Another day, another monster. Another batch of fresh, blood-spattered corpses to help the media sell beer and pizza. Another splash of press for a now-famous, newly-celebrity shooter, whose life will be detailed and mind probed along with other great monsters in history -- while another crop of victims pass, faceless, into anonymity, reduced to nothing more than a number and maybe two sentences in an hour-long 'Inside the Mind of a Killer' exclusive with Chris Hanson.
We're all outraged! Let's do something!
Well, certainly there are things that can be done to address this problem. There are always ways to minimize the impact of epidemics of any kind, even if eradication is ultimately impossible. Shootings like these simply don't happen in other civilized countries around the world at such a ridiculous clip, and frankly, the whole situation is virtually at the point where you can set your watch by them.
But, truth be told, we're content with the situation as it is. Content to let our fellow citizens be butchered by terrorist criminals. Content to pay the price in blood, as meaningful change that could impact the frequency and/or severity of these crimes is too uncomfortable and inconvenient to overcome our internal and societal cognitive dissonances. Change is hard, but blood is easy. Cheap, too! All it costs is a little token internet outrage and a few body bags.
I mean really, doesn't it go like this EVERY TIME?
Person A: "How about we consider [possible reasonable solution #1]?"
Person B: "Hell no, buddy! [Fix #1] is [opposed to my preconceived and highly uninformed, prejudicial notions regarding how the world works]! Fuck you and fuck your America-hating word-hole!"
Elected public servant: "No WAY I'm touching [Fix #1]. It could hurt my chance to get re-elected, my current and eternal #1 policy plank."
Special interest group: "It's too emotional a time to consider [Fix #1], and in any case it's not the problem. After all, laws don't stop criminals, so why have any at all?"
Another killer? Rinse and fucking repeat. Over... and over... and over... until every single American has lost a loved one. Then something might get done, but even then probably not. Functionally, the discussion is no different than the discussion over the Federal deficit: most everyone hates it, agrees it can't go on, WANTS to see it change, and yet, and yet, and yet...
Meanwhile, we just keep burnin' more money trying to keep warm on the deck of the Titanic.
For the vast majority of us? Look yourself in the mirror and try to honestly say it ain't so. Nope? Welcome to the human condition. Change is fine, so long as it's someone else doing the changing.
Go back to sleep, America. Nothing to see here. You aren't used to it yet? Ohhh.... I think you are. Bodies fall, we all declare our outrage in social media, then get back our burgers, beer, and internet. It's our latest addendum to the social contract.
It's like we're paralyzed by societal inertia. I mean, you'd sure LIKE to do something...
...but American Gladiators is on.