Mass Shootings Dubbed the 'Dark Side of American Exceptionalism'
Firearm ownership is an underlying factor, but many mass shootings may be motivated by the 'lost American dream'
Mass shootings are a perennial crisis in the U.S., unmatched in numbers anywhere else in the world--and it's a problem that may grow worse over time without addressing underlying issues, according to a new study unveiled on Sunday.
In "Mass Shooters, Firearms, and Social Strains: A Global Analysis of an Exceptionally American Problem," presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Chicago, criminal justice professor Adam Lankford analyzed mass shootings around the world from 1966 to 2012 and found that the phenomenon is "a bigger problem today than it was a decade ago and it may be a bigger problem in the future."
Speaking with Newsweek about his study, Lankford, who teaches at the University of Alabama, said that while the U.S. accounts for less than five percent of the world's population, it had 31 percent of mass shootings during that period.
With 90 such incidents in 46 years, the U.S. had five times as many as the Philippines, which was next on the list at 18. At the same time, 15 occurred in Russia, 11 in Yemen, and 10 in France.
The most consistent connective thread between all of those shootings, Lankford said, was firearm ownership.
"What was surprising was how strong the relationship was--no matter what test I ran the data always showed the same thing," he told Newsweek. That finding "suggests that essentially you can't be in the top five in firearm ownership and not have this problem."
A Mother Jones investigation published in July found that most mass shooters obtained their weapons legally.
But firearm ownership was not the only underlying factor in the phenomenon. As Lankford explains, uniquely American social and cultural issues may be at play.
"In the United States, where many individuals are socialized to assume that they will reach great levels of success and achieve 'the American Dream,' there may be particularly high levels of strain among those who encounter blocked goals or have negative social interactions with their peers, coworkers, or bosses," Lankford explained in a statement.
Mass shootings, Lankford said, are the "dark side of American exceptionalism."
Newsweek continues:
To try to further speculate on the prevalence of mass shootings in the U.S. and to look beyond firearm ownership rates, Lankford turned to his own and others' previous research to ask: Is there something about American culture that incubates more mass shooters?
"At least one explanation" about violence in the U.S. has suggested that "crime and deviance occur when there's an unhealthy gap between people's dreams and aspirations and their ability to reach those dreams," Lankford explains.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Mass shootings are a perennial crisis in the U.S., unmatched in numbers anywhere else in the world--and it's a problem that may grow worse over time without addressing underlying issues, according to a new study unveiled on Sunday.
In "Mass Shooters, Firearms, and Social Strains: A Global Analysis of an Exceptionally American Problem," presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Chicago, criminal justice professor Adam Lankford analyzed mass shootings around the world from 1966 to 2012 and found that the phenomenon is "a bigger problem today than it was a decade ago and it may be a bigger problem in the future."
Speaking with Newsweek about his study, Lankford, who teaches at the University of Alabama, said that while the U.S. accounts for less than five percent of the world's population, it had 31 percent of mass shootings during that period.
With 90 such incidents in 46 years, the U.S. had five times as many as the Philippines, which was next on the list at 18. At the same time, 15 occurred in Russia, 11 in Yemen, and 10 in France.
The most consistent connective thread between all of those shootings, Lankford said, was firearm ownership.
"What was surprising was how strong the relationship was--no matter what test I ran the data always showed the same thing," he told Newsweek. That finding "suggests that essentially you can't be in the top five in firearm ownership and not have this problem."
A Mother Jones investigation published in July found that most mass shooters obtained their weapons legally.
But firearm ownership was not the only underlying factor in the phenomenon. As Lankford explains, uniquely American social and cultural issues may be at play.
"In the United States, where many individuals are socialized to assume that they will reach great levels of success and achieve 'the American Dream,' there may be particularly high levels of strain among those who encounter blocked goals or have negative social interactions with their peers, coworkers, or bosses," Lankford explained in a statement.
Mass shootings, Lankford said, are the "dark side of American exceptionalism."
Newsweek continues:
To try to further speculate on the prevalence of mass shootings in the U.S. and to look beyond firearm ownership rates, Lankford turned to his own and others' previous research to ask: Is there something about American culture that incubates more mass shooters?
"At least one explanation" about violence in the U.S. has suggested that "crime and deviance occur when there's an unhealthy gap between people's dreams and aspirations and their ability to reach those dreams," Lankford explains.
Mass shootings are a perennial crisis in the U.S., unmatched in numbers anywhere else in the world--and it's a problem that may grow worse over time without addressing underlying issues, according to a new study unveiled on Sunday.
In "Mass Shooters, Firearms, and Social Strains: A Global Analysis of an Exceptionally American Problem," presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Chicago, criminal justice professor Adam Lankford analyzed mass shootings around the world from 1966 to 2012 and found that the phenomenon is "a bigger problem today than it was a decade ago and it may be a bigger problem in the future."
Speaking with Newsweek about his study, Lankford, who teaches at the University of Alabama, said that while the U.S. accounts for less than five percent of the world's population, it had 31 percent of mass shootings during that period.
With 90 such incidents in 46 years, the U.S. had five times as many as the Philippines, which was next on the list at 18. At the same time, 15 occurred in Russia, 11 in Yemen, and 10 in France.
The most consistent connective thread between all of those shootings, Lankford said, was firearm ownership.
"What was surprising was how strong the relationship was--no matter what test I ran the data always showed the same thing," he told Newsweek. That finding "suggests that essentially you can't be in the top five in firearm ownership and not have this problem."
A Mother Jones investigation published in July found that most mass shooters obtained their weapons legally.
But firearm ownership was not the only underlying factor in the phenomenon. As Lankford explains, uniquely American social and cultural issues may be at play.
"In the United States, where many individuals are socialized to assume that they will reach great levels of success and achieve 'the American Dream,' there may be particularly high levels of strain among those who encounter blocked goals or have negative social interactions with their peers, coworkers, or bosses," Lankford explained in a statement.
Mass shootings, Lankford said, are the "dark side of American exceptionalism."
Newsweek continues:
To try to further speculate on the prevalence of mass shootings in the U.S. and to look beyond firearm ownership rates, Lankford turned to his own and others' previous research to ask: Is there something about American culture that incubates more mass shooters?
"At least one explanation" about violence in the U.S. has suggested that "crime and deviance occur when there's an unhealthy gap between people's dreams and aspirations and their ability to reach those dreams," Lankford explains.