Why does it seem like most every mass shooter is White and early 20s?

Question

Is it because they are nationalists? Could it be they are incels? I've wondered why this is the case?

nightdrot · Accepted Answer

Because every mass shooter - with one exception - since 1966, when such data began being kept, has been a white male. The research was done by Dr. Warren Pharrel and was revealed in his book, "The Boy Crisis."

The data show that the men in each case all had certain things in common. All experienced some childhood trauma and all - without exception - lacked male role models growing up.

Most men are more likely to enforce rules on their children and tend to be less indulgent. This teaches a boy - with all that testosterone in his system - to manage his feelings and point his energies in a positive direction. (Mothers tend to be more empathetic, but this does not teach a boy to manage his feelings but rather to indulge them.) As a result, such boys are prone to be more aggressive, more isolated and thus more open to ideologies that provide them a sense of identity.

This should perhaps surprise no one. The whole history of the 20th century was dominated by ideas - Communism, Fascism and National Socialism - that sought to give identity to societies whose historic sense of themselves was undermined by war and other social factors. Not for nothing were these ideas called "secular religions"

Suffice to say, what drove history is apt to drive the individual and throw in the unique psychological and physical needs of boys and the net result is that a pattern of boys, looking for identity, purpose and recognition, are more prone to mass violence.

This has gotten worse with the emphasis that the culture has placed on women and girls for the last half century. Whatever legitimate grievances women may have, the society's emphasis on it as come at the cost of addressing the needs of men and boys.

Turns out, in this, our ancestors knew something. The prominence of men in society was not just an accident. It was an evolutionary and anthropological recognition of the fact that boys left to themselves in "the state of nature" so to speak, were apt to be violent and dangerous.

Having dismissed such an insight as mere chauvinism and nothing but a social construct, the culture is now paying the price in violent men. In that connection, it is not just mass shootings. Most violent crime is committed by young men. They are more prone to commit suicide, suffer drug abuse, and are now even experiencing - for the first time in recorded history absent a major war - shorter lifespans.

Not for the first time, the culture is having to re-learn the lessons that history and sociology teaches, and the education is being paid for in blood. It turns out that nature understands something about men that men (and women) have forgotten. Specifically that those qualities most identified with men - physical courage, self-discipline, structure, etc. - must be channeled and informed by education and socialization. Otherwise what are socially useful characteristics can become very dangerous to society.

natrickk · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure about this but I've been working in the service industry for 15 years and over the last 5-10 years I've noticed a pervasive feeling amongst and toward young white males that they don't matter as people.
Also, especially in the US, there is no real "culture" or "community" unless you're a POC, woman, or LGBTQ. If you're of Caucasian European decent, not only is your ethnic background seen as trash due to the crimes of others, but you are not allowed to participate in self appreciation, and in many cases, the appreciation of others.
This leaves them, meaningless, irrelevant, guilty, and without community or culture. I mean, I've seen people in my bar literally say "white people are irrelevant" and everyone just nods there heads. I've also had a bar guest who is a regular say to my face that she would brake her car for a animal before braking for a white person (I'm white). Her friend immediately chimes in with a "me too girl".
Now, I'm a grown ass man, and casual racism only really bothers me if it's directed towards others. And due to cronic depression and other issues, I've never felt like I mattered anyway. And most people are just regular people (like me) and will live their lives without the thought of harming others. But if you look at the fringes of society to young undeveloped guys with mental issues and apply that meaninglessness and worthlessness, you have a bad mix. Young men that feel worthless and isolated tend to either internalize it and harm themselves (suicide is the no 1 killer of young men in the USA), or harm others like we see time and time again.
Before I get downvoted i to oblivion, let me clarify that I am in no way trying to downplay the racism and oppression many people have faced for generations. It is a issue that absolutely still persists today, and we must all continue to work towards a more compassionate and equal world for all.
I'm merely speculating on what might drive so many young white men specifically to commit such heartless and hopeless acts of violence outside of them all just being terrible people. Which surly some of them are, but I find it hard to believe that all these shootings are truly unmotivated by anything outside of a bad personality. And before some of you jump down my throat about how "all young white men are terrible people" please just try to take a moment and look at this in the context of the asker's question. I know you don't think I matter, but no one thinks I don't matter more than me. You're preaching to the choir.

