School Shooting Analysis

There are many controversies and theories for explanations regarding school shootings. School shootings have been introduced into American society as almost a common trait. No other country in the world has dealt with this conflict as consistently. They are a trait that was brought about in the mid 1990’s and have escalated to become a common event among society. Statistically speaking there is a school shooting in the United States of America on average once a week. They were initiated in 1996, but the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999 was the one to spread the future wave. Although sociologists struggle to find out why school shooters decide to accomplice themselves in mass murder; they do realize one thing. Most of the future school

Dave Cullen, author of the novel Columbine spent years analyzing the reasons why Eric and Dylan did what they did. He proved media wrong on false reports on multiple occasions. He studied both Eric and Dylan’s life at home and came to the conclusion that Eric was the main guy to fault everything to. He believed Eric was the leader and Dylan was just a follower. This theory later intertwines Malcom Gladwell’s theory of a threshold. A slowly evolving riot that has led to the frightening school shootings we know of now. He believes shooters have a threshold of a certain quantity. Meaning Eric had a threshold of zero because he initiated the wave and had no inspiration to feed off of. In other words he was mentally insane as he needed no influence to commit mass murder. Dylan on the other hand had a threshold of one meaning that if he was an outcast he probably would not go through with the shooting, but since he had one person to go along with he was all for it. The threshold theory keeps going up to an unlimited amount. Another aspect of Gladwell’s theory involves the Columbine shooting. He insists that the shooting laid a foundation for future school shootings as declared by sociologist Ralph Larkin. He backs up his

From my perspective involving Gladwell’s proposal I believe the threshold theory stands true because we experience it every day among society without realizing it. For example, when going out with a group of friends often someone will not go if some significant other does not go as well. That person has a threshold of one. I also deem valid Gladwell’s respect to Ralph Larkin involving the Columbine shooters being the evidential blueprints for future school shooters. This can further be analyzed by stating the facts. Before Eric and Dylan committed the attack they filmed themselves for a school project titled “Hitmen for Hire” where they swore aggressively, made violent statements, yelled at the camera, and reenacted a school shooting. Later on they filmed videos of themselves shooting weapons and executing the signature poses; where the killer points the gun at the camera, then at his own head, then spreads his arms wide with a gun in each hand and waves goodbye. Most future school shooters to come all performed the same poses and some even admitted to their influence by Eric. In terms of Collen’s proposal stating that Eric was the leader and Dylan followed; this was also true. Throughout the Columbine novel it is noticeable that Eric was the one to induce Dylan into joining him. After all, Eric was the one with the threshold level of zero as he was the one to initiate the plan.