Has violence increased during the past year?

[Polarbear]

It's almost a year since the 22/7 attacks in Norway (A memorial concert is being arranged here) and to me it seems that the last year has been the bloodiest in a long time.

First we have the bomb in Oslo and the Utoya massacre, then the Toulouse gunman, a man opening fire at a café in Finland, a racist killer in Sweden claiming 15 victimes, the recent bus explosion killing israelies and the Century 16 massacre plus a lot of other things I can't remember off the top of my head.

Did have this much terror before, especially in western countries? and if not what is causing this surge in violence?

[Revoltingest]

We've always had violence.
It's hard to measure going by impressions, because we remember the most recent most vividly.

[Polarbear]

Originally Posted by Revoltingest

We've always had violence.
It's hard to measure going by impressions, because we remember the most recent most vividly.

True, I have probably forgotten about several major incidents because they happened long ago. However acts of terror on this scale used to be confinded to the middle east didn't it? I mean in the last year over a hundred people have been killed in massacres in Europe and the US, this kind of thing doesn't normally happen here so frequently do they?

[Revoltingest]

Originally Posted by Polarbear

True, I have probably forgotten about several major incidents because they happened long ago. However acts of terror on this scale used to be confinded to the middle east didn't it? I mean in the last year over a hundred people have been killed in massacres in Europe and the US, this kind of thing doesn't normally happen here so frequently do they?

Let's not forget terrorism in Russia, China, Tibet, Malaysia, etc, etc.
It would extensive statistical survey work to see how things change.

[Polarbear]

Originally Posted by Revoltingest

Let's not forget terrorism in Russia, China, Tibet, Malaysia, etc, etc.
It would extensive statistical survey work to see how things change.

You have a point, I guess I have a too simple picture of things.

[Revoltingest]

Originally Posted by Polarbear

You have a point, I guess I have a too simple picture of things.

So do I.
Tis human nature.

[apophenia]

Violence on the streets in Australia is getting seriously worse. Serious random and seemingly spontaneous assaults resulting in death are becoming very common, and in the last 5 years the number of gun related violent incidents have sky-rocketed. Australia is not a gun culture, there is gun control and few people have legal weapons except for farmers and licensed sport shooters, but recently guns have been arriving here by the container load and finding their way onto the street. Now there are drive-by shootings in the major capitals nearly every day, whereas 10-15 years ago there were virtually none. The number of glassings in bars and clubs has gone over the top, many victims are young women. This is a daily occurrence in Australian cities now - glassing women in bars was completely unheard of until ten years ago when it first began.

Large areas of Melbourne, previously one of the most peaceful cities on earth, are now patrolled by gangs of very young teenagers who come in from the outlying suburbs specifically to bash and rob people. Their violence is now gratuitous and well beyond what may be 'necessary' to carry out a robbery. Tourist areas on the Queensland coast are becoming nightmares, and police have no adequate response.

There are still plenty of people in denial, saying that there has always been violence, but never before has Melbourne needed hundreds of police trying to control the street violence at night in the CBD.

Two major contrbiuting factors are amphetamines and caffeine-based energy drinks, which keep people hyped up even when they have had too much alcohol, and the steroid-based gym culture. Once, people would fall down drunk if they overdid it, now, with a brain full of stimulants, they are disinhibited and aggressive and fully wide awake. Plus many young men now work out and are built like professional boxers, lots of them are on steroids.

Marijuana is still the most popular drug here, but coming close second is methamphetamine, and the third most used illegal substance is steroids. This is a big change in recreational drug patterns over the last decade.

So apart from the globally infamous mass murders mentioned in the OP, there is a significant general increase in violence in Australian society. Only the most determinedly ignorant can't/won't see it.

[Wirey]

What's a 'glassing'? Sounds interesting.

[apophenia]

A glassing involves a glass or bottle being broken and used to mess up someones face.

[Orias]

Originally Posted by Polarbear

It's almost a year since the 22/7 attacks in Norway (A memorial concert is being arranged here) and to me it seems that the last year has been the bloodiest in a long time.

First we have the bomb in Oslo and the Utoya massacre, then the Toulouse gunman, a man opening fire at a café in Finland, a racist killer in Sweden claiming 15 victimes, the recent bus explosion killing israelies and the Century 16 massacre plus a lot of other things I can't remember off the top of my head.

Did have this much terror before, especially in western countries? and if not what is causing this surge in violence?

I wouldn't say we are getting more violent, just that we are becoming more aware of it. Through things like media and stuff like that.

Which could possibly lead to more violence, but I'm not sure how one could necessarily measure it. Humans, have always been violent.