Shutupman · Accepted Answer

Spree killing is a psychosocial phenomenon, recorded throughout history and in war.
Running amok is an actual term used to describe these specific spree killers. It was first used to describe the spree killings in isolated Malaysian cultures, the west at the time assumed it was typical for underdeveloped societies in the 18th century.
Young males would use knifes, clubs or machetes to kill as many in their village as they could before being killed themselves. The villagers believed these men were possessed and trying to provoke an honorable death as suicide was not allowed in their cultures.
Even elephants have been recorded to run amok, Thomas Edison even executed an elephant because it went amok multiple times and killed humans.

Usually young isolated males, often having a target doesn’t mean they stick with it, they experience a surge of energy in which they kill indiscriminately, with little cool down between murders (spree killing) until they suddenly seem to run out of energy. They return to a calm state of mind often committing suicide or getting killed before being able to complete the process.

SapphireFox · Accepted Answer

Because they were brought up being told they were perfect, with every challenge taken away from them by mommy and daddy... They are unable to develop coping skills because they've never had to... So then they get older and realize they aren't perfect and can't handle life because they don't quite fit in and never developed coping skills and they're angry about stupid things, they isolate themselves, look for someone to blame, and eventually lash out... These kids have access to video games that teach them how to use these weapons (no video games don't make people shoot each other)... they have also lived largely without consequences and believe they are entitled to everything...
The problem is, the more these shootings happen, the more it will be normalized... It's like mob mentality... If that many people are doing it, so can I.

ArianaAlazay · Answer

Because people believe what their parents teach them and sadly to say there are still racist communities in this world, so when parents bring up their kids to feel a certain way , they do what any strong believer of something does: enforce it , take action. NOW IM NOT JUSTIFYING THIS IS ANY WAY WHATSOEVER AND THINK ITS HORRIBLE BUT THATS MY OPINION, or maybe it’s because the horrid stereotype usually says “oh the black person shot the innocent white girl” so they believe they can get away with hate crimes against Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and other races.

- when writing this I mainly was thinking about El Paso , though there are many others

Also adding in some facts , the human brain develops on cold issues (things you have a long time to think about ) at about 16 yet does not fully develop too hot issues (things that are done on impulse ) until about 22, therefore, at the ages between 0-22 , one will do what they feel in that specific moment, without any thought or time

hellionthesagereborn · Answer

Probably because out of the entire American population, 63% or 206,640,000 people. You'll also notice most are on the left (funny how no one notices that). We live in a world that is actively trying to destroy western nations with forced immigration/illegal immigration. This hurts a lot of people and causes a lot of problems. You can just look at what is happening in Europe (Sweden has no go zones where private postal services refuse to go because of the migrant violence. Their rape rates are at 50% almost all of which is due to migrants. In London acid attacks, knife attacks, gun violence, robbery, assault, and rape are all skyrocketing and again, all of it can be linked to migrants.), this has created a crisis but whats worse is that no one is allowing people to deal with the problem appropriately so the most deranged people are now dealing with it inappropriately. This is the reason why this is happening recently, however in general statistically whites are actually least likely to commit a mass shooting only seconded by Hispanics (native americans, Asians and blacks are actually more likely).

Badballie · Answer

The Moms Of Incels:
Clever title, right (cause' you know, mom's literally grow babies from scratch--)?

This message is not one to be fucked around with: girls in your 20's, this is real talk. It could happen to you. Any of your sons could become incels.

The Moms Of Incels: How Incels Are Made!
My hope is that this just sent a cold shiver down your spine.

Don't let your son down.

What happens?

Many mothers want to raise their sons as innocent, cute cuddly non-sexual beings. Frequently citing the desire to 'shield them from the (nasty) world.'

As soon as you think this way, we are all doomed. Because not only have to doomed him, you've also doomed the rest of us who have to deal with him.

You are the woman. You know exactly what it's like to be a teenage woman, and a twenty year old woman. You know what boys want, and exactly what traits in boys women go for. You know cause' you have done it yourselves.

So let's cut the bullshit.

You must show your son the tricks to get him laid or else you are doing him a huge disservice akin to not watering a plant, you stunt his growth. One that I would suggest could only be ultimately rooted either in self-hatred, or hatred of your son as a boy. Or, perhaps, even hatred of the boy's father.

Celtero · Answer

Lol... Nationalists? Incels? Cute...

I think it's hard to say really... A cultural phenomenon definitely.

These men have pent up aggression from something, possibly not finding fulfillment, purpose, or joy in their lives. They blame and hate other people because of it.

White men are more likely to be able to obtain a weapon capable of facilitating a mass shooting than men of other races.

