The Anatomy of Violence article in Newsweek is an exploration of the various factors that contribute to the formation of an individual who is capable of doing what Cho, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, Kip Kinkel and other young mass murderers have done. It asks the question… Is there a genetic basis for sociopathy? One study thought it had found a link… but it didn’t pan out. Is it related to our gun culture? Not exclusively, for not everyone who has access to guns does what those boys have done. What about violent video games or witnessing chronic violence in the home? Not enough correlation across the board…


No, say the experts. It is an accumulation of factors. It is like stacking blocks into a tower… eventually one too many blocks are added and everything comes crashing down.


One of those many contributory blocks is the cultural influence. It was interesting that the article discussed one of the societal aspects of Japan that greatly reduces the homicide rate. Apparently from an early age, people are taught to “suck it up.” There is even a specific word in the language for this philosophy: gamanshite. Roughly translated, it means endure it. And so the Japanese do… But they take their frustrations out on themselves instead of others. The suicide rate in Japan is off the charts—nearly six times the rate in the US—but the homicide rate is low.


Ninety percent of mass killers are male, and most are between 25 and 35, although clearly school shooters are younger. Most don’t have a serious criminal record. Some kill for purposes of revenge, others to become famous (or infamous.)


The article wondered where the “misery and the ensuing hatred, resentment and anger” that is so prevalent in mass murderers originates. I had to appreciate the conclusion they drew... "An obvious place to look is early childhood." Studies indicate that 45% of boys and up to 69% of girls who commit violent crimes by age 17 have a history of inappropriate aggression all along. However, the article indicated that most aggressive youth develop more appropriate societal behavior as they mature. Next up we’ll look at the brain changes that explain some of this information.


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