A Gallop poll released this month of nearly 150,000 people around the
world says seven of the world's 10 countries with the most upbeat
attitudes are in Latin America. can you believe it? Latin America! There
is higher positive emotionality in these countries that in the wealthy
ones or extremely poor. Apparently humans need not be kings or queens to
find happiness. To find out happiness level, Gallup asked about 1,000
people in each of 148 countries last year if they were well rested, had
been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did
something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment the previous day.
Contentment with one's economic condition was not factored into the
survey.
Here is the list of most happy and most sad with the percentage of respondents who said they were happiest or saddest:
MOST POSITIVE TOP TEN
1. PANAMA and PARAGUAY- 85%
3. EL SALVADOR- 84%
4. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO- 83%
6. THAILAND and GUATEMALA- 82%
8. PHILIPPINES- 82%
9 ECUADOR and COSTA RICA- 81%
LEAST POSITIVE TOP NINE
1. SINGAPORE- Only 46% said they were happy
2. ARMENIA- 49%
3. IRAQ- 50%
4. GEORGIA, SERBIA and YEMEN- 52%
7. BELARUS- 53%
8. LITHUANIA and MADAGASCAR- 54%
One
common characteristic about these happy countries is they have a
culture that focuses on positives such as friends, family and religion,
this despite daily lives that can be difficult. Feeling unhappy is part
of the national mentality, probably because their is not the obsession
with gaining economically as in the less happy ones. Or perhaps they
just think they are happier, because happy and sad are highly subjective
states.
The wealthiest nation in the world, the United States,
answered 34th. And the most of the more developed nations and poorest
countries tended to be in the middle to bottom of the ranking. It's a
highly subjective poll/fun poll but seems to agree with the old adage
that says that, "Money can't buy happiness."
Friday, December 28, 2012
After Christmas, Artificial New Year's Eve
Another Christmas is over. I find it kind of sad when Christmas ends.
It's a genuine celebration in which people try to be kinder and more
gentle toward others. That's probably why we westerners don't care as
much for the New Year's Eve routine as do Asians, Mid easterners, and
Africans. New Year's Eve is anti climactic for many of us, a
disappointing almost phony day to "change the calendar". Does anyone
really think that the arbitrary "New Year" day is different from the
last day of the previous calendar year? Why that diapered Baby New Year
symbol looks more ridiculous and less possible than even the images of
Santa.
As an adult I never did celebrate New Year's Eve. It's too many people trying too hard to have fun about an event they know is not real, but that has been created by advertisers and commercial businesses. It's bad enough that the drunks are encouraged to drink until they can't see anymore (all the while driving their automobiles and killing the sober people who happened to be in their a way), but the amateur drinkers come out to cause even more damage to society. Nothing is worse and more unpleasant than a non drinker on New Year's Eve who thinks he or she has to drink alcohol to the point of inebriation. Someone should spike their whiskey with milk.
My only good remembrances of New Year's holiday was those that happened when I was a child. We used to shoot fireworks all week and on New Year's Eve night. We weren't celebrating, we were blowing things up with our heavy duty fireworks and having a lot of fun doing do. Once as an 11 year old, a handful of bottle rockets ignited while I held them in my hand (a "punk", the tall sticks we used to light our firecrackers that I held in my other hand somehow touched the ignition on one of the rockets and set them all off). I merely ran inside, treated the burns and within an hour was shooting them again.
New Year's was nothing more for we kids than a time to shoot fireworks. Today's kids don't have the opportunity to shoot them as we did because the grown-ups have banned them in many places in the U.S., on the grounds that they are too dangerous. Ironic, huh? The same grownups who drink themselves sick and who kill and main so many others with their vehicles New Year's Eve because of it, have decided to legislate fireworks and not their much more dangerous alcohol.
So this New Year's Eve I will stay at home, away from that celebration without a cause and the carnage that follows. May your 2013 be a safe and happy one beginning New Year's Day.
As an adult I never did celebrate New Year's Eve. It's too many people trying too hard to have fun about an event they know is not real, but that has been created by advertisers and commercial businesses. It's bad enough that the drunks are encouraged to drink until they can't see anymore (all the while driving their automobiles and killing the sober people who happened to be in their a way), but the amateur drinkers come out to cause even more damage to society. Nothing is worse and more unpleasant than a non drinker on New Year's Eve who thinks he or she has to drink alcohol to the point of inebriation. Someone should spike their whiskey with milk.
