Those who refer to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold as cowards typically embrace the belief that a violent criminal who beats its victim into submission is morally superior to someone who uses a gun or a bomb. And this is not simply a widespread cultural belief. This is codified in our nations criminal laws. Large, physically powerful criminals who don't need a weapon are charged with a much lesser crime (when they're charged at all) than a smaller criminal who could not commit the crime at all without a weapon. The severity of the crime is based upon the method of violence, and by extension the absense of masculinity in the criminal, not on the harm imposed upon the victim.
There is a simple reason for this:
Our criminal laws are not intended to protect victims or to discourage criminals. Our laws are designed to preserve the basic structure of our heirarchical, Darwinian society. Large, physically powerful, hypermasculine criminals are simply being men when they brutalize their victims. Smaller, less masculine criminals who refuse to learn their place are behaving like sniveling cowards when they use a weapon to commit the exact same crime. This is why Harris and Klebold are referred to as cowards while the heroes of Columbine are provided with expensive, hypermasculine automobiles and college scholarships.
Refer to the diamond shaped heirarchy described in Lesson One for a more complete description of this structure.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Columbine 101: Lesson Four - Propaganda
Ignore the propagandist's effluent.
For a few short days after Columbine, a glimmer of bravery existed in the media. There were those who were willing to openly admit a connection between bullying and the killers' decision to stage a massacre
Sadly, such bravery was short lived and the cowardice continues to this day:
Child psychologist Peter Langman has written a book that panders to the coward's need to blame Columbine on anything but the worship of sadistic jocks.
I thank the King of Cowards for the link.
Remember what you learned from Lesson One. Cowards are not stupid. They know exactly what's going on. They're simply afraid to express any significant criticism for the behavior of the Pack Alphas and the lowest of these cowards will shamelessly blame the victims. Macmillan Books is obviously taking advantage of this for reasons best described as greed and averice. Perhaps you should ask them why.
Ignore the propagandist's effluent.
For a few short days after Columbine, a glimmer of bravery existed in the media. There were those who were willing to openly admit a connection between bullying and the killers' decision to stage a massacre
Sadly, such bravery was short lived and the cowardice continues to this day:
Child psychologist Peter Langman has written a book that panders to the coward's need to blame Columbine on anything but the worship of sadistic jocks.
I thank the King of Cowards for the link.
Remember what you learned from Lesson One. Cowards are not stupid. They know exactly what's going on. They're simply afraid to express any significant criticism for the behavior of the Pack Alphas and the lowest of these cowards will shamelessly blame the victims. Macmillan Books is obviously taking advantage of this for reasons best described as greed and averice. Perhaps you should ask them why.
Ignore the propagandist's effluent.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Columbine 101: Lesson Three - Inhibitions
After each terrorist event like Oklahoma city, Columbine, or V-TECH, and each time the police apprehend a serial killer, the media tends to concentrate the public's attention upon three relatively unimportant characteristics of the crime:
The Motive,
The Trigger,
The Choice of Weapons and Tactics.
Inevitably, the public is deluged with experts who know almost nothing about sociopaths loudly debating the role of violent video games, crappy music, firearms, etc. In fact, all of the people responsible for perpetrating the above mentioned crimes have only one significant common characteristic:
All of them spent their formative years at or near the top or the bottom of the social structure described in Lesson One.
Those at the top have never been required to care about others and therefore have no inhibition against causing harm. Their narcissism is repeatedly reinforced by the shameless fawning of enablers, thus undermining any sense of concern for others.
Those at the bottom have been systematically deprived of both a sense of security and a sense of belonging, thus undermining the credibility of moralistic claims about human dignity.
The Motive,
The Trigger,
The Choice of Weapons and Tactics.
Inevitably, the public is deluged with experts who know almost nothing about sociopaths loudly debating the role of violent video games, crappy music, firearms, etc. In fact, all of the people responsible for perpetrating the above mentioned crimes have only one significant common characteristic:
All of them spent their formative years at or near the top or the bottom of the social structure described in Lesson One.
Those at the top have never been required to care about others and therefore have no inhibition against causing harm. Their narcissism is repeatedly reinforced by the shameless fawning of enablers, thus undermining any sense of concern for others.
