Have we become used to or immune to mass shootings?

[Undertoad]

He had a reason: nihilism. A sense of meaningless of life. You will find it in all the killers that are not mentally disturbed.

[glatt]

Yep.

The first leg of the three legged stool of mass killers and terrorists, according to the article I linked in post 377 above.

For radicalization to occur, there are three necessary ingredients, according to Kruglanski's research. The first is the universal need to live a worthwhile life — to have significance. People usually satisfy this need through socially accepted means, "like working hard, having families, other kinds of achievements," Kruglanski said. Radicals instead tend to place significance on their gender, religion or race.

The second is "the narrative," which gives someone permission to use violence. Kruglanski said the narrative is usually that there is an enemy attacking your group, and the radical must fight to gain or maintain respect, honor or glory.

The third necessary component is the community, or the network of people who validate the narrative and the violence.

[Undertoad]

In mass shooters, not necessarily radicals, these people seem to have a specific take on step 1, and no step 3 at all.

They want significance, but rather than to prove worth, they want to prove worthlessness. So they seek to destroy meaningful lives ("See," they are saying, "Now you're dead, and all the things you thought were worthwhile are gone.") And they usually expect or plan their own death in the process ("If life has worth, I would definitely stick around - but in order to be taken seriously I must show that the worthlessness extends to myself.")

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

In mass shooters, ... seem to have a specific take on step 1, and no step 3 at all.

I don't see facts that justify the "not step 3". What justifies that conclusion?

One may become a martyr to be relevant. Martyrs don't need to stick around for confirmation. They already know they will be praised (by their peers or by their god).

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

They want significance, but rather than to prove worth, they want to prove worthlessness. So they seek to destroy meaningful lives ("See," they are saying, "Now you're dead, and all the things you thought were worthwhile are gone.")

The one would-be mass shooter I've talked to justified it as giving them significance, that they would be more accomplished and revered as victims than anything they could manage on their own.

[Undertoad]

The community they are talking about is not the community you are talking about.

There is no "mass shooter community" as there is in, say, extremist talk radio. Mass shooters often say they admire other mass shooters, but they don't talk with them or, you know, hang out on web forums with them.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by tw

Due to people who only post insults, lies, and demeaning attacks, I also did this for the first time. …
… Similar people also need assault rifles to massacres others. Then use their unstable thinking to justify more assault weapons.

Originally Posted by Undertoad

… Mass shooters often say they admire other mass shooters, but they don't talk with them or, you know, hang out on web forums with them.

Tw infers there are similar people right here in the Cellar; yet, he talks with them and hangs out on this web forum with them.

How do you explain this?

[tw]

Originally Posted by sexobon

How do you explain this?

Scientific research of animals in the wild.

[sexobon]

You're the only one here predisposed to going on a murderous rampage. You're in denial about those feelings and project your hostilities, prominently displayed here, onto others.

Psychological projection is a defense mechanism people subconsciously employ in order to cope with difficult feelings or emotions. Psychological projection involves projecting undesirable feelings or emotions onto someone else, rather than admitting to or dealing with the unwanted feelings.

Still, you want to be able to act out on your own when you think the time is right. That's why you own a gun, why you NEED a gun, and why you're always asking when the next massacre will be as though you know something that others don't because you fantasize about being the perpetrator. This is evident after simple scientific analysis which includes the facts that you haven't got police or military training which would qualify you to use a gun to defend others. Of course, you don't need training to murder others with your gun.

Everyone knows you're the loose cannon. That's why we keep you around - keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Cut that out, you're going to get all killed to death.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by sexobon

You're the only one here predisposed to going on a murderous rampage.

Um...Ahem...Hellerrr, I'm right here!

If anybody gonna be a loose cannon, it's me.

That's where my money's at, anyway.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Um...Ahem...Hellerrr, I'm right here!Attachment 65593

If anybody gonna be a loose cannon, it's me.

That's where my money's at, anyway.

Pretty insulting, right? And me with all this hoarded ammo.

[sexobon]

Notice tw's fascination with human tragedy, which goes way beyond the norm. Tw indulges his fantasies by regurgitating those tragedies here ad infinitum. Then tw tries to incite others to cause more tragedies by provoking them with hate labels to feed his disease. Tw exploits the sympathies of the old and weak so they'll try to minimize tw's psychopathic behavior by interjecting droll humor.

[sexobon]

Killing 'em with laughter is really more like assisted suicide.

[sexobon]

You're stockpiling snowballs?