There is a hard truth to face when it comes to the type of violence we are seeing more and more of. Everyone is asking themselves, why? How? It seems unthinkable for someone to walk into an elementary school and start executing little kids or into a movie theater, shopping mall, etc. blasting.

The fingers are quick to point. Lack of gun access restrictions or support for the mentally ill. There wasn’t a law here or a program there. It must be something we’re not doing. It couldn’t possibly be something we are.

So what are we doing? The exact same thing we did in Columbine, Virginia, Aurora, and every other time. We are giving these individuals exactly what they want: Recognition. For the first time in their lives lived as shadows.

When an isolated person becomes suicidal, realizing that they could disappear and nobody will notice, what do they do? One option is to go down in history.

So for the hard truth. Are we not entertained by all this? Do we not have a sick love for the horrible, the evil, the unthinkable violence? If we did not, we would not be glued to our TVs disgusted and fascinated.

This is a product of an entertainment culture and the role of media within it. Realities are blurred, people lose themselves in fantasies or make desperate attempts to be someone within the story that is perpetuated around them. Under this system, anyone can be somebody. All you have to do is shoot a bunch of kids (although next time it will have to be worse).

So what is the solution? Turn off your TV. Stop paying attention to the people that glorify these acts in the name of compassion. Reach out to that awkward kid in class. We find ourselves when we make a friend.

TVP