Aristotle’s view on Shooters Behavior
Shooters’ behavior at Madden NFL tournament in Florida who opened fire during the event, killing people and living more injured before taking his own life, is an action that left many people worried. During these games a young man shoot four people dead and many others got injured on the site, after the incident causing other people to get injured while freeing the site. The man is said that he had worm the championship of the previous games.
There are some human behaviors that lead to destruction of material things. Behaviors such as person hostility and fighting, terms used to explain theoretically diverse thoughts. According to the behavior of David Katz who shoots his colleagues during the tournament and then killed himself, then this fits the explanation of violence which is defined as measures of varied behavior that injured human being (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley 13). The behavior of harming people and harming oneself is a behavior that was actually used by David to harm the players. He just failed to take his responsibilities as Aristotle states that for one to take his responsibilities he need to do something for happiness (Markel & Madvin 32). Also he adds one should stop allowing inevitable challenges to send us into a downspin.
Committing violent crimes in real life in some ways can be lead by watching crime dramas. As Aristotle wrote about the notion of catharsis, the idea of watching tragedy unfold on the stage or on the TV gives room to experience negative emotions. The effects associated with tragedy from a safe distance and without any negative consequences are otherwise safe; furthermore, Aristotle believed that if we experience tragedy vicariously through the actors in the passion play, we would be less likely to act out horrific tragedies in the real life (Robert 21). Based on this theory, it is likely possible that modern crime such as that of the NFL gaming tournament fulfills this cathartic role of Aristotle’s theory for David thought his fans would arouse his violence action. Basing this act with the Aristotle’s sayings, it can be concluded that, watching these powerful stories of personal tragedy and horror on TV allows people to experience the conflict between Devil and humanity. This conflict lead to people like David to enter into the field with a gun knowing is against the rules. If a causal link can be identified between the game and enacting violent behavior of shooting in the tournament, then it seems Aristotle’s theory on how catharsis works would fail in that case (Robert 22). But gaming tournament are so interactive these days that they might not count as an example of the visual arts’ Aristotle had in mind, wherein one would simply watch, but does not interact or intervene in the game.
The shooter in the tournament is well expressed that he was a champion in the same games. He had worm several trophies in the same in many seasons that made him feel himself as a super star. This didn’t mean that as many human would think that he would still win the tournament even after having the name super star. This can be described simply by Aristotle’s explanation on a self explanatory theory that every important human encounter potentially involves food. He automatically needed to keep himself well trained so as not to lose the championship. Because we humans must eat to stay alive since food spurs on conversation. Just as eating is an intimate thing, so more rehearsing for tournament is an intimate thing. Aristotle talks about how a virtuous person enjoys good things in themselves. Bad men enjoy distorted and corrupt versions of good things (Gallagher 43). These points out a good example characteristic of David the reason that makes him kill to prevent defeat from the tournament and lose the championship. A good man on the other hand is able to see past a thing’s utility or how it supports his greed or pride and lust (Gallagher 43). David saw the beauty and goodness of his championship and forgot to be determined not to lose it at any cost. It is for this reasons, says Aristotle that a virtuous man enjoys life which is among the fine and in attendance things in the world. If David was determinant as determination is the scenery of the superior things in natural world as he had worn several games in the past that theory would fit for him since nature is also good for the virtuous man. This section can be concluded by explaining that if a virtuous man enjoys his own life, then he will enjoy life of another virtuous man, particularly his friends (Gallagher 45). And therefore, the man who is to be happy will therefore need virtuous friends.
One can confidently say that, friendship today is in a serious decline. In support from the 2018 NFL gaming tournament shooter, all in the field are friends in sense that they are entitled to one game title. Aristotle would say it is precisely because all technology and frantic lifestyles are isolating. Everybody wants to live his own way of life. Human nature is not made for isolation. Aristotle said that without friends, no one would choose to live (Gallagher 21). David saw himself living in his own world when he looses his humanity and pulls out his gun and proceeds in shooting people who were innocent before killing himself. In the whole world one of the main founding principles of human desires is basically happiness. Yet, it is something many people find it hard to embrace in their day to day living. When we meet problems in life we ought to think that happiness belongs to the past and not for future. This gives us a good picture to David’s action during the tournament that he forgot the future and got himself carried by the past. Aristotle demonstrates customs of taking care of the harms of present future and move with the path of pleasure (Madvin & Markel 29). These points out to the shooter at the tournament action and to all people, everyone can lose track of happiness as all are human in nature.
David was supposed to contemplate to his responsibilities as a player if the game reserves to prevent all menace that encountered in his head. In truth few people are ever physically required to take the path they took. For those individuals who believe they just fell into whatever they are doing today, it is helpful to their progress to assume full responsibility for what happened in their lives. For those who think they had no opportunity for a thoughtful choice at a young age, it is helpful to know that some young people grabbed opportunities to make thoughtful choices (Markel & Madvin 31). If David accepted his responsibility for himself in that game, he would still had an opportunity to choose and change for the better and stop creating violent and chaos in the field. He couldn’t had chosen the path he chose since his decisions freed up all his future decisions and plans to become great in the entire game world. Consequences in life come with every decision and choice someone takes towards any named objective. As the NHL quarterback George says, “Yes, there is pain in playing this game” (Markel & Madvin 31). David was supposed to understand that there is pain in all games and their entire outcomes, with each having its particular rules and risks.
Conclusion
Everything that comes at one point or another has possibility of going away. May it be good or bad, what to put in mind is that all that all decisions made one should consider two things, how is this action going to affect the decision maker and the society at large both positively and negatively. In the field everyone has in mind that chances of becoming a victim of bad or good luck are always high. Therefore everyone should be ready to take responsibilities of whatever that might happen to them. It is important for everyone to take responsibility for whatever happens in the field. David’s action was an expression of someone who avoided his responsibility for a problem he could have solved with time and lost credibility.
Work cited
Anderson, Craig A, Douglas A. Gentile, and Katherine E. Buckley. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Internet resource.
Arp, Robert. The Devil and Philosophy. , 2014. Internet resource.
Gallagher, Conor. If Aristotle's Kid Had an Ipod: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Parents. Charlotte, N.C: Saint Benedict Press, 2012. Internet resource.
Markel & Madvin. Finding Happiness with Aristotle as Your Guide: Action Strategies Based on 10 Timeless. iUniverse, 2012 Ideas.
