scapa
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- Sep 18, 2009
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Meh, decline of values is something that's been echoed since the 50s and I'm still not sure what it means. At some point, these kids decided a burglary gang was the right way to live their lives. Was that because they were bored? IMO, no. Kids repeat what they know. If violence is what they know, they become violent, whether through wanting to mimic the violent actions of another OR (and this is underplayed) due to trauma they've experienced from the violence. The connection with the uptick in violence in schools can't be understated, in my professional experience, and I think that's a lot more to blame than vague decline in values.
MOO.
Agree.
I'd say that "decline in values / general moral decline" as a preferred explanation for violent and disturbing crime begins even earlier -- it's on prominent display in very early crime "reportage" from the 18th century and has been around ever since. Gin, irreligion, too much religion, inadequate parenting, novels, advertising -- you name it.
People will always look, IMO, for larger and simpler explanations for complex and unsettling events, and especially for causes which do not implicate themselves.
Why did these kids kill their friends? I expect the direct or stated causes to be depressingly familiar, and unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
I feel for the families and friends involved, who may never get an answer that makes a dent in their pain.