—I believe, to a certain extent, that we are deeply troubled in the mind. I mean, if you look at modern culture—YouTube, CNN, the children of future generations—clearly we are all disturbed. And even though we cannot quite see it, as the change has been subtle and slow, that life-ticking bomb just waits to be set off.

—Is that what is wrong with me? I was inherently troubled, and BAM, here I am now.

—Do not ignore the details. Look at entertainment these days: people are preoccupied with games surrounding violence. Culture is so skewed. You happened to be a victim.

—A victim. To culture.

—Yes. Your refusal to conform to all of societal expectations emphasizes your vulnerability. By standing up, you fall. Your resistance is natural and inevitable, a course of your personality not your choice.

—So…genetics.

—Not at all. Society and culture are not biological causes. You are fighting to find stability and control. This is nothing but the past repeating itself: the reform era, the Mormons, the temperance movement. And your failure to achieve stability has snowballed into destruction.

—I do not think that I am destroyed.

—Of course not. You view yourself differently from how others view you. People tend to put themselves down, like a safety barrier. So other people’s comments can only make you feel better.

—So I’m insecure?

—To an extent, yes. Media and cultural influences have created this. In turn, you try but fail to become beautiful. You fail, because you still want to defy society. The results of society are already clear: shootings, murders, bombings, corruption, sloth.

—I think that the shootings have nothing to do with this.

—You see, when you say “I think”, this shows unconscious insecurity. Even if you do not care what others think of you (which you do, since that is impossible), you still cannot face looking at yourself and being satisfied. And you are not satisfied, because there is no line between “good” and “bad”. There is no distinct boundary to overcome. You are left wanting some intangible thing.

—That is…

—Nothing. You simply want to take on an unending, impossible quest. It’s spiraling quickly away from the center.

— …

—And now, you are here, wallowing in destruction, caused by a mix of yourself, culture, and psychological distortions romanticized by the media.

—But what does violence have to do with this?

—You have desensitized yourself from violence. You don’t care, about almost anything. It’s simply selfishness.

—I am selfish.

—There, you see? You've realized it now, right? You’re human like the rest of us. And in an ever-changing society, where humans no longer interact face to face and seek a sense of companionship and reliance, you are only one of many.

Gets up.

Walks to the door.

Shuts it.

Silence.