Lonliness

THE RANDOM MASS MURDERS are happening ever more frequently. Makes you wonder what would happen in america if everyone carried a weapon.

Invariably, the nutcase who starts apraying bullets is an alienated loner, angry at the world, no friends. And its a bit alarming how many people like that there are in america. More than one might think. More, definitely, than we need or want.

and deep dpwn, at the root, in the distant past, all these mass murderers were decent people, according to extensive testimony. But they went wrong somewhere, and it wasn't the day of the shootings.

The lonliness, the alienation, the anger all began years in advance, and grew like a cancer until they exploded. I met a guy who moved to my town, fayetteville, arkansas, america, from shanghai, china. we became friends, but he was lonely, and wanted to move to a bigger city.

He once said to me "you americans are the loneliest people in the world! You care more about your dogs and cats than you do each other!"  I couldn't dispute his point, and I didn't bother to tell them that we prefer it that way.

My chinese friend eventually moved to chicago, where he was still unhappy, party because he was surrounded by unfriendly americans, and partly because  chicago isn't big enough.

What WE Need in America is a sense of belonging, for everyone, the feeling of being an important part of something truly important. Membership in civic organizations, Parent Teacher Oganizations, bowling and softball leagues, and churches has been steadily declining in america for a long time.

american culture has always been indivualistic, but it is , in many ways, more so than ever now, with each of us going our own separate ways. electronic entertainment is rapidly replacing face to face human interaction. And this can compound to create in many vulnerable people a sense of isolation, lonliness, alienation. Humans, after all, are social animals. If we forget this, which we won't, we're doomed, which we won't be, we hope.

Bb

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