The latest easily preventable gun massacre should confirm that, at least for sapient beings. The odds, currently, of being massacred by random maniacs in America is relatively low: 1 in 16,0000. Of course, in civilized countries, the odds are more like 1 in a million. As we learn from decision theorists (they do serve a purpose, right?), we should consider both the risk of a bad event and how bad the event is. In the latest easily preventable gun massacre in Texas, a 6-year old boy lost both his parents and his 3-year-old brother. Maybe I'm weird, but that seems to me catastrophically bad. Another set of parents lost both their daughters, who were 11 and 8. Again, that seems to me catastrophically, life-wreckingly bad, but maybe I'm not good at decision theory.
In normal, civilized countries, when grotesque events like this occur, the government changes the law. That's what happened in Australia, which shows that these incidents can easily be prevented. In America, these incidents are not easily preventable because the country is not civilized: many of its elected leaders are barbarians. It is not complicated.
I do fear this country is sick beyond repair. I would be glad to be wrong.
UPDATE: Reader Jonathan Turner reminds me of these routines about America's gun craziness by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies: here and here.
ANOTHER: look at the lifetime odds for gun deaths in the U.S.!
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