The Problem of Young People and Violence

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A child of about 13 years old walked into a school with a loaded AK-47, and the result was several dead and numerous wounded. Something the general population is all too familiar with. Everyone wants to know who is responsible for this acceleration in violence in America’s youth; someone or something is to blame. Many factors play a part in the psychological development of a child, such as social environment, media content, and family life. Coddling, nurturing, being supportive, and having a concerned adult present are important to children at all stages; however going beyond what is needed developmentally at any age may have negative consequences. This has led to numerous youth having lower self-efficacy and an exaggerated sense of entitlement. Narcissism and entitlement are bedfellows; they go hand in hand. Children are unable to handle failure, lacking the coping mechanism and therefore becoming frustration intolerant. Violent and deadly use of force by youth is on the rise and there is a direct correlation between the coddling of our society, being politically correct, and the inability to effectively and correctly deal with stressful situations.
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the Columbine High School students who murdered thirteen people and wounded twenty-three in Littleton, Colorado, before killing themselves, enjoyed playing the bloody video game Doom. Harris created a customized version of Doom with two shooters, extra weapons, and unlimited ammunition, and victims who could not fight back; features eerily similarly to aspects of the actual shootings. Unlimited or unmonitored media use is only one of the many contributing factors. There is an increasing trend in retaliatory violence against girls who reject...

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Namka, Lynn, Ed. D. "Why Did Johnny Kill? School Violence Explained The Dynamics of Rejection, Isolation, Bullying, Shame, Anger and Acting Out in Rage in Children." Talk, Trust and Feel Therapeutics, Web. 4 May 2014.
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