My only good remembrances of New Year's holiday was those that happened when I was a child. We used to shoot fireworks all week and on New Year's Eve night. We weren't celebrating, we were blowing things up with our heavy duty fireworks and having a lot of fun doing do. Once as an 11 year old, a handful of bottle rockets ignited while I held them in my hand (a "punk", the tall sticks we used to light our firecrackers that I held in my other hand somehow touched the ignition on one of the rockets and set them all off). I merely ran inside, treated the burns and within an hour was shooting them again.
New Year's was nothing more for we kids than a time to shoot fireworks. Today's kids don't have the opportunity to shoot them as we did because the grown-ups have banned them in many places in the U.S., on the grounds that they are too dangerous. Ironic, huh? The same grownups who drink themselves sick and who kill and main so many others with their vehicles New Year's Eve because of it, have decided to legislate fireworks and not their much more dangerous alcohol.
So this New Year's Eve I will stay at home, away from that celebration without a cause and the carnage that follows. May your 2013 be a safe and happy one beginning New Year's Day.
Monday, December 24, 2012
What Kids Say To Santa Then and Now
I was thinking today about Santa Claus. No, not about asking
some fat, sweaty guy for material goods. I was instead thinking about
those mall Santa's, wondering what the kids who sit on their laps at
Christmas time ask him to bring for Christmas. After all, I am as old as
Santa, have an increasingly large waist, once played Santa in a
background shot of a TV movie, and I the white beard of a Santa. No need
to attach a fake beard on me!
But I wouldn't want to be a full time Santa. I think after an hour or so of runny nose brats coughing in Santa's face, peeing on his best red suit and questioning if he is "real" or not, I would have enough of that gig. My curiosity is as to what those kids ask Santa to bring them and about what they say to him when they sit on his lap. Given that many past Santa's have written books those thoughts in past years and we have those comments on file, I wonder if kids today ask and speak to Santa in much the same way as they did when you and I were the children pooing on Santa's red suit. Can we tell anything about both kids today and about society as a whole by comparing Santa talk now to earlier generations? Hmmm That might make a great psychology thesis for some fat white bearded, grad student.
Since I am not going to subject myself to being a mall Santa to find out the answer, I have to do what I do best, escape reality and imagine the answer to those questions. I'm guessing that today's kids are not only more spoiled and badly behaved but also allot harder to love. He are some things they used to tell Santa in ...say 1955 followed by what they probably say to Santa in 2012.
Then- On greeting Santa and sitting on his lap, "I love you Santa."
Now- "What's up Fatso"!
Then- " Santa anything you can give to my little brother would be wonderful. He is such a good boy.
Now- " Listen you piece of lard, if you give me clothes again this year I'll tell the police that you molested me.
Then- "I would love a candy cane, Santa."
Now- "You probably eat all the candy anyway, forget candy in the stocking this year. You really should lose some of that blubber, Fat man"
Then- "I will leave milk and cookies for you under the tree, Santa"
Now- "I scored some mary jane last week from a dealer. I'll leave you a few joints to help you digest all those stale cookies those kids leave."
Then- " Nothing for me, Dear Santa. I only want you to make mommy and daddy happy."
Now- " My parents are cheap misers. Give it to me all this year...in cash!
Then- "Santa, grandma is so sick that she lives with us. Please help make her well.
Now- " My creepy grandma moved in with us, smells and coughs all day. They claim she is sick. Just get rid of her and my life will be normal again."
Then- "I don't need any toys this year, just more love and happiness for the world."
Now- "This is just a preliminary list, blimp stomach. I will e mail you the rest later!"
On second thought, forget this crazy Santa idea of mine. Ho Ho Ho
But I wouldn't want to be a full time Santa. I think after an hour or so of runny nose brats coughing in Santa's face, peeing on his best red suit and questioning if he is "real" or not, I would have enough of that gig. My curiosity is as to what those kids ask Santa to bring them and about what they say to him when they sit on his lap. Given that many past Santa's have written books those thoughts in past years and we have those comments on file, I wonder if kids today ask and speak to Santa in much the same way as they did when you and I were the children pooing on Santa's red suit. Can we tell anything about both kids today and about society as a whole by comparing Santa talk now to earlier generations? Hmmm That might make a great psychology thesis for some fat white bearded, grad student.