And we can't ignore the obvious fact that most of the US is white, so if most shootings were perpetrated by other races we'd have a problem.

jennifer_bloom · Answer

And America is still full of idiots who think a Muslim is going to bomb them. They are probably 75 times more likely to get gunned down by a white terrorist than a Muslim one.

SirRexington · Answer

I've been thinking about this a long time. And I honestly don't know. Maybe it's because of the disenfranchisement of white men nowadays? Many white men have been demonized and ignored. Their struggles are overlooked as others get all the priority. Then some of them get suckered in by white nationalists who exploit this white anger.
Though not every shooter is a white guy.

Dongtai · Answer

I think minorities are better at coping with emotional challenges because of naturally having to deal with them very early in age. White people on average are more privileged and advantaged in terms of wealth, education, health, etc. Basically anything that can be bought.

When everything is easily accessible, stress isn’t very high. You don’t learn how to handle stressful situations. So when you’re suddenly aware of social rejection and get bullied and you can’t “buy” your solution, you get stressed the fuck out. Eventually you feel backed into a corner and it’s either fight or flight. Suicide or mass shooting. It’s fucked up.

centerline · Answer

and why is it that so many are libralists, or follow the teachings of the "Left"..(democratic views)?

when one realizes the history of the liberal left and what their values are and where they are trying to take us, then one will have the answer to why there are shooters at all... as for it being mostly young white men, they are the largest group of minorities left in america (all other groups have special rights...) and it seems to be their way of acting out in an attempt to get some form of recognition...
REMEMBER, its NOT the gun, but the individual that is doing the shooting, as with all the different groups, ethnicities, "genders" and races, its almost always the young white guys who are committing the mass shootings..

SkipStop · Answer

Because these days white men are being discriminated against. Democraps are running the media and society which attacks straight white men. And violence is one of the greatest coping mechanisms when in that situation. When you get angry or annoyed, do you ever get the feeling of wanting to do something wild? Like destroy something, try running as fast as you can, do a crazy stunt, take a risk, etc? Picking up a gun and going on a shooting spree is one of those things. And the shooting in Dayton is a liberal supporter of socialism by the way.
www.washingtonexaminer.com/.../dayton-shooter-reportedly-supported-gun-control-elizabeth-warren-and-socialism

Jjpayne · Answer

Well at least I'm past my 20s :) either perfectly selected or angry kids that don't get paid enough and spend too much time plotting violence. Honestly, someone should be targeting people in their 20s. That seems to be a group that could use some good programs

sarahseamanski · Answer

Some may be, but others are most definitely not... while some are psychologically messed up when they do it, others are raised by people who believe one race is better than others... the recent shooting in El Paso is a great example as you can blatantly see on his Twitter, the shooter practically worshipped Trump, the leader of the KKK, and one of the big dogs of the white supremacist groups... honestly there are a number of different motives for mass shootings, but the most common are ones like El Paso's and ones where the shooter thinks he/she is doing something for the greater good or is righting the wrong that has been done to them...

BluesheepOwl · Answer

Did you know that some people who were born with schizophrenia, (it's hereditary) it starts to develop around the young adult years. So some of those shooters could be hearing auditory hallucinations. Sometimes (not always) those voices in their head tells them to kill people. That could be one reason why. But know that most people with schizophrenia are harmless.

Dargil · Answer

My opinion only.
I read what an "incel" is. Sort of.
Young isolated men (boys, really). They live in a digital game/social media world.
They are not "white nationalists" skin heads, rednecks, bikers, bouncer-mooks, cage fighters, etc.
They are unhappy boys with a warped view of reality, full of helpless anger, easy radicalized by whatever warped news they let in. James Hodgkinson was one. They are products of the digital world. And they aren't going away. They are poster children for concealed carry.

JayParris · Answer

Because we see white people as docile. Black people shoot up the hood all the time. Latinos do, too. But when one white person snaps out of the "law abiding citizen" role and goes to shooting, there are mass casualties.

The black community has been dealing with this kind of violence for decades, and y'all don't give a shit. Even big money Sharpton said it's just something you have to expect. But now that it's hitting a little closer to home, y'all are flipping your shit. Hypocrites.

WickedWill · Answer

I chalk it up to how white families raise their kids and this goes way beyond the whole time out crap.

I have never seen a Black or Hispanic mother in the supermarket or out in publicwith her kids acting like they are in charge. I've seen white kids screaming and yelling and their mothers just let it go. I dont have kids, I dont want kids if i their mother can't cure them five across the eyes. Sure white families have a higher percentage of two parent households compared to black families, if a black qnd Hispanic families value family more in my opinion.

