School Shootings: Who to Listen to Instead of Mainstream Shrinks

http://www.counterpunch.org/2018/03/16/school-shootings-who-to-listen-to-instead-of-mainstream-shrinks/
Date Written:  2018-03-16
Publisher:  Counterpunch
Year Published:  2018
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX22603

Clinical psychologist Bruce Levine discusses the prevailing cynicism and hopelessnes among young people in the United States -- about their country and their future. In particular the article focuses on troubled young people who have lost any connection with adults and view the world as an uncaring place, and are commonly prescribed medication such as anti-depressants.

Abstract: 
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The young people whom I talk with spend a great deal of time on the Internet, where a few of them have discovered Noam Chomsky, and they resonate to his contempt for coercion. Chomsky talks about going to Central High School in Philadelphia, a highly regarded school, but one he hated, "It was the dumbest, most ridiculous place I've ever been, it was like falling into a black hole or something. For one thing, it was extremely competitive - because that's one of the best ways of controlling people. So everybody was ranked, and you always knew exactly where you were. . . . All of this stuff is put into people's heads in various ways in the schools - that you got to beat down the person next to you, and just look out for yourself."