Since I am not going to subject myself to being a mall Santa to find out the answer, I have to do what I do best, escape reality and imagine the answer to those questions. I'm guessing that today's kids are not only more spoiled and badly behaved but also allot harder to love. He are some things they used to tell Santa in ...say 1955 followed by what they probably say to Santa in 2012.
Then- On greeting Santa and sitting on his lap, "I love you Santa."
Now- "What's up Fatso"!
Then- " Santa anything you can give to my little brother would be wonderful. He is such a good boy.
Now- " Listen you piece of lard, if you give me clothes again this year I'll tell the police that you molested me.
Then- "I would love a candy cane, Santa."
Now- "You probably eat all the candy anyway, forget candy in the stocking this year. You really should lose some of that blubber, Fat man"
Then- "I will leave milk and cookies for you under the tree, Santa"
Now- "I scored some mary jane last week from a dealer. I'll leave you a few joints to help you digest all those stale cookies those kids leave."
Then- " Nothing for me, Dear Santa. I only want you to make mommy and daddy happy."
Now- " My parents are cheap misers. Give it to me all this year...in cash!
Then- "Santa, grandma is so sick that she lives with us. Please help make her well.
Now- " My creepy grandma moved in with us, smells and coughs all day. They claim she is sick. Just get rid of her and my life will be normal again."
Then- "I don't need any toys this year, just more love and happiness for the world."
Now- "This is just a preliminary list, blimp stomach. I will e mail you the rest later!"
On second thought, forget this crazy Santa idea of mine. Ho Ho Ho
Those Doom Predictions
The ancient Mayan calendar (combined with a dash of New Age mysticism
and people stoned on their favorite drugs) allegedly recently predicted
that on December 12, 2012 the world would end. Unless I am typing this
in a dream state (for you anything you read from me is probably better
termed a "nightmare"), I think those nuts who believe in ancient
prophesies can come out of their caves now. Seems to me our universe is
still intact.
It's curious how many humans believe in such garbage...that Nostradamus left "predictions" for modern humans, than The Mayan Indians were fortune tellers and on and on. There are more crazy doom sources than one can list and a whole group of morons who believe in them. We used to laugh at the guy with the, "The World Will End Tomorrow" sign. Now we debate whether the prediction will come true. I wonder how much of the acceptance of the silly is due to lack of education and how much with simple disillusionment with the world in which we live. Too, the Internet and the free flow of "information" puts every crazy theory on an equal plane with those based on the scientific method. If you have a wacky idea you can find someone who agrees with you on some web site.
But what are some serious things that science says that could suddenly end the world or cause a catastrophic calamity? How about these.
* A new plague- The bubonic plagues of the past have ravaged the world. Now scientists say a newer stronger plague, probably starting in one of the overcrowded impoverished areas of an under developed nation is a possibility. Hmmm If there is a plague I bet there will be almost as many movies made about it as people who die from it.
* Solar flares- While NASA says that there is no real danger from this year's possible solar flare-ups, others believe that the solar storm could completely disable the world's satellites and electronics. Just think how many cell phone nuts couldn't bear life without their annoying phones after a solar storm....could lead to mass suicide among the cell nuts. Well, this proves that there is some good among disaster.
* The Rapture- Just like the Mayan predictions, this one has been a dud, failing to come to fruition several times already. The Rapture (The Second Coming of Christ that will occur in stages) is another of the biblical predictions that organized religion likes to throw out to remind us to listen to every non sequitor they dish out.
* World economic market crash- This would be the final crash that breaks the world's back and throws us back into the dark ages. I thought were were already having that?
* Nuclear war- Now that Lil Kim of North Korea is dead and gone, his little progeny Lil Kim II seems just as crazy as daddy. Maybe II will decide to have fun with his new technology and start firing away. Fortunately, Arnold Swarzenagger and Sylvester Stallon, older but ready to rescue us, will probably disable Lil Kim II before he can fire.
* Super volcanoes- The eruption of this or any super volcano could cause another ice age. But this would disappoint the global warming nuts since they have already promised we are all going to die soon from man made warmth.
* Waking up- Are we all just dreaming now and will we awaken to find out we weren't really in our man made world of Reality TV, cell phone mania, and mass ignorance? I hope so!
* Alien attacks- Scientists are discovering more and more evidence of life on other planets. While the current examples are closer to single celled amoebas than blaster wielding lizards from those terrible science fiction films of Hollywood, there is no telling when our celestial neighbors will pay us a visit. If we are lucky they will visit Snookie first and learn there is no intelligent life on earth and that it isn't worth zapping us after all.
