at this guy, he killed 30 people in a matter of minutes! Talk about effective guns!

I agree with you that there are many reasons behind such act. Access to firearms is surely one of them. Interestingly, there are states like Canada and Switzerland with similar firearms per people ratio and much less crimes involving guns. On the other hand, in one of the South-American states the number of firearms increased recently and so did the violent crimes - subsequently. Obviously, a complex issue.

 

Best regards,

Draftsman

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Good morning!

 

I have noticed in different professional literature the responsibility is based mainly on the authority in the sense of having the power, validity, being in the position to government or to manage. From this aspect, it could appear as that what ever happen on the level of the society, it is mainly the responsibility of those, who are in the position of the authority. Even more, that what ever happen on the level of the individual as well is the responsibility of those, who are in the position of the authority. I do not deny the meaning of the responsibility of those who are in the authority. Far from that. As well, I am not saying that the individual responsibilty is not acknowledged at all, yet it seems to me it is kind of "resting and relaxing somewhere in the shadow".

 

I wish the individuals would act more on the basis of their free will and not because they are pushed to act as they act. That tendency can also be observed in the economy, for example. In one report about the economic development, we can read in Slovenia there is a high level of the number of the people, who decide to run the business, mainly not because they would wish it, but because they feel forced to do it and as a consequence there is quite poor creativity and positive energy. This is just one example, which I believe does not show the whole picture, yet it can demostrate the atmosphere I was talking about in the upper paragraph.

 

The truth is the most probably somewhere between, just as the meeting point of the society and the individual, as well.

 

Kind regards,

Simona

 

nb: as about the Swiss... http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/i...647764620070502

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