Another point. Are we as a society becoming more violent, or are we just more sensitive to it these days? Two generations ago an event like this would not have been heard in a different state. Is it becoming "de-sensitized to violence" or simply some other psychological issue?
That's what I'm wondering. While there have ALWAYS been violent crimes, I do believe it's escalating. It's just more shocking to when committed by a child.
To a certain extent I think these things have likely always happened, but as news coverage gets more national and even international, population growsm and the media has figured out shock and outrage are great selling tools, we just see them more.
I really don't think its a desensitization, at least not in terms of things they see on tv or do in video games, if there is a desensitization I'd guess it has more to do with what kids are not doing anymore, rather then what they are doing that they didn't do in the past.
Came across this video recently:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/202
(5 dangerous things you should let your kids do)
And to some extent I think it is a bit of a possible explanation. Kids have always seen violence, if anything newer forms show the consequences more then the last couple generations where Wilie Coyote lived no matter what.
What has changed though is, in my mind at least, that in previous generations kids where allowed to get hurt. Now it seems things are getting so safe that kids have a harder time realizing what is safe and what is not, understanding what it actually feels like to get hurt, how to avoid getting hurt, and that if you hurt others, others are going to hurt you.
I couldn't agree more. It seems like kids these days are either over-parented, or under-parented, both have dire consequences. Kids aren't allowed to "work out their differences" anymore. Someone intervenes for them, and we have stupid zero-tolerance rules where there should be room for judgment calls. I have zero-tolerance for bonified bullying, but kids need to be allowed to argue, try to reason, and if need be, defend themselves. For the record, my tender-hearted son plays violent video games. He loves them, but he knows the line between a video game and reality. He also knows if he ever "copies" anything from a game in real life, he'll have the game taken away, not to mention whatever consequence he'll endure from his action. He has never broke that rule. He loves his games too much.
But he has also had his share of bumps and bruises. We have never over-reacted to injuries. If you wipe out on your bike, or take a spill running, we clean it up if needed,and they're on their way. If they over-reacted to their own (minor) injury, they have been told, you're fine, yeah, it's gonna hurt for a while, be more careful next time.
He's been slugged by his sister and she by him. We don't condone it, they are disciplined for it, and they learn from it. But when they have come "tattling" on each other, they have been told to work it out between them. We no longer deal with issues like that anymore. They are now 14 and 17 and while they still have their brother/sister moments, they love each other dearly and have learned to compromise. They also don't want to see each hurt because they know what it feels like.
So, maybe the problem is not desensitation, maybe it all boils down to how we are raising our children.
And then, as Empty Hands mentioned, maybe it's not that at all...there truly are sociopaths in the world. I wonder, are sociopaths born, or made? Certainly there are predispositions...what's being nurtured?
Steel Tiger said:
Look at the case of this 12 year old. It is a very good illustration of the combination of greed and the implication that violent action will achieve goals. Rather than quiet the child, he went for the quickest path to get what he wanted. This was not a reasoned decision, it was simply the application force for a result, just as the boy had been led to believe was a plausible option.
Has this sort of thing being going on for decades, or even centuries, without comment? Probably. But now we are creating an environment in which it is firstly given tacit approval, and then it is justified through things like the culture of victimization. It shouldn't be too long before excuses are being made for this boys behaviour, hell, I've made some myself.
Exactly, and even though I do believe it's escalating due to reasons others have mentioned, I don't believe it's never happened through out history.