My Descent Into Madness – Eels
I feel like I ought to say something about what happened yesterday at Virginia Tech, but I’m mostly without words. Here are my scattered thoughts:
* I don’t know if we’ll ever find out why this happened, and I’m not sure that even if we do get an explanation, it will really clarify things. There is madness in all of our souls, but who can say why that madness takes hold of someone in such extreme forms? It makes you realize how much our society, our lives, are founded on the simple expectation of the basic goodness of human beings. We put our lives, our hearts, and our souls in the hands of hundreds, thousands of people every day. Driving 60 miles an hour on a two-lane road, falling in love, leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property in a house protected by a thin window pane, simply sitting in a classroom.
A tragedy like this cannot be explained, and I don’t know how to justify humanity in the face of it, except to say that such events perhaps can remind us of the trillions of times that we find ways to live together. That’s not enough, but it’s also not nothing.
* How quickly this becomes a political issue… Those in favor of gun control quickly take the opportunity to point out the devastation that can be wrought by someone with easy access to dangerous weapons. Those against it argue that things like this would never happen if everyone had guns. I sympathize far more with the former argument, but I’m not sure that either really fit.
The problem is not simply access to guns or lack thereof, it’s a culture which is sick, and which can’t find a way to cure itself. It’s possible to have loose guns restrictions and extremely low levels of gun violence (Switzerland, for example), but not in a society as schizophrenic, as tortured as ours. It is not a coincidence that gun violence is higher here than virtually anywhere else in the world. Extremely strict gun control would probably help, but the law can only do so much – the real solution has to include changing ourselves.
It is fair for people to consider the political implications of such a terrible tragedy, but I wish it could go beyond that, too. I also wish that it was easier to have politics be a part of the discussion without intruding so much into the simple feelings of grief and empathy. It is a delicate balance.
* Why does it matter that he was South Korean? Many reports, from the very beginning, have focused on the ethnicity of the shooter and now that his identity has been confirmed, we’re told over and over that he is South Korean. It’s relevant information I suppose, but I wonder what it says about us that it is treated as suitable for the headline.
* I realize that this is only a small microcosm of violence which occurs every day. More than 30 people die every day from gun violence, but it never makes the national news. More than 30 people die every day from the war in Iraq. A literally countless number have died and continue to die in Darfur. Moreover, millions die every year from structural violence – lack of clean water, food, access to even rudimentary health care, etc. – and it doesn’t even register for most people.
It’s important to remember such things when considering a tragedy like this, not to minimize the shock and horror at all but instead to help us remember the broad scope of pain and misery we continue to let exist on a day-to-day basis around the world. Perhaps we can let the shock of such a grotesque and deeply saddening day remind us of the hidden pain suffered by many others.
Update: hilzoy at Obsidian Wings has by far the best take on all of this I’ve read so far. It says everything I wish I could say, and a whole lot more.
Second Update: the Wikipedia entry about the shootings is incredibly impressive. Comprehensive, informative, tender but objective – it’s a demonstration of the power of our collective efforts. And in some small way, it makes me feel better about humanity. Individuals can tear life down, but together we can find ways to rebuild and move on.