Who is the monster who's afraid to look in the mirror?
My heart goes out to all the victims who tragically died last week in a senseless crime that took place last week in Sandy Hook elementary school in Ridgefield Connecticut in the USA. That also includes the murderer and his family members. Why? Because it might help the families of the victims come to terms with this tragedy if they realise that the murderer is a victim too.
Why is there the increasing phenomenon of mass shootings of young children occurring in recent years in various countries in the developed world? I ask this in response to the tragic shooting in Sandy Hook elementary school in the US state of Connecticut just a week or so before Christmas.
This hugely tragic event not only has America reeling, it has the rest of the world asking why? The next knee jerk reaction is to point the finger at the gun culture that is rife and embedded within the culture of the USA. From there, the next question seems to be what can be done about this. The all consuming reaction is to take some sort of action. President Obama is taking a measured response and at least asking about mental health issues which are obviously part of the equation in this scenario.
However, I would like to look at the picture in 3D so to speak. Above, I mentioned that this was a phenomenon which seems to be increasing in the so called 'developed' world. I believe that this is not only due to the ready availability of guns and arms in these countries; but that it is undoubtedly inextricably linked to mental health, especially of the young men who are more often than not the perpetrators of these acts of violence. Also to the society in which they live and it's fundamental issues concerning the modern world and the youths place therein.
As I referred to above, there is a monster who is afraid to look in the mirror. Who is that monster? You might have a knee jerk thought or reaction and instantly think of the perpetrators of the murders of these school children - the murderers. Who are labelled by the media variously as evil, deranged, and indeed sick and mentally ill. Not many will show or voice any sympathy or ask any deeper questions about these young people. Why? for instance instead of how?
Indeed, they might briefly ask themselves why and instantly think it is because any of the above labels conveniently given to them by the media. Then, they might add the label of mentally ill and hopeless. Or they might go a little further and conclude that if the murderer had had some help from any of the mental health operatives in the community that this would surely have prevented this.
This is of course valid and indeed true. But I would like to go further and as I said above, try to see the picture in 3D. Yes, these young murderers have committed a heinous crime against humanity and the society in which they live(d). I will call them murderers, not in any way as a value judgement or as a label but because that is what they have done and therefore what they have become. However, they usually only become a murderer for a short time because they usually turn the fury on themselves and kill themselves too.
I ask in all earnestness that we ask the question, who is the monster who can't look in the mirror? Is it the murderer who can't bear themselves any more and must kill? But I ask also, why do they usually pick the most innocent and vulnerable targets for there self-loathing and shame? Why do I think the murderer is a victim too? Because, although I think they have become a monster who can't bear to look in the mirror any more, but crucially they are also a victim of the society they live in.
Why at the beginning of this did I mention that it seems to be that this happens more frequently in the developed world? Well, because I think that the real monster who can't bear to look in the mirror is the sick society that most of the so called 'developed' countries have become. We cannot bear to look closely at our selves and how our way of life has driven these sick young people to act out and take their own lives in such a tragic way.
Maybe they always choose the most innocent and vulnerable to murder, not only because they are an easy target, but because in a twisted way they are killing that part of themselves that they have lost. By murdering these untainted and innocent children, they are avenging that part of themselves that was killed within them. Now, I realise this might seem like far fetched psychoanalysis and that they might just be evil. But this cannot be the case. The case is clearly one of mental illness and as mentioned above one which is increasing and therefore consequently must have it's roots in the modern world.
I submit that we are bringing up the next generation in a world which does not examine itself enough, but feels that it must look outside itself to seek answers to ugly questions. I submit that individually and collectively we look in the mirror to face the ugly truth and not point the mirror away from ourselves. I think it would be a good thing to mourn for these victims and their families and the murder and his family too, over the Christmas period. But also to look deeper into the causes of the sickness that is growing in the modern developed world and in particular the youths who feel alienated within these societies.
After all, it cannot be incidental that this happened in the week before Christmas when we are supposed to celebrate the birth of the Saviour. The One who was the ultimate example of selflessness and love of all mankind. Whether you believe in Christianity or not, the message is to love all mankind regardless of there sins. To love and try to understand one another however hard that is. I believe this cannot be truly undertaken if we cannot look in the mirror as a society and examine ourselves.
