http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:52:04 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580732 The following strikes me as an arrogant, self-justifying, and utterly foolish fantasy: "We do not really care enough about other people to want to kill them. If we like you, we like you. If we don't, we ignore you. It is that simple. Hostile opinions from others do not factor into our minds because we really do not care that much about what those people think. An asshole thinking I am an asshole means nothing because it is the opinion of an asshole." Listen up, Marlon Brando: as the tragedy of Virginia Tech reveals, generalizations such as this are meaningless. Just because someone is a loner does not mean he doesn't care about the opinions of others; he may care very deeply, as Seung-Hui Cho clearly did. And what do you mean "we"? Who is this "we"? You can speak for all loners? Which reminds me -- would a loner who doesn't care what others think write such an impassioned piece of nonsense when he feels misjudged? 580732@blogcritics.org Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:52:04 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580637 Shay, I am in no way defending this asshole, but rather attacking the way people jump to labels. This guy was a guy and nothing more or less. I don't know if he wrote about killing his teachers. I skimmed the play he wrote, but found it really poorly written and boring so I stopped. He would be a punchline if not for the killing he did. I remember when I was in creative writing in college. My teacher hated, HATED a story I wrote so the next one I wrote I purposely made it even worse. I think we all do these things so they really cannot be taken as signs of anything. Now the stalking and being committed on the other hand are very clear signs and should have been looked at. 580637@blogcritics.org Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:25:58 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580550 Brad, I understand where your coming from, being a loner myself I have sympathy for the sane ones out there! But, somehow writing about the same thing and not really having a varied standpoint in the several writings seems pretty weird. I mean I'm sure his teachers talked with him about it, but he continued to write about killing his teachers..at least the authors you mentioned were more well-rounded! So ok, its only 'creative writing' but if you have been advised to write about another topic, but still continue with it...I think it develops into obsession. 580550@blogcritics.org Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:40:02 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580351 I agree about the weird writing thing. I mean unless he wrote something grotesquely off-topic and focusing on mass murder, then I don't see how him being a loner and writing what he did as signs alone. I read his two plays. From that evidence alone the only conclusion I could draw is that he is a trite, cliched and crappy writer. But that's what my English teacher said about me. 580351@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:17:41 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580198 Shay, When I wrote this last night the press was reporting the loner and weird writing aspects of him. More news has come out about him and the guy gave many signs, but they are still focusing on the writings and the loner-status. If creative writing is a sign then we really need to make sure Tom Clancy doesn't overthrow the government and keep your kids far away from Stephen King and Anne Rice. Yes it takes a weird mind to write weird fiction, but not all of us with weird minds are threats. Most of us are not-99.999999999999% of us in fact. Profiling only tells the bad guys what to avoid and does nothing to stop the action. 580198@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:42:19 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580155 I think their focusing on a combination of things, not just him being a 'loner'. Reports of him on anti-depressant meds,setting fire to his room, these chilling writings etc,etc. I think people can differentiate between being socially demented and just being shy. 580155@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:30:50 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580138 Charlie, "Stalking women, hallucinating about phantom girl friends, seeing "promiscuity" in a girl's eyes, identifying one's name as "?" and the lack of appropriate verbal skills is not acceptable." You are right about that, but that is not what is being reported about this guy. What is being reported is that he was a loner who wrote weird things in his creative writing class. What you focus on is correct, but what the media is focusing on is not and that is what I wrote about. Profiling would never have stopped this or any other tragedy. 580138@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 10:40:51 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580113 Dear Brad, Being a "loner" is an acceptable way of life. Stalking women, hallucinating about phantom girl friends, seeing "promiscuity" in a girl's eyes, identifying one's name as "?" and the lack of appropriate verbal skills is not acceptable. These are clear signs of serious emotional problems. The "loner's" suite mates should have emphactically and relentlessly reported this crucial information to the highest levels of Virginia Tech admininistration officials and the police. All of these murders were 100% preventable had the correct actions been taken to remove the "loner" from campus so that he could get the treatment for his emotional problems. Sincerely, Charlie 580113@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:21:15 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/04/18/052827.php#comment-580098 You don't have to be a loner to have a franchise on being an asshole, having people think you're an asshole or hating other assholes. Sadly, there are plenty of social people who go around killing too. May I suggest you try not to be such a loner, that way if you do snap, you won't make other loners look bad ;) 580098@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Apr 2007 08:32:20 EDT