Those at the bottom have been systematically deprived of both a sense of security and a sense of belonging, thus undermining the credibility of moralistic claims about human dignity.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Columbine 101: Lesson Two - Scapegoats
When deciding how to react to community sanctioned abuse, Scapegoats have four choices:
ONE: Scapegoats can follow the classic advice written into every low budget western from the 1950's and 1960's by fighting back with their bare hands. On television and in the minds of Callous adults, the Scapegoat stands up to the bully, the bully learns his lesson and runs away with his tail between his legs, and the community lives happily ever after. In the real world, the Scapegoat gets his teeth knocked out, endures months or perhaps years of additional abuse, and ends up being blamed by Callous adults for choosing to solve his problems by fighting. It's important for Scapegoats to remember that a community where bullying is tolerated is full of Cowardly adults who blame violence and cruelty on the victim.
TWO: Scapegoats can ask for help by complaining about the bully's behavior to responsible adults in authority. The flaw in this choice is obvious to anyone who's ever been a victim of bullying. The term responsible adults in authority is an oxymoron. Adults in authority are pursuing careers, protecting personal and professional reputations, ensuring a well financed and winning season for the football team, and avoiding public controversy by hiding, rather than addressing problems. Anyone who disputes this viewpoint is welcome to provide details regarding Columbine Principal Frank DeAngelis' efforts over the last ten years to address the bullying problem at Columbine High School. Scapegoats are usually social misfits who cannot rely on any significant concern from their fellow students either. Any effort to solicit assistance from adults normally precipitates a shameless demonstration of bigotry on the part of the student body. Referring to a victim of abuse as a faggot or a pussy is morally indistinguishable with using a racial or ethnic slur
THREE: Scapegoats can accept their natural place in the pecking order, not unlike a black man at a Klan rally. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly in a community like Columbine, this is often the safest option in terms of avoiding physical injury. Pack Alphas and their Enablers have a strong instinctive need to be above someone in terms of social status. A Scapegoat who simply endures his mistreatment at their hands is far less likely to be seriously injured than someone who bucks the system.
FOUR: Scapegoats can fight back by employing some kind of technology rather than just their bare hands. This is precisely what Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold decided to do. This is where adults display their almost unimaginable level of stupidity. Open the subject of bullying with an adult and he or she will almost always justify its existence by declaring that it is perfectly natural behavior that teaches the victims about the real world. I agree that bullying is natural to our species. When humans roamed the countryside looking for things they could kill and eat, bullying was the primary method of establishing who received the lion's share of the food, who was fit to reproduce and so forth. In primitive times, bullying served a clear and beneficial purpose in the survival of our species. But only a drooling idiot would overlook the fact that cavemen did not have access to firearms, computer viruses, and arsonist's accelerants. Bullying no longer serves a beneficial purpose and the only tactic that can claim any significant progress in drawing attention to the problem is the sort of lone-wolf terrorism witnessed at Columbine on April 20th, 1999.
ONE: Scapegoats can follow the classic advice written into every low budget western from the 1950's and 1960's by fighting back with their bare hands. On television and in the minds of Callous adults, the Scapegoat stands up to the bully, the bully learns his lesson and runs away with his tail between his legs, and the community lives happily ever after. In the real world, the Scapegoat gets his teeth knocked out, endures months or perhaps years of additional abuse, and ends up being blamed by Callous adults for choosing to solve his problems by fighting. It's important for Scapegoats to remember that a community where bullying is tolerated is full of Cowardly adults who blame violence and cruelty on the victim.
TWO: Scapegoats can ask for help by complaining about the bully's behavior to responsible adults in authority. The flaw in this choice is obvious to anyone who's ever been a victim of bullying. The term responsible adults in authority is an oxymoron. Adults in authority are pursuing careers, protecting personal and professional reputations, ensuring a well financed and winning season for the football team, and avoiding public controversy by hiding, rather than addressing problems. Anyone who disputes this viewpoint is welcome to provide details regarding Columbine Principal Frank DeAngelis' efforts over the last ten years to address the bullying problem at Columbine High School. Scapegoats are usually social misfits who cannot rely on any significant concern from their fellow students either. Any effort to solicit assistance from adults normally precipitates a shameless demonstration of bigotry on the part of the student body. Referring to a victim of abuse as a faggot or a pussy is morally indistinguishable with using a racial or ethnic slur
THREE: Scapegoats can accept their natural place in the pecking order, not unlike a black man at a Klan rally. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly in a community like Columbine, this is often the safest option in terms of avoiding physical injury. Pack Alphas and their Enablers have a strong instinctive need to be above someone in terms of social status. A Scapegoat who simply endures his mistreatment at their hands is far less likely to be seriously injured than someone who bucks the system.
FOUR: Scapegoats can fight back by employing some kind of technology rather than just their bare hands. This is precisely what Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold decided to do. This is where adults display their almost unimaginable level of stupidity. Open the subject of bullying with an adult and he or she will almost always justify its existence by declaring that it is perfectly natural behavior that teaches the victims about the real world. I agree that bullying is natural to our species. When humans roamed the countryside looking for things they could kill and eat, bullying was the primary method of establishing who received the lion's share of the food, who was fit to reproduce and so forth. In primitive times, bullying served a clear and beneficial purpose in the survival of our species. But only a drooling idiot would overlook the fact that cavemen did not have access to firearms, computer viruses, and arsonist's accelerants. Bullying no longer serves a beneficial purpose and the only tactic that can claim any significant progress in drawing attention to the problem is the sort of lone-wolf terrorism witnessed at Columbine on April 20th, 1999.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Columbine 101: Lesson One - The Real World
Dogs, Chimpanzees, and Humans share three basic behavioral characteristics: They are Predatory, Aggressive, and Socially Heirarchical. In fact the basic social structure of all three species is virtually indistinguishable.
Go back to high school in your mind and place everyone you remember inside a large two-dimensional diamond, just like the kind you see in a deck of playing cards. Those individuals who possess the highest degree of social status occupy the top of the diamond and those who's status is lowest occupy the bottom.
Draw two straight lines across the top and bottom 1/10th of the diamond to form two small triangles. The Pack Alphas occupy the top triangle and the Scapegoats occupy the bottom. The rest of the student body is scattered more or less randomly throughout the rest of the diamond with the bulk of the population tending to occupy the middle levels of status.
Other than the Alphas and Scapegoats, the other 80% of the student body fits very neatly into one or more of the following four groups of Enablers:
Toadying Sycophants: These individuals genuinely envy and admire the Pack Alphas and regularly complement and fawn over them in the hope of currying favor. Many of these individuals are best described as alpha wannabes and prey upon Scapegoats as much as or more than the pack alphas. This group also includes adults who look upon association with or overt displays of support for the local sports teams as a means to increasing their own status within the community. It's not unusual for fathers to push their male children into violent, competitive sports and for mothers to literally pimp their daughters to the football team in the hope that they'll become more popular. Kip Kinkel's father did this. He and his wife are dead now.
Enabling Females: Enabling females generally fall into one of three categories:
1) Female Sociopaths enjoy watching people being harmed and often flirt with men in order to give their pack alpha a flimsy excuse to attack.
2) Social Climbers hope to trade the use of their bodies in exchange for elevated social status, inclusion in a high status group, and of course, money. Obviously, they're willing to risk serious injury and are stupid enough to ignore the lessons of O.J. Simpson. The next time you read about a violent psychopath like Ryan Tucker, ask yourself why any female would go near him if he could not offer high social status and money.
3) Airheads are attracted to pack alphas for the same reason that wealthy, middle aged men dump their starter wives in favor of ample breasted, 21 year old mistresses. Because they're ignorant, self centered morons. This group consists of females who believe they can help their alpha male turn his life around and become a better person. I'm always amused when victims of spousal abuse make statements like, "He's a really nice guy as long as you don't provoke him." I actually read that in a newspaper many years ago.
From the Pack Alphas point of view, the primary duty of Enabling Females is to reinforce the illusion that the Pack Alphas are irresistible to females. This illusion is absolutely critical to a Pack Alpha's ability to maintain its social status and the respect of its peers and immediate subordinates. Attempting to break off a relationship with a Pack Alpha is usually hazardous to one's health as successfully doing so undermines the pack alpha's illusion of irresistibility. Once again...remember what happened to O.J. Simpson's wife for daring to break up with him.
Dude!!! Where's my knife?!
The Enabling Females' secondary duty involves satisfying the Pack Alpha's basic sexual needs by playing the role of a Penis Garage. A Penis Garage provides a place for the Pack Alpha to park his Humvee at night. Not every Enabling Female is required or even allowed to fulfill this duty. Being chosen to fulfill one's duty as a Penis Garage is after all, an honor. Most Enabling Females must satisfy their petty fantasies by fawning over the Pack Alphas in the vain hope of becoming one of the chosen ones and by constantly reminding those lucky enough to be chosen as a nighttime parking spot how lucky they are. A Penis Garage is routinely reminded of her good fortune by other Enabling Females regardless of how abusive, controlling, or violent her Pack Alpha becomes.
Cowards: Members of this group are terrified to appear critical of the Pack Alpha's behavior. In order to avoid appearing critical, the worst of these scumbags will shamelessly blame the Pack Alpha's criminal behavior on the victim. This is quite common in cases involving a popular athlete committing date rape but is most often seen when low status males are assaulted by high status males. In this regard, Columbine High School was far from unique. Cowards, particularly adults in authority are as common as flies at the dump.
Calluses: These individuals are either completely oblivious to what's going on around them, are convinced of the myth that cruelty is some sort of character building exercise, or are simply indifferent to the suffering of anyone chosen to be a Scapegoat by the Pack Alphas. The worst of this group displays the behavior of the reformed alcoholic by reminding anyone who complains about bullying that being victimized made them tougher or better.
Scapegoats provide a convenient outlet for the routine and arbitrary cruelty of any Pack Alpha who feels the need to reinforce its authority and social status. Scapegoats also provide a visual example for the other four groups to fear. Toadying Sycophants, Enabling Females, Cowards, and Calluses all live in fear of being demoted to the role of Scapegoat. The arbitrary punishment meted out to Scapegoats reminds everyone to conform and to accept the Pack Alpha's authority without question.
At Columbine, most of the Pack Alphas appeared to be athletes. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were obviously Scapegoats. And the rest of the student body fulfilled their roles as Enablers by supporting whatever the Pack Alphas felt like doing to the Scapegoats. This created the illusion that the Columbine Killers targeted people indiscriminately. They did not. Harris and Klebold intentionally targeted enablers and avoided harming those whom they interpreted as fellow Scapegoats.
If this general model matches, or fails to match your personal memories of high school, or if you agree or disagree for other reasons, feel free to leave a comment.
Here are your questions pertaining to this lesson:
What moral obligations do Scapegoats owe to the Pack Alphas and their Enablers? Are Scapegoats morally obligated to value the well being of those who mistreat them? Use complete sentences and support your answers with a logical argument that a Scapegoat or former Scapegoat might find convincing.
Go back to high school in your mind and place everyone you remember inside a large two-dimensional diamond, just like the kind you see in a deck of playing cards. Those individuals who possess the highest degree of social status occupy the top of the diamond and those who's status is lowest occupy the bottom.
Draw two straight lines across the top and bottom 1/10th of the diamond to form two small triangles. The Pack Alphas occupy the top triangle and the Scapegoats occupy the bottom. The rest of the student body is scattered more or less randomly throughout the rest of the diamond with the bulk of the population tending to occupy the middle levels of status.
Other than the Alphas and Scapegoats, the other 80% of the student body fits very neatly into one or more of the following four groups of Enablers:
Toadying Sycophants: These individuals genuinely envy and admire the Pack Alphas and regularly complement and fawn over them in the hope of currying favor. Many of these individuals are best described as alpha wannabes and prey upon Scapegoats as much as or more than the pack alphas. This group also includes adults who look upon association with or overt displays of support for the local sports teams as a means to increasing their own status within the community. It's not unusual for fathers to push their male children into violent, competitive sports and for mothers to literally pimp their daughters to the football team in the hope that they'll become more popular. Kip Kinkel's father did this. He and his wife are dead now.
