The tragedy that rocked the world recently has thrown out many issues that have largely been swept under the carpet. I shall aim to discuss some of the questions here. I am of course referring to the killings at Viginia Tech, where gunman Cho Seung Hui killed 32 others and himself in a shooting rampage.

What drove him to commit such an atrocity? That answer we may never know in full. He had been diagnosed with mental disorder before,and was prone to violent tendencies as shown in his behavior and essays. His family also said that he could have been autistic and never talked to anyone. But even the most deranged madman will have logical reasons to commit such madness. In his videos sent to NBC, Cho mentioned something of how the americans had treated him, and something of their supposed arrogance and pride. Could this have been what triggered the attack? Did the Americans, and American culture in general, treat Cho with such superiority and arrogance that he could no longer take the pressure? Cho's motive for the killings could have been just jealousy and his imaginings from his twisted mind, but did others around him help to breed that sense of resentment? The attacks could have been an excessive and aggressive response to American shove-it-in-youir-face egoistical behavior, thast overweening desire to show off your superiority, your status and wealth, to everyone.

Cho's own words validate this, as he says," ...your mercedes wasn't enough you brats...your golden necklaces weren't enough you snobs....your trust funds, your vodka and cognac....you had everything." Could the american students studying with Cho shown off their wealth and status and put down Cho, especially since he was not native, and made him feel so inferior that he felt he had to exert his control and superiority in one final bloody moment? What about our own society? Are we also being self-centred and filled with hubris that we are unable to look past our glorified selves and see the consequences of our pride on others, how our actions have led to hatred and resentment? Are we also sidelining less fortunate members of our society, labelling them and sterotyping them and comparing ourselves to them instead of caring for them? Are we aware of the hurt and suffering we cause by an ill considered action, or a careless slip of the tongue, and the amount of anger we breed in those whom we have wronged?

I believe that Singapore as a society has not reached that level of hubris yet, but we are close. We are so westernised, globalised, industrailized, its easy to become proud and neglect others who may not be able to keep up with the rate of progress. Just look at the Singapore Government. In its policy of pragmatism, it has many a time offended its neighbours, but Singapore defends herself by saying that it is all in her own interests that these are done.

Therein lies the crux of the matter. If we are not careful, we can also end up like America, too full of themselves to see the needs of others. Are we also breeding "Cho"s around us, simmering in resentment until they boil over? Let us start now in our society. Lets spare a thought for others, and not always act in our best interests only. This is true compassion, not best learnt through some CIP or SLP concocted up, but by applying it daily to our lives. Only then can we aviod such a potential tragedy like the killings, by sparing a thought for others.

Dear reader, I leave you with one poignant question: Are you looking down on others so much that you fail to look up and see the reality of yourself and your society?

End of part 1
Parts 2, 3 and 4 comin right up soon.

GoodBYE!!!