TheKack · Answer

They're not. DC snipers, Vegas, fort hood, pulse nightclub, and arguably parkland. Not to mention all of the teens.

And I'd like to point out, the majority of gun deaths are related to other crimes with a very significant portion being hang related.

Mass shootings get ratings. The media blows them up. Then more shooters want to emulate what happened. And it turns into a cycle. The solution is getting friends and family help, even though it's hard to do. We also need to punish gun crimes more severely. If you face death for using a gun in a robbery, you may not bring a gun. If you don't bring one, you can't shoot anyone.

genericname85 · Answer

for the same reason most people die in their early 20s. cause at that ages you are way more risk taking and less carefull overall. i mean look at statistics of motorbike accidents for example. white people are the majority, that's why it's mostly white people.

Kiran_Yagami · Answer

Probably because we, as a society, stopped giving a shit about the mental health and quality of life of young, white men. These people don't just spring up out of nowhere. They are not created over night. They are slowly, painfully, and carefully molded into the role of mass murderer day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, and we choose to ignore it because we hate white men, and when they go off their rocker we use that as justification to hate them more, then are suddenly surprised when more of them go off their rockers. WE created this problem and we perpetuate it, because it's easier to hate than care. But hate doesn't solve problems. It just exacerbates them.

Atryn · Answer

I would like to think it's because we are tired of taking peoples shit, being called racist just for being white, i mean come on we freed the slaves. If i we're to do something like that it would be because i was sick of everyone, i was tired of being fucked over by people, bullied and taken advantage of.

Moonchild714 · Answer

Because Young White Males know they can move frerly about without anyone noticing them until its too late!!! Everybody watches young men of color, look at what he's wearing, how he's moving, hands are in his pockets... Nothing is said about White People... Hell they can't even describe the Individuals when its a White the police get a 100 different descriptions from 10 different witnesses...

WhiteSteve · Answer

These are the hard-hitting questions we need to be asking. Nothing new either, this was Chris Rock right after Columbine in ‘98 or ‘99, whenever that was...

Spiritwander · Answer

Because no one cares if a white guy says he's going to shoot somebody in the face, and he can even walk around town armed, and no one cares...

... until he actually does it.

That way everyone can act shocked, like, "Why was he so angry... he was white..."

I mean, if a black guy guns someone down in the streets, it doesn't even phase the news...

LMNOP123 · Answer

Me and my coworkers were talking about this recently and I’ve said here before. I don’t understand this collective fear of black men. I’m more afraid of the creepy ass white guy.

Life-Like · Answer

most serial killers/ psycho /socio paths are also white...
not all of course but most
Ted Bundy.
Jeffrey Dahmer.
John Wayne Gacy.
Ed Gein.
Herman Webster Mudgett.
David Berkowitz.
Boston Strangler

most homeless people with schizophrenia are predominantly white as well.

perhaps the brains really are different in every race? Something is amiss there in male white brains.
scary.
Perhaps someone in the near future will figure it out. Something is wrong.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Your perception is not accurate, and there are many potential explanations for why your perception is not accurate. If you want to review a historical database for mass shootings, - which includes the race of the shooter - review this source:

www.motherjones.com/.../

Boppy · Answer

Americans are 61.27% white people, according to the 2016 census.
This may be affecting the rates.

i. e. if each student had a 1/10000 chance of being a shooter, 61% of shooters would be white. If culture and stuff has an effect, it could shift that percentage up or down.

DuskDanger · Answer

Most often its because of constant bullying, whilst bullying in general is bad it isn't looked down as much upon people that are white, being in a area where school shootings have been happening as of recent I've looked into it and bullying is a big part of it. If someone bullys someone who is homosexual or of color its stopped almost immediately. Bullying in general should be treated how racism is. Unacceptable

itsthatgurl · Answer

They are angry and take out their hate on innocent people. I just wish they would take it out on the government or media instead.

nerms123 · Answer

I was reading a book from the 60s and it said that it was always known that adolescents have crazy hormones which makes them more likely to commit crimes. So apparently this is not really new.

Daniela1982 · Answer

Because blacks and Mexicans are too busy shooting each other in drive by's.

Cherokeehp · Answer

They could just be racists, or entitled brats, or they’re just too messed up in the head to see the value of other people’s lives. Us black people are just glad it’s not us doing this shit.

DonCachondo · Answer

There aren't any white gangs. Disaffected young men--every generation, every culture--yearn for group solidarity against a common enemy, a scapegoat to channel their inexplicable, testosterone-fueled aggression onto. When there's no clear option to turn to, some implode and develop a grandiose pseudocommando identity while others just slowly die inside...