* Asteroid collision- The last time the earth was hit by an asteroid it destroyed the dinosaurs and Russian scientists have determined that a giant asteroid called Apophis will likely collide with the earth on April 13, 2036. But then...who trusts the Russians to be capable of getting anything right.
Are you sufficiently worried now? I don't know about you but I'm gonna get me a crash helmet and hunker down.
It's curious how many humans believe in such garbage...that Nostradamus left "predictions" for modern humans, than The Mayan Indians were fortune tellers and on and on. There are more crazy doom sources than one can list and a whole group of morons who believe in them. We used to laugh at the guy with the, "The World Will End Tomorrow" sign. Now we debate whether the prediction will come true. I wonder how much of the acceptance of the silly is due to lack of education and how much with simple disillusionment with the world in which we live. Too, the Internet and the free flow of "information" puts every crazy theory on an equal plane with those based on the scientific method. If you have a wacky idea you can find someone who agrees with you on some web site.
But what are some serious things that science says that could suddenly end the world or cause a catastrophic calamity? How about these.
* A new plague- The bubonic plagues of the past have ravaged the world. Now scientists say a newer stronger plague, probably starting in one of the overcrowded impoverished areas of an under developed nation is a possibility. Hmmm If there is a plague I bet there will be almost as many movies made about it as people who die from it.
* Solar flares- While NASA says that there is no real danger from this year's possible solar flare-ups, others believe that the solar storm could completely disable the world's satellites and electronics. Just think how many cell phone nuts couldn't bear life without their annoying phones after a solar storm....could lead to mass suicide among the cell nuts. Well, this proves that there is some good among disaster.
* The Rapture- Just like the Mayan predictions, this one has been a dud, failing to come to fruition several times already. The Rapture (The Second Coming of Christ that will occur in stages) is another of the biblical predictions that organized religion likes to throw out to remind us to listen to every non sequitor they dish out.
* World economic market crash- This would be the final crash that breaks the world's back and throws us back into the dark ages. I thought were were already having that?
* Nuclear war- Now that Lil Kim of North Korea is dead and gone, his little progeny Lil Kim II seems just as crazy as daddy. Maybe II will decide to have fun with his new technology and start firing away. Fortunately, Arnold Swarzenagger and Sylvester Stallon, older but ready to rescue us, will probably disable Lil Kim II before he can fire.
* Super volcanoes- The eruption of this or any super volcano could cause another ice age. But this would disappoint the global warming nuts since they have already promised we are all going to die soon from man made warmth.
* Waking up- Are we all just dreaming now and will we awaken to find out we weren't really in our man made world of Reality TV, cell phone mania, and mass ignorance? I hope so!
* Alien attacks- Scientists are discovering more and more evidence of life on other planets. While the current examples are closer to single celled amoebas than blaster wielding lizards from those terrible science fiction films of Hollywood, there is no telling when our celestial neighbors will pay us a visit. If we are lucky they will visit Snookie first and learn there is no intelligent life on earth and that it isn't worth zapping us after all.
* Asteroid collision- The last time the earth was hit by an asteroid it destroyed the dinosaurs and Russian scientists have determined that a giant asteroid called Apophis will likely collide with the earth on April 13, 2036. But then...who trusts the Russians to be capable of getting anything right.
Are you sufficiently worried now? I don't know about you but I'm gonna get me a crash helmet and hunker down.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Have A Merry KFC Christmas
While munching on my traditional gingerbread snap cookies I
learned about another Christmas tradition in, of all places, Japan. It's
uh, weird, I think. Anyway, the western cultural contamination of Asia
is a thorough one as can be seen by Asian, fashion, music, food ...just
about everything. But leave it to the non Christian nation of Japan to
invent their own version of the Christian holiday tradition.
And what is the biggest Christian tradition in Japan? It's the Japanese version of Christmas dinner......to make reservations to get a table at KFC. Yes, the traditional Christmas meal is a bucket of chicken and fixens at KFC. It is so popular and well marketed that reservations may have to be made to eat at a KFC on Christmas in Japan. Wow! How did Mc Donald's miss out on that tradition? Well, I guess nothing says Christmas better than a decorated tree or a visit from Santa that a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
KFC started its first Christmas meal in 1974, one featuring fried chicken, and wine for a high price at the time of about $10. This KFC meal was introduced around the time that people in Japan began celebrating a Christmas holiday with specially decorated Christmas cakes, but, well, they didn't have a Christmas meal. KFC outsmarted the other American fast food restaurants that the Japanese liked and filled that void. KFC says these days their business in Japan jumps tenfold on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the chain starts making Christmas KFC restaurant meals reservations in early October.
