Violence in the 21st Century

News anchors start off a broadcast with “Good morning!” and then go on to explain to you why it is not, in fact, a good morning (for most, a typical morning routine involves brushing teeth, making coffee, and being bombarded with local horror stories). What happens to society as a result of watching violence every morning? Does playing FPS video games actually cause children to exhibit more violent behavior? Does the public spotlight on violent crimes inspire people to commit them, rather than discourage? We don’t know. These questions, though they do not have answers yet, are especially relevant in today’s world; a world in which school shootings occur alarmingly often. If you ask me, a variety of contributing factors have led to our traumaphilic (a word that I’ve just invented but we’re going to pretend is real for the purpose of this discussion) culture. 

One reason that our culture is so violent is because we have advanced so much technologically. Before TVs became an integral part of the classic American home, public opinion was shaped very differently. For example, think about Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor Address, delivered in 1941; now imagine how the same attack would be portrayed if it took place today. Instead of FDR’s “fireside chat” on the radio, our television screens would be bursting with rapid-fire images of explosions, blood, gore, bombshells, and dead bodies. For better or for worse, the media has gained the ability to show tragedies much more vividly (and virally) than ever before. 

Another important aspect of our culture’s relationship with violence is the set of laws surrounding violent acts. Gun control, in particular, is a hotly contested issue lately. I fully support my second amendment right to bear arms; however, I think it is important to consider how much society has changed since that amendment was written. In 1787, the year of the Constitution’s completion, the standard firearm was the “Brown Bess”. The Brown Bess had an effective range of less than 50 yards, and a firing rate of about 3 rounds per minute. Now consider a typical modern rifle, the M16, which has an effective range of about 600 yards, and a firing rate of 850 rounds per minute (in theory; in practice, it would be impossible to reload that quickly). The arms we bear are no longer the muzzle-loading, flint-operated weapons that our Founding Fathers may have intended. 

A very alarming relationship also exists between firearms, and abnormal psychology. When purchasing a firearm, you have two options; conduct a private sale, or go through a dealer. In the case of a private sale, there are absolutely no regulations. When purchasing from a dealer, you have to fill out a Firearms Transaction Record, which states that you cannot purchase the firearm if you have “ever been adjudicated mentally defective… OR… committed to a mental institution”. Unfortunately, people can lie on this form, and the only way for a dealer to check it is to send it to the NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System, run by the FBI). However, many states (Maine, for example) do not require medical/clinical information to be sent to the NICS for reasons dealing with confidentiality; so even this checking method is utterly unreliable for certain customers. 

America cannot seem to go more than a few months without a school shooting. While I won’t pretend to know any answers or submit any solutions, I do encourage everyone to think about these issues, and how they shape society. Consider how violence impacts your life, and then consider how your life influences those around you.

Violence is trending. What are we going to do about it?

Featured Image: “The Lexington Minute Man” by jcbwalsh @ flickr