Hacker News Reader

Comment by codingslave | Hacker News Reader

I think there's more going on in our current society than is being discussed. What it is exactly, and why its happening, is really hard to tell. We cant see the forest from the trees.

But I don't think its young men's fault, I think that things have gotten objectively worse for them. People are responding, and are increasingly responding with huge negativity. I think this has nothing to do with how they're raised, and every thing to do with how they're treated and the opportunities they're being given. There is real discontent here.

View on HN

Have you read those manifestos or about shooters themselves? Cause lack of opportunities ain't the issue in specific cases I read about.

Lack of opportunities is not case of Roger Elliot, Sandy Hook massacre nor columbine. Not in the mail bomb case either nor that one with skater brother (can't recall name now).

I think it's essentially draws back to the incel/hikkomori phenomenon. You never see young men in relationships doing these kinds of things...whether it's a white right wing mass shooter or an Islamic suicide bombing. People seem to want to pin these things on ideology, because that's the reason the perpetrators themselves give for what they do. But it seems more likely to me to be a reaction to a life they view as having no future, by which I mean no prospect of a successful romantic relationship with the opposite sex.

I don't think the Christchurch shooter was an incel, apparently he had pictures on social media partying with women. And he killed 50.

51 :-(

He didn't seem to have a successful social life.

I don't want to spread any more content about him by sharing links or quotes here, but I think it's important to dispel the suggestion that he had a well-functioning social or relationship life.

Media interviews with people who knew of him all indicate that suggestion is false.

>People seem to want to pin these things on ideology, because that's the reason the perpetrators themselves give for what they do. But it seems more likely to me to be a reaction to a life they view as having no future, by which I mean no prospect of a successful romantic relationship with the opposite sex.

It's both. A combination of hopelessness for their future and an ideology that can be seized upon to fill that same void.

50 virgins in the afterlife is the simplest example of this. Whom might such a future appeal to? Not so much the successful family man, I think. But it's not the only ideology that fits the bill. If you can promise any kind of wider purpose to someone's life (e.g. save your race!) that'll inherently appeal to a portion of the people that feel their life lacks meaning. If that group gets bigger AND an ideology gets increasing mind-share, you get the phenomenon we're now experiencing.

If you read about shooters, there are good reasons why girls don't date them. Mostly them being impossible to even speak with for anyone. Or maybe, girls are less likely to date increasingly violent dude. Or dude who refuses to speak to them.

And it has nothing to do with dude "having no prospects". That people in this state then fit greatly into ideological bubble that feeds their delusions is something we can criticize ideological bubble for.

I heard it said that young people were "the canaries in the coalmine" for the larger problems of society.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com