But alas! KFC has some Chicken Christmas dinner meal competition now. Convenience stores in Japan now sell fried chicken year round, while more upscale restaurants offer their own Christmas dinners to attract couples looking for a romantic night out. Wow! I hope those romances don't end Christmas night over a fight about whether the man gets to eat the breast! Uh, that's chicken breast. Anyway, KFC’s has countered those other Christmas chicken meal impostors with a Christmas party barrel for two.
All of this begs more questions about Christmas in Japan.. First, do the kids leave KFC for Santa when he drops by with presents Christmas day? How ridiculous does Colonel Sanders look dressed in his Santa outfit? Is fired rice an option with that KFC chicken meal? Should I add "going to Japan at Christmas and eating a KFC Chicken Christmas meal" to my bucket list. And, have those gingerbread snaps make me hallucinate and create this crazy KFC chicken meal story?
Congratulations and Merry Christmas to everyone in Japan. Santa KFC is bringing you Type 2 diabetes for Christmas.
And what is the biggest Christian tradition in Japan? It's the Japanese version of Christmas dinner......to make reservations to get a table at KFC. Yes, the traditional Christmas meal is a bucket of chicken and fixens at KFC. It is so popular and well marketed that reservations may have to be made to eat at a KFC on Christmas in Japan. Wow! How did Mc Donald's miss out on that tradition? Well, I guess nothing says Christmas better than a decorated tree or a visit from Santa that a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
KFC started its first Christmas meal in 1974, one featuring fried chicken, and wine for a high price at the time of about $10. This KFC meal was introduced around the time that people in Japan began celebrating a Christmas holiday with specially decorated Christmas cakes, but, well, they didn't have a Christmas meal. KFC outsmarted the other American fast food restaurants that the Japanese liked and filled that void. KFC says these days their business in Japan jumps tenfold on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the chain starts making Christmas KFC restaurant meals reservations in early October.
But alas! KFC has some Chicken Christmas dinner meal competition now. Convenience stores in Japan now sell fried chicken year round, while more upscale restaurants offer their own Christmas dinners to attract couples looking for a romantic night out. Wow! I hope those romances don't end Christmas night over a fight about whether the man gets to eat the breast! Uh, that's chicken breast. Anyway, KFC’s has countered those other Christmas chicken meal impostors with a Christmas party barrel for two.
All of this begs more questions about Christmas in Japan.. First, do the kids leave KFC for Santa when he drops by with presents Christmas day? How ridiculous does Colonel Sanders look dressed in his Santa outfit? Is fired rice an option with that KFC chicken meal? Should I add "going to Japan at Christmas and eating a KFC Chicken Christmas meal" to my bucket list. And, have those gingerbread snaps make me hallucinate and create this crazy KFC chicken meal story?
Congratulations and Merry Christmas to everyone in Japan. Santa KFC is bringing you Type 2 diabetes for Christmas.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
At Christmas Time We Reflect......Sort Of
The Christmas season is the time when we tend to think about
things we don't usually examine in much depth during the rest of the
year. Why we even make "new year resolutions" after Christmas in
response to all the ugly things about our lives we have examined during
the Christmas holidays. Of course we rarely keep those resolutions and
tend to forget all the subjects we examined at Christmas, just as soon
as the season is over. I guess that makes all the reflection we undergo
at Christmas more a moment of madness than a self realization.
But it's hard to avoid the maudlin sentimentality and "joy" we feel at Christmas time. Even Christmas music can shift from the happy, feel good jingles to the sad laments people experience during the holidays. And the nostalgia aspect of Christmas, a huge part of the holiday, is filled with our memories of our childhood or a past Christmas day that we fruitlessly try to duplicate or top each year but never do. Is there any other time of the year when we more miss lost love ones than at Christmas time? That's why Christmas can also make us fell frustrated. How ironic that a holiday that makes us feel so good also makes us feel like the bottom of a shoe.
This must explain the attitudes of the Christmas haters out there. I try to avid them but they seem more passionate about their hate for than I am about my love for the holiday. They don't want any part of Christmas because they experience too much that makes them uncomfortable at Christmas time. Perhaps their nature makes them not capable of the largely artificial (but healthy) joy we pretend to have at Christmas time. I feel sorry they can't pretend like we can.
