tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post2031938588223364074..comments2024-01-26T10:20:37.836+00:00Comments on Diary of a Goldfish: Here, there be monstersThe Goldfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15213378454070776331noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-4743003542994646262007-04-29T09:37:00.000+01:002007-04-29T09:37:00.000+01:00Moggy,I appreciate your point, but I don't think i...Moggy,<BR/><BR/>I appreciate your point, but I don't think it is a fair criticism. In fact, I think your analysis is in danger of doing exactly what you suggest I do; to conclude that he committed the crime because he was bullied. <BR/><BR/>From which I might conclude that <I>I</I> wasn't bullied - I don't belong in that box - therefore I am incapable of committing such an act.<BR/><BR/>And at the same time, it might give others reason to fear you, as someone with parallel experiences to Cho Seng-hui. Which wouldn't be at all fair.<BR/><BR/>That having said, you are probably right about the motivation, but clearly, he still thought himself, his grievances and <I>his image</I> more important than other poeple's lives.<BR/><BR/>You may have <I>felt</I> that way, many of us have had dark and murderous thoughts at times, <I>but</I> crucially, you didn't act on them.<BR/><BR/>You say you might have turned out <I>like him</I> had things not changed, but I would argue that any of us could turn out like him depending on the choices we make in the face of immense distress - whatever the source of that distress. <BR/><BR/>Had things got worse for you, you would <I>still</I> have had the opportunity to choose not to do something so outrageous, even if the temptation may have become even greater. At no point did bullying take away the guy's free will.The Goldfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15213378454070776331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-81310171794059259022007-04-29T06:08:00.000+01:002007-04-29T06:08:00.000+01:00I agree with most of the analysis, but not about *...I agree with most of the analysis, but not about *why* he did it -- you're falling into the same box you're pointing out others are, in that regard. (i.e. The idea that he's not like "us" because he must have been very vain, very focused on attention...) <BR/><BR/>Best entry I've seen on that, which doesn't take a sympathetic approach but *does* give excellent analysis that doesn't stick him into the "other" box, is <A HREF="http://www.republicoft.com/2007/04/20/how-to-create-a-school-shooter/" REL="nofollow">How To Create A School Shooter</A>. <BR/><BR/>I can back the author on his comments from firsthand experience, unfortunately... The violent bullying Cho endured at school from some kids and general rejection from others was also what I went through for a couple of years for the same disability he appears to have had. I was so filled with anger and hatred during those years, I could easily have turned out like him if other things hadn't been better or changed for the better. I didn't want to hurt just the three main tormentors and the teachers letting them hurt me, I wanted to go after every kid/teacher that hadn't specifically been friendly. My creative work showed it in "humorous" ways for years, too.<BR/><BR/>(Note I no longer feel that way, so if there are any authorities reading this: I have zero interest in destroying anyone.)Moggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05478100266654459194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-22378484271357800302007-04-25T03:38:00.000+01:002007-04-25T03:38:00.000+01:00Excellent post. It is so much easier indeed to pla...Excellent post. It is so much easier indeed to place the monsters somewhere out "there".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-67382628044011562782007-04-24T02:05:00.000+01:002007-04-24T02:05:00.000+01:00Excellent post. In our local paper they refered to...Excellent post. <BR/><BR/>In our local paper they refered to the shooter as "a nobody" - further distancing him from ourselves. And there's some random talk about psych testing as a condition of enrollment in high school. That way we can figure out who the killers are before they start killing, and get them the help they need. <BR/><BR/>Brilliant. (she said sarcastically)Sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14481252201307998355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-49128342452426309882007-04-23T22:45:00.000+01:002007-04-23T22:45:00.000+01:00Thanks everyone. Annie, alas, we moved away from W...Thanks everyone. <BR/><BR/>Annie, alas, we moved away from Whitby down to Suffolk just two months ago, but it is certainly up there as a candidate for one of the greatest places on Earth. :-)The Goldfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15213378454070776331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-13434202901541476542007-04-22T21:05:00.000+01:002007-04-22T21:05:00.000+01:00Hi What a wonderful blog and you live in Whitby to...Hi What a wonderful blog and you live in Whitby too.<BR/>The greatest place on Earth.<BR/>If you have time to visit my blog http://meetingmyancestors.blogspot.com/<BR/>You will find my family roots are from Whitby.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with your writing.<BR/><BR/>AnnieAnnie Wickinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16086872542948192391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-81342848728242712452007-04-22T15:31:00.000+01:002007-04-22T15:31:00.000+01:00Hard on the heels of your excellent analysis, Gold...Hard on the heels of your excellent analysis, Goldfish, comes this on the BBC News site about a chap who killed a colleague whom he blamed, apparently, for a bad performance review at work:<BR/><BR/>"NASA said Phillips, a contract engineer, had been employed for about 12 years, was unmarried, had no children and reportedly lived on his own."<BR/><BR/>How sinister!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-72347232759258141482007-04-22T06:18:00.000+01:002007-04-22T06:18:00.000+01:00Yes, I thought "but what about all the innocents i...Yes, I thought "but what about all the innocents in Iraq?"<BR/><BR/>I'm glad it's not just me.Smiffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16411897798294029264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-43340701126681025392007-04-22T04:27:00.000+01:002007-04-22T04:27:00.000+01:00hey I have not read your post fully yet, will do i...hey I have not read your post fully yet, will do ina second but have made a post whcih is intended to be an attempt at an entry for the Blogging carnival.<BR/><BR/> Seems all over the world people may have similar worries about Virginia TechGone Fishinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03601595396241016724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-16629790695962957682007-04-21T16:31:00.000+01:002007-04-21T16:31:00.000+01:00Absolutely - a lot is being done to define how Cho...Absolutely - a lot is being done to define how Cho Seung-hui was <I>not like us</I>, but the fact is, he was a Virginia Tech student, he didn't sneak past security onto the campus, his family live and work in America, to all intents and purposes he was a bona-fide part of that group.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11639094548415759560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-29783784045849610902007-04-21T14:37:00.000+01:002007-04-21T14:37:00.000+01:00By far the best post I've read about this whole in...By far the best post I've read about this whole incident. Well done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-13840009120294144282007-04-21T13:51:00.000+01:002007-04-21T13:51:00.000+01:00Hear hear.Hear hear.Timbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01986433684065986927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10557263.post-75379104605445098982007-04-21T11:00:00.000+01:002007-04-21T11:00:00.000+01:00I agree, great post.I agree, great post.Cheerful Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02340048782530429964noreply@blogger.com