Channing5000 · Answer

The one at Virginia Tech was Asian. They are mk ultra assassins who go berzerk against their programming, seeing their repetitively programmed target on everyone's face.

Passinggas · Answer

Because the media keeps the cameras pointed on the white psychos and avoid reporting the continuous gang killings in their liberal prize cities such as Chicago and Baltimore... etc. Most of the gun violent killings are committed by liberal city gangs and that can't be reported. If that sht was on the tube every day, their gas bags would run out quick. White males are the only threat according to the liberals and the media.

Matt57 · Answer

I was talking with my brother in law this morning, and he was certainly raising a good point that Loners and Incels seem to be falling into groups like white supremacy and mental health issues certainly don’t help their behavior.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

They're the only ones crazy enough to take the pay for the job! It's either that or the people at the Montauk Project only ever kidnapped white kids. You don't REALLY think these are just random assholes that just went nuts and went on a killing spree one day, do you?

Velonnexus · Answer

The majority of white males are insecure, emotionally weak,& tend to for the most part suffer from numerous mental illnesses most likely to generations of inbreeding

when j was in school the gang members who were either black & Hispanic were not only SANE in all their 5 senses but also had that "ALPHA" & authoritarian aura

the white dudes mostly demonstrated a lot of insecurities, fearfulness when around the thugs

most white dudes are weak pussies

weirdoweirdo · Answer

I don't know a lot white early 20's guys have mental issues no one wants to talk about Idk?

Its not a nationlist if thats the case well every country would be dead by all the mass shootings. Not incels either they just dont get sex...

It's irrational hate towards something or someone.

jasco · Answer

Welp there are a lot of races ass people apparently but um lots of people have been killed by older or even younger white people but same goes well black people tho so all races have there problems so mm u can't really single one race out because of what the news says so in the end it depends on how they are raised

ChiTown33 · Answer

I've said this! Actually i got this from an episode of Real Time Bill Maher. You can youtube it. He was saying how basically all the shooters are virgins or can't even get a girlfriend. And that we as a society need to identify them and get them laid before they can do any damage. Lol

MollyTheOriginal · Answer

Because young white males are the demographic that commit all mass shootings in the US... it's sad but true. A lot of these guys slip through the cracks among an age group that is already suffering from mental illness.

purplepoppy · Answer

So what are we suggesting? Every white guy gets free sex just to calm them down and stop shooting sprees?

NightFlirt · Answer

It's because that's what the media chooses to show you. Just like every 7-Eleven gets robed by a black man. The media hypes everything up way out of proportion.

front2back · Answer

Many are raised in broken, single parent homes and turn to extremist identity politics for strength.

ForbesMagazine · Answer

Whites make up 62% of all mass shooters, and they're 62% of the population.

AngelLily · Answer

If you mean mass shooter do you mean when it comes to festivals and stuff then that is because there are more white people in the US but when it comes to gang violence then that would be black.

NorthwestRider · Answer

Only the conserative religious ones are dangerous Both white nationalists and incels are scary dangerous characters

Smegskull · Answer

Because they are the group with no-one to turn to. People just assume they are doing ok as individuals because they are doing ok as a group.

StephenCF · Answer

Because maybe they’re the most agitated ones in this anti-white SJW culture going on 😒

xyz94 · Answer

Why are most mass terror attacks perpetrated by Muslims?

Goodwifie · Answer

Not true the Vegas shooter was much older.

AlexanderBrunnrgaard · Answer

It *seems* like that because media only emphasizes those cases and bring them to attention, and are all but mum on the big picture, what's happening out there in the rest of the world daily.

Streak · Answer

Some people want to watch the world burn. With social media being everything, we have lost touch with humanity

reptocarl · Answer

The one in El Paso is the only confirmed nationalist. Stop spreading hate. Sandy Hook, Columbine, Tim Mcvey we’re just sick fucks

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

Well their Trump supporters who don't give a care about people and they only care about him or themselves.

RedThread · Answer

Right wing domestic terrorism has been on the rise for over the last decade. What's the demographic that is most likely to hold extremist right wing ideology?

Nachowedgie · Answer

Bad parenting, anti depressant drugs, most are actually democrats so

SarahsSummer · Answer

Because most mentally disturbed women don’t turn to guns.

Caunsos · Answer

What a about that muslim man that shoot uptge gay bar in Florida.

Why does it seem like most every mass shooter is White and early 20s?

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Why are mass shooters white?

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