Social Tantrum

The media is crammed with stories about individuals in tantrum going about shooting up or driving down other people in their personal issues turned violent. The question "why" is always last to be asked in the series of journalistic queries posed. Why is this kind of public tantrum becoming so lethally prevalent? Tantrums, usually,  are best cured by isolating the tantrumer to a space where the tantrumees don't have to hear their rants. With kids, we send them to their rooms. With adults,there is no "room".  An adult tantrum can be extremely dangerous. So why do they happen and how can they be handled? Sending a child off to its room is bound to result in minor damage to the room perhaps, but when adults who can't have their way, have a "tantrum",  people can be hurt. We see many examples of it in the media,  almost daily. Talking it out is the best way to dissipate an adult tantrum. Therapists are not always available but good friends or relatives can work just as well, as long as they are listeners and not merely advice givers. Those in social tantrum don't want advice. They know all about what they ought to be doing,  but what they don't know, is how to get there, and nobody seems to be able to offer a route.  They are frustrated and explode, harming others. The saddest part of it is, that many of these misdirected souls, have no one who will listen and they find themselves alone and very angry. They turn to social media where they know they will be heard by other loners who are just as upset as they are. They feel supported not in a good way. Unfortunately, social media has become a weapon in abetting, however innocently, this situation.  "Misery loves company" has found its place at last in social media and even though protective measures are in place, there are huge loopholes that allow negativism to continue to flourish. All of humanity bears some responsibility in that what happens anywhere, anytime, is human and when it's something bad, we all react in some way. The offending individual bears ninety nine percent of the event,  but we, the other one percent, have our part, too. It's to be aware of others and aware of the implications of what happens around us even in far-reaching places. The media has a place. It informs us, or should. It should educate us, not inflame us or sadden us. There should always be hope and fairness and impartiality in what we hear and see. Investigative journalism walks a fine line, in that those involved, are often self-interested which becomes a problem in itself. Fame is not the goal. Good journalism has ethical truths to impart, while attempting to reveal all sides of an issue. When it comes to dealing with human violent tantrums, it should see all sides even though these are often difficult to look at. To fix a societal wound, you need to see it, but not be part of it. We need to reach out and listen and learn, not to chastise and preach but to consider what could have prevented it.