On April 9, another tragic, violent event shocked the country. The stabbing at a suburban Pennsylvania high school was another reminder that no matter where we are, we’re not safe.

Millennials have grown up with violence and danger at the forefront of their minds. As we got older and more aware of our surroundings, mass media has bombarded us with stories of unexplained violence and terror.

The updates are constant. Every day we hear about another shooting, bombing, robbery or rape through the never-ending stream of news. Our generation is living in a time where we’re surrounded by the knowledge of violence.

There’s a lot of speculation that this constant exposure to violence will result in desensitization. A lot of that speculation surrounds the violence that’s in video games and movies, though.

I think the opposite is occurring. Any speculation that mass media coverage will desensitize us toward violence is a myth.

Instead of desensitization, our generation is going to become increasingly hyper-vigilant and distrustful of our surroundings. It’s why people carry guns around, so they can protect themselves from the other people who carry guns. It’s why we feel scared when we’re walking alone and we see a shadowy figure approaching.

With all the news coverage, we can’t go to a movie theater, a school or a mall without the fearful thought, “What if something happens?” Because shootings, stabbings and kidnappings have become the perceived norm, it’s hard to not be afraid. It’s happens everywhere, to people just like us. The “it always happens to someone else” mindset has been replaced by “I could be that someone else.”

Ironically, even though our world feels more dangerous than ever, it’s the safest it’s ever been.

In 2012, the crime rate for robbery, murder, rape and assault was the lowest it’s been since 1963, with the rate of homicide decreasing by almost half in the past 20 years, according to a Christian Science Monitor article. But we don’t pay attention to statistics or overall trends. Our generation pays attention to heartbreaking news coverage about a plane crash or pictures from a school shooting.

Some of the most tragic and infamous shootings have occurred since 2007— including Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Aurora and Fort Hood. During the past 30 years, rampage shootings account for the deaths of 547 people, which is actually only a fraction of gun-related deaths that occur annually. So even though gun violence has dropped 49 percent since 1994, the media attention mass shootings receive draws attention away from the statistics. Our perception becomes our reality, and based on our exposure to violent events, our reality is a scary one.

It all comes down to deciding if ignorance really is bliss. Minimizing or ignoring tragedies doesn’t make them disappear, but live-tweeting violence augments the everyday panic and fear that surrounds us. There’s no solution, unfortunately. Stop fixating on violence and we won’t know what to expect; receive constant updates and we’ll always be on high alert. But our generation grew up with those constant updates— so even though things are technically safer, we’ll always be living with fear.

Kate Beckman is a freshman magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at kebeckma@syr.edu and followed on Twitter at @Kate_Beckman.

 

Published on April 15, 2014 at 1:24 am