shutterfiend
cheap and lazy
A gruesome incident that left 33 dead and several others wounded in an otherwise reputable school here in the U.S. How could this have happened? What may have urged the gunman to carry out such a heinous deed? What could have been done to prevent it from happening?
It’s the last two questions that I’d like to focus on in this essay. The gunman, Cho’s creative writings have been described as “macabre” and “twisted” in the following article.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18155081/
The script of the play in question, “Richard McBeef”, describes a 13 year old being adolescent with his step father who in turn loses his temper. Epithets used in the play highlight current events. The script sounds cheap and commercial. But compared to the shows on National Primetime, I didn’t find it any more “macabre” or “twisted”.
On the other hand, I had to fight the urge to punch the computer screen as I listened to the English professor’s testimony on how disturbed the young man was and how badly he needed counseling (the video is right next to the article in the link).
Imagine a young adult, whose parents emigrated from Korea when he was no older than five. His parents have no way to relate to him (parents of young adults usually don’t, immigrants or otherwise). He has been referred to in this and other articles as being a loner. So he probably has no one to vent to about his English professor, who finds his writings grotesque. This in turn intensifies his distaste towards “rich and spoiled” kids, whose writings are perhaps equally “macabre” and “twisted” but are not subject to harsh criticism as his are. Criticism leads to isolation. Isolation leads to anger, which in turn, leads to this horrific massacre.
Again, this in no justification for what he has done. The acts are appalling and condemnable. But, he might not have acted so violently if he wasn’t so extremely estranged. Perhaps the outcome could have been different if this young man was treated with compassion instead.
I apologize in advance if anyone is offended by my opinion. I apologize further for this essay having nothing to do with photography. I choose to think that looking through various viewfinders make photographers open to differing viewpoints.
It’s the last two questions that I’d like to focus on in this essay. The gunman, Cho’s creative writings have been described as “macabre” and “twisted” in the following article.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18155081/
The script of the play in question, “Richard McBeef”, describes a 13 year old being adolescent with his step father who in turn loses his temper. Epithets used in the play highlight current events. The script sounds cheap and commercial. But compared to the shows on National Primetime, I didn’t find it any more “macabre” or “twisted”.
On the other hand, I had to fight the urge to punch the computer screen as I listened to the English professor’s testimony on how disturbed the young man was and how badly he needed counseling (the video is right next to the article in the link).
Imagine a young adult, whose parents emigrated from Korea when he was no older than five. His parents have no way to relate to him (parents of young adults usually don’t, immigrants or otherwise). He has been referred to in this and other articles as being a loner. So he probably has no one to vent to about his English professor, who finds his writings grotesque. This in turn intensifies his distaste towards “rich and spoiled” kids, whose writings are perhaps equally “macabre” and “twisted” but are not subject to harsh criticism as his are. Criticism leads to isolation. Isolation leads to anger, which in turn, leads to this horrific massacre.
Again, this in no justification for what he has done. The acts are appalling and condemnable. But, he might not have acted so violently if he wasn’t so extremely estranged. Perhaps the outcome could have been different if this young man was treated with compassion instead.
I apologize in advance if anyone is offended by my opinion. I apologize further for this essay having nothing to do with photography. I choose to think that looking through various viewfinders make photographers open to differing viewpoints.
andersju
Well-known
That's one of the more sensible posts on the matter that I've read. Most people - including all the Swedes that I have discussed it with - have talked about guns and gun control (and video games...), but I think social pressure is a much bigger factor in this. Slashdot published an excellent article series with comments from teenagers - nerds, geeks, and other non-conformists more specifically - in America on how they were treated in school post-Columbine. Scary reading: Voices from the Hellmouth - More Stories From The Hellmouth - The Price of Being Different.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
I concur with you, Shutterfiend. The guy had no outlet before... and while the results of his actions are shocking, the problem that remains is this: how could anyone foresee he was taking the violent path?
With all due respect I am closing this thread and request that this particular topic be brought to a more apporpriate forum. It is a very timely post, and a topic worthy of discussion.
We have had this specific discussion at RFF many times before and it has fallen into tiresome flame wars each time.
I know I am jumping the gun, but I am not waiting for this to turn into a mess before stopping it.
Let's get back to the photo forum thing.
We have had this specific discussion at RFF many times before and it has fallen into tiresome flame wars each time.
I know I am jumping the gun, but I am not waiting for this to turn into a mess before stopping it.
Let's get back to the photo forum thing.
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