Yes, Christmas is a mixed bag, but a bag we mostly long for because the pain it can bring isn't quite as bad as the joy of the holiday. It's one of the few times when we can honestly examine ourselves and evaluate our lives as they relate to those around us. And most of us do. But given our human condition and tendency of humans to not want to face their demons and frustration every day of their lives, the reflection, examination and change we want that are born from Christmas is mostly thrown out the window as soon as the holiday season is over because we realize it's not possible to spread good tidings ever day of the year.
Can you ever remember a serious holiday resolution you kept for an entire year? Uh, maybe even for an entire month? Probably not! But that's ok. Being human just engaging in the process of reflection seems to be enough for us. The "I tried to change and do better but could not" is a mantra we all feel comfortable with because, well, maybe it isn't normal for a person to change so easily and to be so good.
Maybe the ideals of Christmas are not to be striven for every day. Perhaps we love Christmas because it just makes us feel a little more connected to the past, present and future.... but only at Christmas time. It lets us put our toe in the water and not the whole body. Otherwise we might just ruin that Christmas stocking we wear. May you have a (somewhat) reflective Christmas holiday this year.
But it's hard to avoid the maudlin sentimentality and "joy" we feel at Christmas time. Even Christmas music can shift from the happy, feel good jingles to the sad laments people experience during the holidays. And the nostalgia aspect of Christmas, a huge part of the holiday, is filled with our memories of our childhood or a past Christmas day that we fruitlessly try to duplicate or top each year but never do. Is there any other time of the year when we more miss lost love ones than at Christmas time? That's why Christmas can also make us fell frustrated. How ironic that a holiday that makes us feel so good also makes us feel like the bottom of a shoe.
This must explain the attitudes of the Christmas haters out there. I try to avid them but they seem more passionate about their hate for than I am about my love for the holiday. They don't want any part of Christmas because they experience too much that makes them uncomfortable at Christmas time. Perhaps their nature makes them not capable of the largely artificial (but healthy) joy we pretend to have at Christmas time. I feel sorry they can't pretend like we can.
Yes, Christmas is a mixed bag, but a bag we mostly long for because the pain it can bring isn't quite as bad as the joy of the holiday. It's one of the few times when we can honestly examine ourselves and evaluate our lives as they relate to those around us. And most of us do. But given our human condition and tendency of humans to not want to face their demons and frustration every day of their lives, the reflection, examination and change we want that are born from Christmas is mostly thrown out the window as soon as the holiday season is over because we realize it's not possible to spread good tidings ever day of the year.
Can you ever remember a serious holiday resolution you kept for an entire year? Uh, maybe even for an entire month? Probably not! But that's ok. Being human just engaging in the process of reflection seems to be enough for us. The "I tried to change and do better but could not" is a mantra we all feel comfortable with because, well, maybe it isn't normal for a person to change so easily and to be so good.
Maybe the ideals of Christmas are not to be striven for every day. Perhaps we love Christmas because it just makes us feel a little more connected to the past, present and future.... but only at Christmas time. It lets us put our toe in the water and not the whole body. Otherwise we might just ruin that Christmas stocking we wear. May you have a (somewhat) reflective Christmas holiday this year.
Connecticut School Massacre
For what they are worth I have some remarks about the slaughter of 20
first graders on December 13th. That stunning mass murder of "babies"
in a Connecticut school has everyone wondering "why"? The shooting was
terrible, but murderous attacks on school children is not just a problem
in the U.S. this year. Just this week a Chinese farmer took a kitchen
knife and hacked at more than 20 children as they entered their rural
elementary school. China has seen more than a half dozen school attacks
in less than three years, all of the attacks with knives since guns are
banned there.
Shootings at schools have periodically occurred in Finland and Germany. And remember the 16 kindergartners and a teacher at an elementary school in Dunblane, Scotland, in 1996 that were murdered by a gunman? Too in the Mid east, the Taliban often enters schools and mutilates or kills teachers and students. Killing and harming children, what used to be a non acceptable event even among the mentally disturbed, is no longer so. The disturbingly more frequent rampages against children and schools is distressing. The crazed or angry attackers often seek out the vulnerable (which includes our lightly protected children), hoping to amplify their outrage before they themselves often commit suicide. And the media spreads the idea with each killing. This may inspire other potential mass killers to imitate.
