* People seem to grasp onto oversimplified solutions.

* I have always felt that these problems were systemic and structural rather then limited and specific

* Part of the problem is that we see teenage suicides and mass murders as the problem, rather then as symptoms of larger problems.

[ I will read the article later but wanted to highlight these specific points made by Decius beforehand, because I found them partiularly critical.

That last is one of the most important, I think. We do the same thing in medecine. Treatment vs. prevention. Arguably we do the same thing in criminal justice, to a large extent... trying to rehabilitate criminals rather than eliminate societal ills.

Setting our sights on the video games, access to assault rifles, the rejection of church/religious values is like a doctor claiming the root cause of someone's death was going out in the cold without a jacket. It may have contributed, or worsened the outcome, but the disease is certainly deeper than that. Likewise, arguing that the kid who snaps is "evil" or "crazy" is no better than blaming illness on spirits or god's wrath.

Americans, in general, need to shift their focus from treatment to prevention. Dialogue will be mostly pointless until that happens, i think. -k]

Why Nerds are Unpopular (Long, and worth it.)