Stephen King's Rage

Uncover the chilling connection between Stephen King's 'Rage' and real-life tragedies. Explore how art influences reality, challenging the impact of violent media on society. A thought-provoking journey into controversy.
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[@underwearmaintenance]

I still have my copy of Rage. I first read it in high school. I hated high school. I hated most of my teachers. I hated most of the students. I hated myself. Even after reading Rage, it never dawned on me to hurt anyone. I had depression, but I never wanted to hurt anyone.

[@Redfoot138]

Same to most of this, including still I still have my copy The Bachman Books with Rage in it I had depression and undiagnosed ADHD in high school. I related to the main character, Charlie, in the sense I felt like an outsider and that there was something wrong with me. But I never felt empathetic towards the actions he takes in on the story.

[@claytonberg721]

Most people with mental illness are only a threat to themselves. That's the danger of labeling every perpetrator of a senseless killing as 'crazy' or 'mentally ill' as most don't strictly conform to the definition.

[@nightcrawler2561]

Same but I didn't read rage

[@thegurem]

Ive got the Bachmann books with rage aswell

[@relicrsps1621]

Rage is like 20k, sell it.

[@ameldell5180]

I read Rage when I was a kid. I was really, really unhappy in school and extremely scared at home. All it did was give me hope that I could bond with people eventually, and make me feel that, no matter how weird I was and how dark my thoughts, I could be angry over being treated unfairly. Never hurt anyone, always felt it hurt the protagonist more, ruined his life. The book really helped me through a bad time.

[@ohmygoditisspider7953]

hope things got a lot better for you. being a kid is stressful enough without that happening. I had the same experience.

[@ameldell5180]

@@ohmygoditisspider7953 I was lucky. In France most people change schools at 7yo, then 11, then 16. You get a new chance each time. 2-7 was okay, 7-11 was blah, 11-16 was hell, 16-18 was great, and I loved college. I really think that splitting school as much of possible and remixing school populations in between each school would give more opportunities to lots of kids who go through the same thing.

[@dannahbanana11235]

I like that "I could be angry over being treated unfairly" We are absolutely all allowed to be angry and hurt over that. They're normal human emotions.

[@ohmygoditisspider7953]

@@dannahbanana11235 be trying to teach my roommates that all the time. we're all of us pretty hurt puppies or whatever but it's like, I'm 32 and I'm starting to think that most people probably are, or that I just find myself surrounded by that type kind of a lot. I've had coffee and idk if anyone is gonna read this but here goes: a problem shared by the three of them is how no matter what they did was wrong. Or crying about stuff is wrong. Or, you're wrong for being upset about that. And it's like. Man, you guys are always way too hard on yourself and I don't think the world needs help in screwing with you like that. Just coz you make a mistake don't make you a bad person, being hurt sucks and being hurt can make you kind of act out. Good people screw up too, man. I don't know if they share that issue coz they're ladies, coz I identify with that a lot, too. They're trying to help me not act like a stray dog all the time, because I was that for a time, and they say I'm probably that way coz I'm not a lady. I don't know, maybe they're right. Rage spoke to me when I was a kid because I had a screwed up home life and I don't think it's easy being a kid already, complicating things doesn't seem to ever work out. I'm really not sure what to make of all of this. All I really know is I'm glad I never had kids. I couldn't live with myself if I screwed that up like my folks did. And I don't think my folks were always bad people, either. Whatever. I don't really care if you read any of that. I just hope everyone's fucking safe now.

[@TitularHeroine]

​@@ohmygoditisspider7953I read all of it. Thank you. I hope you and your friends are doing all right

[@MichieHoward]

I always think of the Bachman books as huge fucking signs that sympathy and compassion for others is one of the the paramount lessons to give our children, to defend the bullied, to empathize with others, to hold up one another and not trod on anyone to get ahead.

[@deadbrother5355]

I agree. Hurt people hurt people. Almost every person who acts out violently has been hurt by a person, a group of people, or even society. Being kind goes a long way.

[@TheFalconerNZ]

I have a picture showing the same 'Quote' from 9 (not 12) different Holy Texts including the Bible, Torah, Quran, Hindu & Buddhist as well as others, 'Treat everyone how you want them to treat you' in different ways & the Torah version included "This is the whole of the Torah, the rest is just commentary". To find it search web for images with 'the primary teaching of every religion'

[@mustangnawt1]

@@TheFalconerNZWould like to have something like that. Think there is somewhere I could find it?

