Every now and again, there’s some new craze that teenagers start, and it usually spreads across the country thanks to social media sites and media coverage. Not all of these fads or trends are positive, however. The newest of these is called the “knockout game,” a game in which people try to “knock out” unsuspecting victims with a single punch.
There have been dozens of such attacks on innocent victims across the country in the last few weeks as reported in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and many other cities. “Knockout game” attacks have even caused deaths in Syracuse, St. Louis and New Jersey.
What would cause someone to just walk up to innocent strangers and try to knock them unconscious for no reason whatsoever?
One reason could be that many teenagers today have a “cheap-shot” mentality. It’s nothing more than cowardice disguised as bravado, trying to impress friends by physically assaulting people who have done nothing wrong other than being unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s a “punch-and-run” kind of thinking that is all too common in young people.
It takes absolutely zero confidence and zero courage to punch someone who doesn’t know it’s coming.
Obviously the parents of the kids that are committing these assaults bear some of the responsibility as well. It’s doubtful that any parents are telling their children to go out and assault innocent people. However, any parents who don’t teach their kids that this sort of thing is atrocious are just as responsible as the people committing the crimes. Right versus wrong should be self-explanatory.
Another reason may be due to the popularity of social media. How many stories have there been of kids recording fights with their phone cameras, and posting them to Facebook or YouTube? The “knockout game” is an example of social media not having a positive effect on society.
For anyone who grew up in the 1980’s, society has changed, almost to the point where it’s unrecognizable. We were told to “be seen, and not heard,” to respect the elders, to say “please” and “thank you.” For those who watched wrestling, Hulk Hogan exhorted us to “say your prayers and eat your vitamins.” We were a well-grounded and respectful generation. We didn’t have smartphones. We didn’t take “selfies.”
And we certainly didn’t assault innocent people on the streets as part of a “game.”
The “knockout game” is just a symptom of a larger problem; it lies deeper than bad parenting or the actions of cowards. It’s a sign of just how far society has declined, and the wrong values being taught to young people: hubris, laziness, and the desire to hurt instead of help others.
There is no reason, no justification for the “knockout game.” It’s nothing more than mob mentality, happening for no other reason than to hurt innocent people. If the people playing this “game” want to fight, go fight opponents that actually fight back and can defend themselves.
