Teacher bullying, The Cho Factor Installment II by Robert Ringer
Robert Smith and Associates
January 09, 2008
The Cho Factor, Installment II: A Soul Without Purpose
By Robert Ringer
www.robertringer.com/chofactor.htm
Back in April, I said that from what I had seen and heard, it was clear to me that the media had no clue as to the underlying cause or causes of the Virginia Tech massacre. I also promised that I would weigh in with my views on this tragedy of seismic proportions once things cooled down a bit.
The Virginia Tech incident was much more than just a case of random school violence inflicted by a depraved student. What occurred is part of much deeper societal issues — issues that define how each and every one of us conducts our lives on a day-to-day basis.
The underlying issues I am referring to feed our frustrations and fears … our hopes and aspirations … our disappointments and unfulfilling “victories” … our failed marriages … our glorification of organized high school and college athletics … our ignorance of learning disabilities and emotional problems … our willingness to turn a blind eye to injustice and “play the game” for fear of being ostracized … our unrelenting attachment to “things” … our entrenched ideas of what makes us worthy or unworthy citizens of our communities. Indeed, our very perceptions of what is real and what is unreal.
As I said in Installment I of this series, it is a subject so vast that it affects just about every area of life. That being the case, exploring it promises to be a long, and often uncomfortable, journey. Those looking for simplistic answers may decide, at some point, to turn back.
Before moving forward, I must warn you that what I have to say will not go down well with two kinds of readers: (1) Those whose minds are completely closed to the opinions of others, and (2) those knee-jerk-reaction folks who may have a tendency to misinterpret my words. To the latter group, I apologize in advance for any inadequacy in my writing skills that may lead to such misinterpretations.
There’s no question that Cho’s actions were evil, assuming that one defines evil as wicked or immoral. But I believe we are rationally obliged to look deeper into this mindless massacre to find the cause of Cho’s wicked actions.
Chaos theory tells us that everything in the universe has an effect on everything else. And, as I said, the Virginia Tech tragedy was not an isolated, random incident. Like all consequences, it was preceded by a cause.
Finally, because I am a longtime believer in the power of understatement, I will end today’s installment with the words of Voice of Sanity reader Ginger, who wrote the briefest e-mail I received about Seung-Hui Cho:
A lost and wounded heart … a soul without purpose.
In Installment III, we’ll cut right to the chase and begin examining the specific causes of Cho’s madness. It’s going to get pretty bumpy, so I hope you’ll continue to keep an open mind toward what I have to say – because Cho’s seemingly senseless violence can teach us a lot about our society, about life, about human nature, and, yes, about ourselves. About how we got to where we are, and where we’re headed.
www.robertringer.com/chofactor.htm
By Robert Ringer
www.robertringer.com/chofactor.htm
Back in April, I said that from what I had seen and heard, it was clear to me that the media had no clue as to the underlying cause or causes of the Virginia Tech massacre. I also promised that I would weigh in with my views on this tragedy of seismic proportions once things cooled down a bit.
The Virginia Tech incident was much more than just a case of random school violence inflicted by a depraved student. What occurred is part of much deeper societal issues — issues that define how each and every one of us conducts our lives on a day-to-day basis.
The underlying issues I am referring to feed our frustrations and fears … our hopes and aspirations … our disappointments and unfulfilling “victories” … our failed marriages … our glorification of organized high school and college athletics … our ignorance of learning disabilities and emotional problems … our willingness to turn a blind eye to injustice and “play the game” for fear of being ostracized … our unrelenting attachment to “things” … our entrenched ideas of what makes us worthy or unworthy citizens of our communities. Indeed, our very perceptions of what is real and what is unreal.
As I said in Installment I of this series, it is a subject so vast that it affects just about every area of life. That being the case, exploring it promises to be a long, and often uncomfortable, journey. Those looking for simplistic answers may decide, at some point, to turn back.
Before moving forward, I must warn you that what I have to say will not go down well with two kinds of readers: (1) Those whose minds are completely closed to the opinions of others, and (2) those knee-jerk-reaction folks who may have a tendency to misinterpret my words. To the latter group, I apologize in advance for any inadequacy in my writing skills that may lead to such misinterpretations.
There’s no question that Cho’s actions were evil, assuming that one defines evil as wicked or immoral. But I believe we are rationally obliged to look deeper into this mindless massacre to find the cause of Cho’s wicked actions.
Chaos theory tells us that everything in the universe has an effect on everything else. And, as I said, the Virginia Tech tragedy was not an isolated, random incident. Like all consequences, it was preceded by a cause.
Finally, because I am a longtime believer in the power of understatement, I will end today’s installment with the words of Voice of Sanity reader Ginger, who wrote the briefest e-mail I received about Seung-Hui Cho:
A lost and wounded heart … a soul without purpose.
In Installment III, we’ll cut right to the chase and begin examining the specific causes of Cho’s madness. It’s going to get pretty bumpy, so I hope you’ll continue to keep an open mind toward what I have to say – because Cho’s seemingly senseless violence can teach us a lot about our society, about life, about human nature, and, yes, about ourselves. About how we got to where we are, and where we’re headed.
www.robertringer.com/chofactor.htm