Gun violence and almost every other problem in our society

[IDemo]

Can largely be blamed on the death and interment of empathy. I don't blame guns, video games or mental illness for most ill behaviors. Whether it's a shooting spree or a CEO's malfeasance; road rage, workplace bullying, a smiling thumbs-up by a torturer; or sickening attacks on women, minorities and the impoverished during election season, they all come down to the same root cause: the utter lack of human regard for your fellow travelers.

Barring a fundamental change in our culture, expect to see these terrible days to continue for the foreseeable future.

[Gregorian]

1. I think a more precise definition of mental health includes empathy. It IS about mental health.

Empathy comes from caring about one's self. THEN they can care about others.

I'm liking where the discussions on DU are going. We have got to focus on the problem, not the symptoms. Guns are not the root problem.

[IDemo]

2. Unless poor mental health is endemic in the US,

The disdain for empathy seems more of a culture-wide phenomenon. Regardless of its cause, the cure, whether therapeutic or social in nature, cannot come soon enough.