(Untitled)

[myname_nick]

"Regularly now, we hear about young men shooting each other and sometimes shooting their own girlfriends as a response to what they call "disrespect". The misuse of the word "disrespect" is just a pitiful sign of the vicious stupidity by which young men demand to be respected when there is nothing to respect them for."

Comments

[ieatmoths]

True, I do forget that it isn't a case of decision, for the most part. I've lived exceptionally free from organized violence, so it's not something I really understand... and maybe it is a case of gender, as I DO know that near every guy I know has been all but forced into some sort of altercation.

'removed' as in juvie or some such? maybe it's a matter of balance... if the quotient of intelligent beings with some amount of social awareness outweighs those who are running on something closer to animal instinct, would that push our evolution towards something a little more civil? if the concern is protection... does that turn us into factions and therefore no better than gang members? (the good guys win another round and bag a few more hoodlums, huzzah!). Hehe, I'm probably just turning this into the Battle of the Species, though. I suppose if anything's to be done it's in the spectrum of neutrality. cops with guns have their own mob mentality, as much as they'd never admit it - having a weapon and rank is a *powerful* appeasement force to the human conscience. So I don't know if that means youth groups or some such (probably ineffectual and seen as kinda lame), or really, I'm not sure.
(I would imagine steps taken towards ending poverty would be a miraculous influence...)

Somewhat relatedly, I've found dodgeball to be a source of good recently. Take many lost and broken young adult-types and convince them that a dodgeball league is a good idea. It's comradeship and kinda old-fashioned and very good for the soul. Outside of the box solution to general ennui. Not sure why it's related, but I was thinking of youth groups. ^^

[myname_nick]

Whoops, I read this originally and left it, on the basis that it deserved an intelligent reply that I was unable to give at the time, then promptly forgot about it.

At this point I will cirtinly agree with the dodgeball, or any other sport really as they are taking them off the streets and channeling their testostorone and competative urges while also, as you say, lending the sense of comradship and the security that brings from being on a team.