Mad World

I posted the lyrics to 'Mad World' here long ago...
My, how relevant they are these days.

I'm sure everyone's aware that 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech University yesterday by a 23 year old student.

The gunman was an English major, and a "loner." Apparently he had some writing that was considered "disturbing."

I think it's sad that this is how the press always portrays killers: loners. Dark and disturbed.
Disturbed, certainly, but dark...well, I like The Dark and do quite well in it.
But I don't want to kill anybody.
That all has to do with what happens when you're around 4-5 years old, I think.
That's the make-or-break time for parents, where marks are left for life on kids.
Thankfully, I had great parents who left positive marks.

Because I don't care how sad life gets for you, if you know from early training not to hurt others, you won't. Look at all of the survivors of abuse who turn out to be loving people.

I pray for those families, because you should never have your daughter go off to college and end up dead. That scenario just shouldn't exist.

I wonder how much our love affair with violence has influenced these people who snap?
I always defend pop culture (movies, music, even video games) because truly, they are a reflection of our society, not a cause for violence. But I'll admit, I watch the bloodiest horror movies and don't even give it a thought. Except for that rare one that'll really bother me, like 'Hostel.' I think I'm entirely too desensitized.

I've never played a 'first person shooter' game; well, I've never played any video game much except Ms. Pac Man, but I always thought the shooter types might be fun. Because you know it's a mindless fantasy. If I were ever given a real gun, though, I'd have to refuse to even touch it.

I wish guns weren't freely available here in the U.S. But if they took them away, people would find a way to bootleg.

I watched a special on the History channel (what a great channel!) about the history of torture (mainly in Europe), and the sad thing was, even with horrible, harsh-beyond-belief punishments and death sentences, crime did not decrease. I guess this is a discussion for the psychologists to figure out-why we're so inclined to violence.

I've said many times, I don't comprehend violence and want nothing to do with it, ever. I won't even argue with people. That's part of my OCD, I think, and parental training: Everything must always be in harmony with me; I can't stand chaos.

But, in this Mad World, chaos comes around far too often.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the families of The Lost.