[@mustangnawt1]

Read King as a child. Every single one. An only child who was kind of left to my own devices. My Dad was and is a huge fan, and he and I shared a love for his work, and he let me. I was too young for all of it admittedly. Probably 10 or so at the start. Ate it up because I was always in such a hurry to be “grown” and to learn grown up things. Remember learning Buchman was King. @ the same time learned what a ghost writer was and why he said he did it. The Long Walk was my fave. Idk why. Weird kid. Harmless then, same as now. No book or media would change that thankfully. Pulling the work shows he understood and cared about kids more than profit. He’s the one I’d like to break bread with living or dead…as people inquire about occasionally. Long live the King

[@Aoskar95]

Honestly surprised he never got at least Rita hayworth and the Shawshank redemption published when he originally sent it in. The other stories varies quality but that one's a damn masterpiece, even without the movie

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." -- Stephen King

[@-jank-willson]

In Islam, there are creatures called djinn that are born at the same time as a human, and reside in a human as an 'evil clone' of an individuals soul. They try to tempt the person to commit sins. So literally a 'personal demon' that lives inside all of us...

[@BeyondtheHiggs]

I don't fear much. I am not afraid of the dark, small spaces, spiders, snakes, public speaking, and to a degree I've made peace with the idea of death. My greatest fear is people, as I know exactly what we are capable of.

[@redfog42]

@@-jank-willson god invented evil?

[@Americanbadashh]

@@-jank-willson So like a reverse guardian angel?

[@-jank-willson]

??@@redfog42

[@lluun7938]

It's wild that people still can't grasp the fact that violent people are drawn to violent media, and that violent media does not inherently make normal, sensible people into violent lunatics.

[@StarkeyatRingo]

but raising children on it, those video games 0 simulating murder, killing rape - that's different when it becomes your whole meal in life like those games become to kids....

[@faultypremise]

@@StarkeyatRingo Too simplistic an answer to blame video games. Your reply there actually pointed out the actual problem: raising children on violent media. Where are the parents? Who is teaching these kids how to cope with their emotions? I read everything Stephen King ever wrote when I was a kid. But thanks to my parents, I had a good grasp on reality that even being diagnosed with schizophrenia, none of it rooted in my brain. I never had any desire to hurt others.

[@StarkeyatRingo]

not if you understood the HUMAN PSYCHE - add drugs and ABUSE - YOU'VE GOT THE END OF CIVILZATION - think more@@faultypremise

[@sherryberry4577]

Same with guns. I'm the biggest pacifist. Never been in a fight or anything. I love guns though. They are the ultimate equalizer.

[@goblin-night]

​@@StarkeyatRingoYour reply underlines why it is like this. A phrase like "raise kids on violent media" is the kind of meaningless trash that works on TV because it sounds sinister and is suggestive, but leaves it up to the viewer to imagine their own SPECIFIC explanation.

[@TheKaptainKombat]

Having gone to uni for english it became clear to me that banning uneasy or violent media does not solve the problems those who want to ban them desire. We must preserve and archive histories, relics, and artifacts no matter how disturbing some perceive them as. If we cannot recall our collective past we are doomed to repeat them.

[@BeyondtheHiggs]

for me it's more about talking about them in context. It builds the human narrative around the horribleness of the events associated with them.

[@valolafson6035]

But it's easier, which is why, I think, bans are promoted. If you just ban something, you don't have to have a conversation about it and it's impact.

[@julietfischer5056]

@@valolafson6035- Or anything else. I think most bans these days are so parents don't feel uncomfortable. Children can ask penetrating questions without meaning to.

[@shig.bitz.3205]

It's sad. Human history is comparatively vast compared to the confines of a single life. It seems we are doomed to repeat ourselves as our collective memory is not long enough to adequately learn the lessons history teaches us.

[@singingbowels]

Bingo!

[@joshuastrawser9160]

1) Broken people are attracted to stories of broken people. The stories are not what broke them. Pretending otherwise is foolhardy and counterproductive. 2) If anyone thinks that Rage will never again see print, they're kidding themselves. It will either be back on store shelves shortly after King passes away, or if his estate successfully blocks that effort, after the copyright runs out, when there's absolutely no way to prevent it.

[@elizabethsullivan7176]

illegally, probably

[@Phreno_Xeno]

I hope it will. I read the Bachman Books over 30 years ago and have been wanting to read it again. It is only a few years ago I discovered it was removed from print.

[@joshuastrawser9160]

@@Phreno_Xeno Not to get into the weeds of copyright law, but for a 1977 book like Rage, it's author's death plus seventy years for copyright to end. So we're probably not seeing it again in our lifetimes, but still....

[@georgejones3526]

It’s on the internet, if you know where to look.

[@Phreno_Xeno]

@@georgejones3526 Probably, but I'm oldfashioned when it comes to reading books. I prefer holding that block of paper in my hands.

[@maddiejoy6619]

Simon saying "we're not going to take it" instead of "we're not gonna take it" is the most proper British thing ever 🤣.

[@nightwishlover8913]

Which is more than can be said for his pronunciation...

