An itch to scratch

I wrote this article in a bewildered state in order to scratch an itch.

Year by year we hear reports of school, mall and nursing home shootings in the news. We remember numerous similar news reports in years past from Columbine to the Tacoma mall shooting. Following the immediate shock of the incident we ask 'Why?' Why does this seem to happen so much in America?

I know this is a bit of a writing turn from the usual drinking stories that if I had any self respect I would keep to myself. But this is itching away. I can't get it out of my mind.

What causes these VA Tech, nursing home, and mall shootings? Is it just psychopaths abruptly acting out? Why in this manner? What makes them shoot people they don't know or have never seen before? Music? Video games? MTV???

I've read many articles over the past decade suggesting all kinds of theories about why these shootings occur. Everyone has heard the blame placed upon video games, music, and American society in general. Recently, I read an article suggesting a combination of different factors involving widening gaps among people concerning corporate world social gaps different from the usual economic gaps. Corporations are very impersonal environments. Therefore, according to the author these widening social gaps are a mainly a result of the growing corporate society American has become. And these gaps begin as perceptions by workers. If someone can find the article they could see what I am trying to get at since I am doing a poor job at explaining it. Anyway, the growing corporate environment we live and work in has left people feeling lost and, more importantly, UNIMPORTANT. Many of you can imagine that feeling of insignificance, as the article puts it, 'you are a needle amongst a humongous pile of needles.' Corporations are immense. You could go your whole life without talking to or meeting ten percent of people in your national company. It’s hard not to feel like you are nothing. And that kind of insignificance puts pressure on people to evaluate themselves as unsuccessful and insignificant. You can’t let your job define who you are! Work hard but don’t build yourself up to be let down.

Some of the world’s most illustrious inventors, writers, and artists worked boring, seemingly inconsequential day jobs! Einstein worked in a patent office while he first published his papers. Many famous artists like Vincent van Gogh don’t get to see their art become greatly admired because their art appreciates after they die! (his insignificance is, also, part of the reason he cut his ear off) Kafka the author was an insurance worker. Experts debate upon who actually wrote Shakespeare. Was it this Stratford on Avon pauper or a distinguished person like a duke? As inconsequential as your job may make you feel it doesn’t define you! You can still make something of yourself.

You may hate the work you do. So, volunteer helping kids, coach or use your mathematical or engineering skills to write a thesis. Better yourself by using your free time to define who you are. Don’t define yourself by your job unless that is how you want to be defined. That is my answer for my shitty job.

While all of that is inspiring, I still don’t see an answer for these troubled individuals. What may work for me may not work for you. So, where do we go from all this pointing fingers at society? What answers can we draw from all these shootings? The two things I do believe are there is no simple answer and this is no way to scratch an itch no matter how you feel. A life is the most precious thing this world has to offer.

This article could use some editing. So, if you have any links to articles I can use please link them to the comments.