The Great Discconect

Once again someone has gone nuts and killed a lot of innocent people. Viriginia now joins Colorado, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Washington and other states as places where unspeakable tragedy has taken place. And although the media does very little to minimize our risks- think about the round the clock attention that these events get for days on end and the disturbing and disturbed celebrity status that is granted to killers- the primary responsibility does not belong there.

In this event, Blacksburg, Virginia, it seems clear that the killer had serious mental health issues. Counseling and institutionalization should have been considered and may have prevented this terrible thing. But the failure of mental health professionals at Virginia Tech is not the primary culprit.

Many have criticized the slow response of campus police and administration in dealing with the shooting in the dormitory. The contention is that quicker action and a campus lock down could have prevented the second shooting in the classroom building. However, university officials cannot be blamed for one individual who would have found a way to do damage no matter what the response.

Others have proposed that guns and gun control are the issue. Some have said that if there were more controls and regulations the shooter would have been denied access to his weapons of choice. Others maintain that if gun laws were looser there would have been other armed people in the classroom building and the killer could have been contained much sooner. But both of these arguments deal with symptoms of a deeper problem.

I believe that killers like this are disconnected. Our culture violates a basic need of humanity. People need to be around people. We are social creatures. We need community. We need conversations and interactions. We need to be needed by other humans and we need other humans. However, our society discourages these relationships.

From infancy we are trained to be independent. We are taught how to take care of ourselves and to solve our own problems. When I can take care of myself, I don't need you. And when I don't need you, I will stay away from you. Eventually, this will lead to distrust of other people. And when I don't trust others to help me, or to know me, I become lonely and disconnected.

We live in the same house on the same street for years without knowing the names of our next door neighbors. We shop in the same stores, are served by the same clerks, and never speak to them on a personal level. I can go to worship with the same congregation for my whole life and never get to know anyone on a personal level. I am disconnected from the rest of the world.

And here is the progression; Independence leads to isolation. Isolation leads to loneliness. Loneliness leads to disconnection. Disconnection leads to catastrophe.

It becomes incumbent on everyone, then, to do something about this disconnection. We should do something for the good of those who are disconnected and for our own safety. Refuse to accept the popular idea that independence is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Refuse to be isolated and to let those around you be isolated. Make connections with as many people as you can. Make meaningful connections that will last beyond today.

And pray for everyone you meet.