I agree that this is an insightful sociological analysis. freedomforall's quip does make a point: at some level, individual action is not reducible. Even when people speak of their motives and motivations, they may be deceiving themselves. So, understanding from the outside can go no further. That said, the essay was far from "a profusion of words signifying nothing." When you examine people in their social context, their behaviors can be understood more deeply and across wider contexts. That is the value in epistemological abstraction.

I believe that a big impact on school shooting is psych meds. When I was a kid we NEVER heard of these things. Just look at the expected side effects and the odds now with so many on meds...not a stretch. Add to that the wild period men go through 18 to 25. Look at all these shooters. What do you see? How many are young women? How many are the school star quarterback?

Let me sum up this profusion of words signifying nothing: Shit happens.

Another prompt for mass shooting is the life like video games. Sixty years ago we used our imaginations, played hide and seek, rode our bicycles and otherwise palled around. Today video games are dress rehearsals for school violence and mass shootings. Hip hop helps contribute to this with "gangsta" lyrics. No wonder some many young people have lost their moral compass - we glorify victims and discard the truth in police action and blame the weapon, not the perpetrator for the crime.