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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 10, 2022

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Say what you will about school shooters or suicide bombers... of the columbine shooters or 9/11 hijackers...Their rejection of this life and the world had the grandiosity and horror such a choice deserved. In their pain, rage, hate, and nihilism they at least had the dignity to let out a primal scream in their rejection of life.

I think it's a good thing that more people do not choose to end their lives that way. If you want to go out in a blaze of glory, fine, just don't bring others with you. I think this is why Pinker is right that the media bears some responsibility for mass shootings and other violence, by giving shooters the attention and martyrdom they seek. More suicides and violence means possibly more gun restrictions for law-abiding citizens, as well as lower social trust. All of these impose social social cost. If suicide is inevitable, let's try to keep such externalities to a minimum, imho.

The people commit suicide sticking to their values, and thread OP is mad that they did not commit suicide sticking to his values.