A VALVE CALLED RELEASE
The term “Going Postal”, is not funny to me. Just as the names Bin Laden and McVeigh, do not in any way elicit a need to laugh in my being. Frankly, there’s nothing funny about any of it.
As of late, American society has been “bombarded” with all sorts of gruesome images, and it is having a de-sensitizing effect on the masses. I knew, for example, when I watched the video of hooded terrorists beheading an Asian American that the extreme was coming. I’m talking about the extreme culture of de-sensitization.
Before the attacks on New York and the Pentagon, American’s were violent. No getting around it, they kill each other. New Orleans, pre-Katrina, had an unusually high rate of murder and many of the murders were family members on family.
Violent terms are often used after the fact. After the shock. It is as if the humor offsets the jolt of fear. An individual alone, probably would not think that it is funny. In groups they do. I think it might even be “therapeutic” in a way. The laughter eases the fear. It is an awful existance living in fear.
So, while I do not think that it’s funny or lighthearted, I understand why the verbality exists. Anger is not considered a kosher emotion. But making fun of violent situations is, because laughter, or merriment is acceptable. It doesn’t scare anyone. It doesn’t make people feel threatened. It is also a release and relieving.
As reality and human conditioning would have it, this release can lead to mass insanity. In other words, if a person cries about an some tragedy and everytime that tragedy is mentioned, they cry, it can lead to depression, and in a group situation, the entire group can become depressed. Using violent terms in everyday life and total de-sensitization filled with mockery and laughter, too can lead to group insanity.
Depression, as psychiatrists know is expensive. There’s down time, to adjust to medication and hospitalization and the possibility of suicide.
But then there’s also the ultimate destination of de-sensitization. That’s when killing people and watching people die, becomes as ho-hum as watching television. I know people who think random gang gunfire is funny. They think people are getting what they deserve.
Violence and insensitivity in America can not be overshadowed by the terrorist tragedies. In other words, the terrorists are bad and what they’ve done is inhumanely grotesque, but American’s are violent and insanity is not new to us. Our culture, art and language bear witness.
One of the reasons for art is to get a look at what goes on beneath the placid surface, or in the untelling chaos. Silencing or censoring artists, not only will bring large pockets of abuses silenced but it will ultimately lead to more violence and depression.
