Discussion » Statements » Rosie's Corner » Gun Violence. Who is more ANTI? The old or the young? Because?

Gun Violence. Who is more ANTI? The old or the young? Because?

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Posted - August 7, 2016

Responses


  • 1615

    Every decent person is against gun violence. Only bad ignorant people do violent acts with guns.

     All good people have a right to own guns regardless of age (adults) 

      August 7, 2016 11:44 AM MDT
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  • 3934

    Your question is oddly constructed, and I'm not sure I'm understanding what you are trying to convey.

    No rational person is in favor of purposeless or criminal violence (with gunss or otherwise), regardless of age. To the extent there are some age difference with respect to advocacy and/or tolerance of violence (with guns or otherwise), I think those can be explained primarily by the following:

    1) Young people's brains do not fully develop until approximately age 25. The parts of the brain which are latest to fully form are involved with judgement, meta-cognitive evaluation (i.e. does one's thinking make sense based on experience/reality?), and balancing short-term versus long-term risks/rewards. Hence, younger people are more likely than older people to see the immediate "benefits" of violence (be they financial, social, or emotional) as worth the risk of negative consequences.

    2) As people age, they tend to have more assets (financial, social, familial, etc.) to protect. The risk of greater loss tends to make people more averse to the possible negative consequences of violence.

    (Although, ironically, it MAY may make some people more willing to employ personal violence -- e.g. purchase a firearm for personal/home protection -- rather than depend upon societal measures to quell violence)

    3) As people age, many of them begin to see the world as more complex and nuanced, and become more skeptical of the utility of violence to solve personal, social, and/or international issues.

    There is, of course, substantial individual variation which interacts with general age-related trends. But I think the reasons I cited above largely explain why the overwhelming majority of violent criminals commit their crimes before age 30, and why old generals are the ones usually most reluctant to go to war.

      August 7, 2016 12:08 PM MDT
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  • 113301

    OK. Let's try it this way since you are having a problem with the construction of the question. I'm 78. I think we need tighter restrictions on guns. Do other old people like me agree or is it the young folks who agree with me?. Who is more against the violence that  wanton, promiscuous gun purchases facilitate? Old people like me or young people? Who will be more likely to support gun legislation to restrict the purchase of guns, restrict the types of guns available? Old people like me or young people? Mahalo for your reply OS.

      August 8, 2016 2:47 AM MDT
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