In previous generations children were seen to be special and out of bounds to this kind of violence, even among the mentally unstable or the enraged. Society had a common culture and morality that implanted that idea. Today, there is no such commonality. The many subcultures created by the new communication technologies are erasing that and are allowing people to define their own individual or sub culture morality as the "right" one. That "right perspective" is often contrary to what is in the best interest of the culture as a whole and can turn murderous.
Disaffected people who are angry at the world are no longer as restrained by the strong singular culture that existed before but is weakened now. The murderers kill as many people as they can because they see some element of notoriety and "connection" in it. If they can't fit into the now weaker common culture they make it take notice by acting out in the most horrific way imaginable against it....as in the killing of the children the culture. Attacks against schools are easy targets for taking down large numbers of victims.
These school kid killings seem to be an expression of a kind of extended suicide. The angry or crazed attackers believe the society into which they must live but do not fit, is malicious or unsafe, and this the killer wants others to die with them. As the media reports each child killing more vividly those kinds of shootings increase in frequency and becoming deadlier. In addition, each killing leaves a blueprint for others to follow. Removing the weapons themselves is not possible, as there are too many weapons and too many people to control to do that. Even guessing at which person might be the next as cool killer is an unlikely attempt. But most experts involved in such things say that providing better access to mental health services and restricting the availability of firearms are key to reducing (but not stopping) the number of children from becoming the next victims.
I think the current social environment, the one which emphasizes having many virtual electronic connections instead of a few real non electronic connections, is one factor behind this wave of attacks on kids. The isolation aspect of the technology tends to further estrange the lost soul and invite it to be found again via the horrific act (as in the Connecticut school incident). A person who chooses extreme acts to voice his or her grievances usually believes that his or her cases were unable to be handled fairly in the traditional way.
It's a problem we have to deal with if we want to avoid finding another classroom full of dead babies
Shootings at schools have periodically occurred in Finland and Germany. And remember the 16 kindergartners and a teacher at an elementary school in Dunblane, Scotland, in 1996 that were murdered by a gunman? Too in the Mid east, the Taliban often enters schools and mutilates or kills teachers and students. Killing and harming children, what used to be a non acceptable event even among the mentally disturbed, is no longer so. The disturbingly more frequent rampages against children and schools is distressing. The crazed or angry attackers often seek out the vulnerable (which includes our lightly protected children), hoping to amplify their outrage before they themselves often commit suicide. And the media spreads the idea with each killing. This may inspire other potential mass killers to imitate.
In previous generations children were seen to be special and out of bounds to this kind of violence, even among the mentally unstable or the enraged. Society had a common culture and morality that implanted that idea. Today, there is no such commonality. The many subcultures created by the new communication technologies are erasing that and are allowing people to define their own individual or sub culture morality as the "right" one. That "right perspective" is often contrary to what is in the best interest of the culture as a whole and can turn murderous.
Disaffected people who are angry at the world are no longer as restrained by the strong singular culture that existed before but is weakened now. The murderers kill as many people as they can because they see some element of notoriety and "connection" in it. If they can't fit into the now weaker common culture they make it take notice by acting out in the most horrific way imaginable against it....as in the killing of the children the culture. Attacks against schools are easy targets for taking down large numbers of victims.
These school kid killings seem to be an expression of a kind of extended suicide. The angry or crazed attackers believe the society into which they must live but do not fit, is malicious or unsafe, and this the killer wants others to die with them. As the media reports each child killing more vividly those kinds of shootings increase in frequency and becoming deadlier. In addition, each killing leaves a blueprint for others to follow. Removing the weapons themselves is not possible, as there are too many weapons and too many people to control to do that. Even guessing at which person might be the next as cool killer is an unlikely attempt. But most experts involved in such things say that providing better access to mental health services and restricting the availability of firearms are key to reducing (but not stopping) the number of children from becoming the next victims.
I think the current social environment, the one which emphasizes having many virtual electronic connections instead of a few real non electronic connections, is one factor behind this wave of attacks on kids. The isolation aspect of the technology tends to further estrange the lost soul and invite it to be found again via the horrific act (as in the Connecticut school incident). A person who chooses extreme acts to voice his or her grievances usually believes that his or her cases were unable to be handled fairly in the traditional way.
It's a problem we have to deal with if we want to avoid finding another classroom full of dead babies
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