Where are the heroes?

April 17, 2007 9:29 AM

Has modern society just gone soft?

This is a question about the terrible tragedy that occurred yesterday at Virginia Tech. I am sad for the victims and families that were involved. Before anyone gets too excited, let me be the first to say that I don't know if I would have done anything differently.

But I am stuck wondering how a person armed with only 2 pistols was able to kill and wound so many people without anyone stopping him.

There are witnesses who declare that he would come in to a classroom, shoot up a bunch of people, and then reload right in front of them while they all cowered in fear. A single man with 2 handguns is definitely someone that can be tackled and taken down by a group of people.

I guess I'm just wondering if there are no more heroes in this society. If we've all (myself included) just become so 'soft' (if that's the right term) that we would cower in fear for our own lives rather than risk our lives attempting to stop someone who is intent on killing as many people as possible.

posted by eas98 to society & culture (7 comments total)

Apologies in advance if anyone is offended by this question.
posted by eas98 at 9:32 AM on April 17, 2007

I understand and empathize with your question but I see this turning into one huge clusterfuck and possibly being deleted. I sure hope I'm wrong and best of luck.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:32 AM on April 17, 2007

You clearly haven't watched United 93.

Also, are there any particular examples of heroism in pre-modern times that you're thinking of? Because I doubt that we've fundamentally changed that much.
posted by chrismear at 9:33 AM on April 17, 2007

Well, since this post violates the guidelines, it'll be deleted soon, but... I'm getting really tired of hearing this. Is it really so hard to imagine that in a scary, horrible situation, people are scared? "Gone soft"? When exactly was society populated with fearless supermen who would risk their lives without a thought? What did you expect people to do? Would you have jumped up and attacked him, Mr. Internet Tough Guy? It's easy to sit behind our keyboards and wonder why everyone there were such cowards.
posted by Sangermaine at 9:34 AM on April 17, 2007

Yes.

Now can you please help me get these kids off my lawn?
posted by Sheppagus at 9:35 AM on April 17, 2007

If anything, I think this situation was far more likely caused by society going the opposite of soft - alienation, isolation and disconnection are all exacerbated by the breakdown of extended families, our over-reliance on technology, easy access to violent models of problem solving.
posted by luriete at 9:36 AM on April 17, 2007

You know who the real heroes are? People who, in times of great struggle, with no thought to their own safety, manage to resist the powerful forces which threaten to pull all of civilization toward bullshit chatfilter.
posted by box at 9:36 AM on April 17, 2007 [1 favorite]