[@oxymoron02]

Please bear in mind that we don't all sound like that any more than everyone in America sounds like a "Noo Yoiker" or a redneck hick. His accent is symptomatic of a privileged boarding school environment.

[@TerryWaitesRadiator]

Yet he still insists on pronouncing CLERK like a Yank.

[@kingjames4886]

@@TerryWaitesRadiator and china like chiner...

[@Man_fay_the_Bru]

It’s the proper way to say it, gonna is a dead person over here

[@loveless131]

Rage is actually one of my favorite King/Bachman books. I never felt inspired to violence from it though. I suppose I can see why a broken person might be inspired to violence, but they could have gotten that inspiration basically anywhere and are just waiting for a trigger either way.

[@Nasafalkas1]

Agreed. Some people commit suicide listening to Metallica or Nick Cave, yet it would be absurd to remove their songs from the various websites and apps where they've been published.

[@aarondavis8943]

The problem with the "media violence causes real world violence" argument is, we don't have the counterfactual to prove or disprove the claim: We don't have access to a universe where the same violent individual never encountered the media deemed responsible to allow us to see whether he would have killed _without_ the book, film or video game. What we do have are masses of data and hundreds of scientific studies on the subject and the consensus among scientists, mainly psychologists, is that there is no definitive link between violent media and real world events. There is also the declining trend in violence across the West which coincides with an _increase_ in violent media, the exact opposite of what the Tipper Gores of the world claim to be true.

[@ryanbauer3680]

Its not matter of the book/rock music/violent videogames/religion being the spark that makes people do these things. Its a matter of it being the kindling for the fire. Its not a cause, its a symptom, a red flag to an underling bigger problem. Also aarondavis8943, there's one piece data missing from those studies and there's a reason behind it and its called the Dickey Amendment. Congress actually outlawed the use of CDC funds into the research of gun violence. And who was behind pushing this legislative act to hinder finding a possible cause into a rampant national security issue? Lets just say they could be abbreviated as Neglectful Repugnant A-holes.

[@jessemcdonald5124]

Steven King has turned into a old white libtard woke woman

[@docsavage101]

Apt student is another .. but no excuses Crazies will always do crazy

[@eusoumaniaco]

The Dee Snider hearing is to this day one of the most amazing footage of someone thinking they got an easy target and then summarily being dismantled. Dee’s poise and eloquence and the way he flips the narrative around in a few minutes is glorious.

[@krymera666x7]

The Walk was way worse of a book. This book was okay. The fact we remove media for fear of it inspiring people is stupid. I play all the violent games, watch all the violent movies, have done this since my early teens. I’m trained from 15 years in the military , live with PTSD and STILL have never had the urge to gun down random people. We need to acknowledge that media is not a trigger, people will simply commit violence because they can.

[@wfb.subtraktor311]

Very true, inf act there is some evidence to show that while people who are drawn to commit acts of violence are also drawn towards violent media, violent media actually reduces the likelihood of an individual to engage in real violence. It is an outlet, in the same vein as boxing. If you don't give human urges a controlled outlet they are more likely to turn ugly. Sorry about your PTSD, by the way, hope you'll get better!

[@ChakasCave]

The walk was such a fun read. I need to pull my Bachman books out. It’s been a minute

[@hasanx8066]

End of the day you can walk away and not possibly choose prison forever 🤷🏿‍♂️

[@hollieBlu303]

The long walk...also one of the 'Bachmann Books' so was the Running Man, Rage and Roadwork....all brilliant.... and brilliantly dark. Some of his best, least campy, most disturbing work. Awesome. Terrifying. Not safe for a lot of people

[@pembrokelove]

But this isnt a case of “us” removing the work - the author chose to do it himself.

[@DecayingReverie]

The whole "does violent art make people do violent things" debate is one I have grown exhausted with. It is readily apparent by the now that media cannot make one violent if their nature is not violent. I think violent people tend to gravitate toward violent media, so there might be some positive correlation between violent media and violent people. However, as every person who has taken a high school statistics class knows, correlation does not equal causation. I've consumed some absolutely grimy films and books and I have never had any desire to hurt anyone beyond the usual "oh I could just punch this dude" thoughts that I think most people have. I've read every single Stephen King book and don't think Rage is particular loss to the world. It feels very juvenile and definitely is a bottom-five book for me in his bibliography, but I still hate any time a piece of art is taken out of this world. Sure, you can still download pdf documents online or pirate the audiobook, but it is now removed from accessibility for the majority of people. I do believe that an artist has the right to control their own art though. If Stephen King wants his book to be discontinued from publishing, that is his right. There's honestly a lot more violent shit in some of his other books. It just so happens that Rage was realistic enough to where an event like it actually happened. Under the Dome has necrophilia, IT has animal torture, Rose Madder, IT, and probably several other books have domestic violence, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption has prison rape in it, