Comment 10 years of perspective (Score 1) 1228
High school was definitely a low point in my life. Nearly 10 years later I think I am finally understanding the greater picture.
Several things set me apart from the killers in this latest tragedy:
First off, I had a small, but close group of friends that I could turn to and know that they would understand what I was going through because they were dealing with the same crap.
Second, I had a family that was there for me. Sure we had our share of problems, and I was just as alienated from my parents as anyone, but still they were there when I needed them too.
And finally, I had computers, science and tech. This was basically before the net, before online gaming, etc. But computers and tech gave me a channel for the anger and frustration that built up all day at school being taunted, ridiculed, beat up, etc.
So what kept me from snapping like them? What made me different? Connection to others, and an outlet for my emotions. Ask those involved in the net, in online gaming, in the latest morphing of subcultures in the world, and you will find that this is exactly the same thing they find online and in their fellow geeks. These are solutions, not problems!
How to communicate this to the generally clueless masses is another question entirely.
Several things set me apart from the killers in this latest tragedy:
First off, I had a small, but close group of friends that I could turn to and know that they would understand what I was going through because they were dealing with the same crap.
Second, I had a family that was there for me. Sure we had our share of problems, and I was just as alienated from my parents as anyone, but still they were there when I needed them too.
And finally, I had computers, science and tech. This was basically before the net, before online gaming, etc. But computers and tech gave me a channel for the anger and frustration that built up all day at school being taunted, ridiculed, beat up, etc.
So what kept me from snapping like them? What made me different? Connection to others, and an outlet for my emotions. Ask those involved in the net, in online gaming, in the latest morphing of subcultures in the world, and you will find that this is exactly the same thing they find online and in their fellow geeks. These are solutions, not problems!
How to communicate this to the generally clueless masses is another question entirely.
