So I've been reading BBC news… there's a lot of stories, articles, and speculations regarding this Cho Seung-hui character. For those who aren't familiar, this is the guy who went on a rampage & murdered 32 people at Virginia Tech.

I find it very interesting how all these different professionals (i.e. psychologists, behavioral therapists, etc.) are trying to piece together an accurate profile of these so-called "campus killers". They list a series of "common factors" between this Cho fellow and other school shooters like Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, and Kimveer Gill. Here are a couple of similarities they pointed out:

"…an acute rejection episode - such as a break up with a girlfriend, teasing, or bullying"

"A fascination with guns and explosives…"

"a pre-occupation with death…"

"…anti-social loners with some kind of grievance and/or revenge as a motive."

"underlying psychological problems… such as severe cases of grandiosity and possibly either bipolar depression or schizophrenia."

These are indeed very common factors in every school shooting which has taken place to date. And what I find fascinating is the fact that, of these factors, none of them can be faulted to the person doing the shooting. That's right, not a one of them. In cases of psychological problems, the person suffering with such trauma cannot be blamed for their ailment, as they did not choose to have it, nor do they particularly want it. It was something they were born with, and therefore cannot control without external care, such as medication and psychological treatment.

As for the other factors? These are all attributed to outside influences directly impacting the psyche of the person in question. Let's take them one at a time.

Fascination with guns? Please… with all the movies, TV shows, video games, YouTube videos, and other such media outlets that are centered around violence with firearms? Our whole damn society has a fascination with guns. Every kid, at some time or another, has played a "shoot the bad-guys" game of some sort. Classic childhood games, like "Cowboys-and-Indians", "Cops-and-Robbers", "Martian Invaders", "House" (what, you never played a game of "House" where you didn't shoot someone? I guess my childhood was a smidge different…). At any rate, it has absolutely no bearing on this subject. Next topic.

Breakups, teasing, and bullying are generally caused by individuals for purposes only known to themselves. Granted, this type of behavior has existed for thousands of years… people (children especially) have bullied, teased, and toyed with the emotions of others dating back as far as written history will allow. Authors, movie-makers, song-writers, even mythology & religious institutions tell stories of a group of people oppressing another, and the oppressed ones rising up & overthrowing their oppressors. These "underdogs" are generally regarded as heroic and valiant for their efforts. It just seems to me that, given the widespread availability of these stories & parables, those who would bully, tease, dump, or otherwise oppress individuals who are "different" than what the 'ideal' society deems acceptable, would understand the consequences to their actions. There's enough material out there to teach people that bullying others only leads to destruction.

And if you're the kind of person who has been bullied for quite some time without just cause, would you attempt to socialize with anyone? If bullying (which is a form of abuse) and rejection are what you have been conditioned to expect from people, you would not want to take any chances of suffering further abuse or rejection at the hands of anyone else. Hence where the "anti-social loner" behavior comes from.

Yet socialization is one of mankind's basic needs, it is essential to survival… food, shelter, acceptance. I say it's a necessity because at the dawn of human existence, we weren't at the top of the food chain. There were a lot of big-toothed critters running around looking for a tasty man-snack to gobble. It was only through collaborative group efforts of primitive "tribal" groups that mankind was able to rise up & overcome their carnivorous prehistoric oppressors (hmmm… that sounds familiar). Without the acceptance of the group for protection, you were left on your own to face Mr. T-Rex. This premise is evident in most, if not all, animal groups on earth today. Socialization, The Need to Belong, is an in-born, natural evolutionary instinct geared for survival.

But if you're rejected by your peers… nay, abused by your peers… and the balance of your instinctual needs is out of whack, you're going to feel as though you can't "survive". So naturally, you're going to be pre-occupied with death, as your own survival needs are not being met. And that pain, that loss, that lack of human essentials, is enough to make anyone want to die.

Which also leads in the feelings of "revenge". A group of individuals, due to their cruel actions, have started this whole chain-reaction of fear & negative emotions, thereby prohibiting you from attaining that which is essential to your survival… wouldn't you be pretty pissed-off too? I get mad at my wife because she bakes a batch of cookies, but then tells me I can't have one until they're cooled. Dammit, I need those cookies! That delectable chocolatey goodness is essential to the survival of my sweet-tooth, and yet you oppress me & deny me that which I need? WRETCHED WOMAN, THOU WILT PAY FOR THIS VILE TRANSGRESSION!!! ::blank stare:: Where was I? Oh yeah, revenge. So yeah, you get the point.

I guess this is where my ignorance shows through. I can't figure out why these "bully" types can't figure it out? It's a very simple concept… push someone hard enough, and they will push back. Hell, common sense says that animals will not attack unless provoked. A snake only strikes when it feels cornered and has nowhere to go. And the snake doesn't play fair… the snake doesn't play at all. You hit it with a stick, it will withdraw and flee. If you chase it and continue hitting it, IT WILL INJECT LETHAL VENOM INTO YOUR BODY! Stick vs. lethal venom… hell no it's not fair. But it wasn't fair for you to hit the damn snake in the first place… nor was it fair to continue hitting it after it turned away to flee. You get what you deserve.

But, nonetheless, there is the opposite side as well... yeah, so you got picked on.  Yeah, so you got beat up a few times.  Learn from it, grow from it.  It makes you a stronger person.  If you really want to "get back" at the people who "oppressed" you, do so by making something of your life.  Think about it, high school and college mean dick when compared to the rest of your life.  That's a total of 8 years.  Compared against the remaining 50 or so years after that, it's small beans. 

If you want to get right down to it, those who get "bullied" or "teased" are actually at the advantage.  Life, my friends, simply isn't fair, nor is it very nice sometimes.  You cannot control everything at everytime, and the world will not simply cower in fear to your every demand.  The world, and society at large, can be the biggest bullies you've ever met.  If you have 4-8 years experience of being bullied through high school or collge, you're in a much better position to deal with this bully called "The Real World".  You're tougher, smarter, stronger, and more tactful about your actions & reactions.  These guys doing the bullying?  The ones used to getting what they want through intimidation?  How are they going to handle themselves when life kicks them in the balls?!?  You, you''ll just get right back up, because you've been kicked in the balls before.  Them?  I see tears.

BUT...that's only if you actually HAVE the balls to get back up in the first place.  Becoming anti-social, grabbin a gun, and way-laying all in your path tells the world that you weren't strong enough to make it.  You were too weak to handle life. 

There's a HUGE difference between WANTING to blast everyone away, and actually doing it.  There's not a damn thing wrong with "wanting" to do it... and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.  It's perfectly natural, and there's nothing wrong with you if you do.  But that's what makes a strong individual... wanting to do one thing, but knowing that you should do the right thing.  That's what life's challenges are all about.