Enabling Females: Enabling females generally fall into one of three categories:
1) Female Sociopaths enjoy watching people being harmed and often flirt with men in order to give their pack alpha a flimsy excuse to attack.
2) Social Climbers hope to trade the use of their bodies in exchange for elevated social status, inclusion in a high status group, and of course, money. Obviously, they're willing to risk serious injury and are stupid enough to ignore the lessons of O.J. Simpson. The next time you read about a violent psychopath like Ryan Tucker, ask yourself why any female would go near him if he could not offer high social status and money.
3) Airheads are attracted to pack alphas for the same reason that wealthy, middle aged men dump their starter wives in favor of ample breasted, 21 year old mistresses. Because they're ignorant, self centered morons. This group consists of females who believe they can help their alpha male turn his life around and become a better person. I'm always amused when victims of spousal abuse make statements like, "He's a really nice guy as long as you don't provoke him." I actually read that in a newspaper many years ago.
From the Pack Alphas point of view, the primary duty of Enabling Females is to reinforce the illusion that the Pack Alphas are irresistible to females. This illusion is absolutely critical to a Pack Alpha's ability to maintain its social status and the respect of its peers and immediate subordinates. Attempting to break off a relationship with a Pack Alpha is usually hazardous to one's health as successfully doing so undermines the pack alpha's illusion of irresistibility. Once again...remember what happened to O.J. Simpson's wife for daring to break up with him.
Dude!!! Where's my knife?!
The Enabling Females' secondary duty involves satisfying the Pack Alpha's basic sexual needs by playing the role of a Penis Garage. A Penis Garage provides a place for the Pack Alpha to park his Humvee at night. Not every Enabling Female is required or even allowed to fulfill this duty. Being chosen to fulfill one's duty as a Penis Garage is after all, an honor. Most Enabling Females must satisfy their petty fantasies by fawning over the Pack Alphas in the vain hope of becoming one of the chosen ones and by constantly reminding those lucky enough to be chosen as a nighttime parking spot how lucky they are. A Penis Garage is routinely reminded of her good fortune by other Enabling Females regardless of how abusive, controlling, or violent her Pack Alpha becomes.
Cowards: Members of this group are terrified to appear critical of the Pack Alpha's behavior. In order to avoid appearing critical, the worst of these scumbags will shamelessly blame the Pack Alpha's criminal behavior on the victim. This is quite common in cases involving a popular athlete committing date rape but is most often seen when low status males are assaulted by high status males. In this regard, Columbine High School was far from unique. Cowards, particularly adults in authority are as common as flies at the dump.
Calluses: These individuals are either completely oblivious to what's going on around them, are convinced of the myth that cruelty is some sort of character building exercise, or are simply indifferent to the suffering of anyone chosen to be a Scapegoat by the Pack Alphas. The worst of this group displays the behavior of the reformed alcoholic by reminding anyone who complains about bullying that being victimized made them tougher or better.
Scapegoats provide a convenient outlet for the routine and arbitrary cruelty of any Pack Alpha who feels the need to reinforce its authority and social status. Scapegoats also provide a visual example for the other four groups to fear. Toadying Sycophants, Enabling Females, Cowards, and Calluses all live in fear of being demoted to the role of Scapegoat. The arbitrary punishment meted out to Scapegoats reminds everyone to conform and to accept the Pack Alpha's authority without question.
At Columbine, most of the Pack Alphas appeared to be athletes. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were obviously Scapegoats. And the rest of the student body fulfilled their roles as Enablers by supporting whatever the Pack Alphas felt like doing to the Scapegoats. This created the illusion that the Columbine Killers targeted people indiscriminately. They did not. Harris and Klebold intentionally targeted enablers and avoided harming those whom they interpreted as fellow Scapegoats.
If this general model matches, or fails to match your personal memories of high school, or if you agree or disagree for other reasons, feel free to leave a comment.
Here are your questions pertaining to this lesson:
What moral obligations do Scapegoats owe to the Pack Alphas and their Enablers? Are Scapegoats morally obligated to value the well being of those who mistreat them? Use complete sentences and support your answers with a logical argument that a Scapegoat or former Scapegoat might find convincing.
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