Outrage of the Week

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

Tyson really wasn't wrong about this, although he picked a bad moment to say it. But I think it might be more to the point to say that we get more upset about an unusually high number of people getting killed in one event than we do about an equal or greater number getting killed in many separate events.

On an average day in the U.S., about 20 people are killed in gun homicides, and the general public doesn't get distraught about that. But we had two mass shootings this weekend in which 29 people were killed, and suddenly everyone is calling for action.

This psychology has a lot to do with how we define as news, which is something unusual that happens. We see an unusual event that's bad as much more significant than a usual event that's just as bad or worse, because the unusual event constitutes news. The usual event is not news, except locally.

We see 29 people getting killed in 29 different events as no big deal. But we see 29 people getting killed by guns in two events as world-altering.

https://deadline.com/2019/08/neil-de...hs-1202661285/

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

Tyson really wasn't wrong about this, although he picked a bad moment to say it. But I think it might be more to the point to say that we get more upset about an unusually high number of people getting killed in one event than we do about an equal or greater number being killed in separate events.

On an average day in the U.S., about 20 people are killed in gun homicides, and the general public doesn't get distraught about that. In the two mass shootings this weekend, 29 people were killed, and everyone is suddenly calling for action. It has a lot to do with what we define as news. Unusual events are news and usual events are not, even though the usual events might be bad or worse.

https://deadline.com/2019/08/neil-de...hs-1202661285/

I also think part of the difference in reaction is that while individual killings can be perpetrated a number of different ways (though guns make it easier), mass killings are generally made possible by guns, and would be harder (or even impossible) to pull off using other methods.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

I also think part of the difference in reaction is that while individual killings can be perpetrated a number of different ways (though guns make it easier), mass killings are generally made possible by guns, and would be harder (or even impossible) to pull off using other methods.

True, but 20 people are killed every day in the U.S. by GUN HOMICIDES, and that doesn't stir outrage. It's just what we're used to. But when someone kills 20 people in one spot, people get distraught.

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

True, but 20 people are killed every day in the U.S. by GUN HOMICIDES, and that doesn't stir outrage. It's just what we're used to. But when someone kills 20 people in one spot, people get distraught.

Like I said, they might get more upset because it is an event that is made possible by guns, rather than just an event that happened to use a gun.

Also, mass shootings are probably more frightening to the average person because it makes them feel less safe than the individual murders do, as most people probably feel like they can avoid being an individual target by simply not pissing anybody off that much, or not going to areas they see as dangerous, but mass shootings seem more random, and therefore seem less avoidable through sensible, individual precautions. People don't like being reminded that sometimes you can die randomly without having done anything wrong, and when they are reminded, tend to call for actions that they perceive as reducing the chance of such random deaths happening.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

I understand that this might spur action against some particular form of firearm. But 20 dead people is 20 dead people, whether they die in 20 places or in one place. We just can't see it that way.

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

I understand that this might spur action against some particular form of firearm. But 20 dead people is 20 dead people, whether they die in 20 places or in one place. We just can't see it that way.

I'm just trying to point out that while the lives are equally valuable either way, and thus the loss of life is just as tragic, there are in fact reasons why the two situations could reasonably be seen as not precisely equivalent, and therefore the different reactions aren't completely unreasonable.

Certainly I wouldn't expect actions taken to prevent mass shootings to have an equivalent impact on individual shootings (though they probably would have SOME impact).

[Agent Purple The Illustrated Man Find all posts View Profile Close Agent Purple]

Family with special needs son asked to finish their meals and leave Outback Steakhouse

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Not really the biggest outrage, but a more fun entry.

Spoiled Teen Pushes Brand New BMW Into River Because He Wanted A Jaguar



I think it's refreshing that it's not a rich white kid.

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

The saddest part of that story is that the dad seems to feel like he failed his kid by "only" getting him a BMW.

[Agent Purple The Illustrated Man Find all posts View Profile Close Agent Purple]

Literally every brat on My Super Sweet Sixteen.

[HalFingJordan Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close HalFingJordan]

And people really advocate less spanking?

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

https://www.kvia.com/crime/el-paso-m...ral/1110731070

El Paso man's car stolen, damaged hours after thousands join him for shooting victim wife's funeral

Tazer

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

this is just a damn shame.....: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49408555

Han Sung-ok: Was this North Korean defector failed by the South?

Tazer

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

That is pretty sad. Especially is a prosperous country like South Korea.

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

https://www.wilx.com/content/news/Do...558815491.html

'Don't know why you're freaking out': Arkansas woman drowns on phone with 911

Stevens: "I'm scared. I've never had anything like this happen to me before."
Dispatcher: "This will teach you next time don't drive in the water."
Stevens: "Couldn't see it ma'am. I'm sorry or I wouldn't have."
Dispatcher: "I don't see how you didn't see it. You had to go right over it, so."

Tazer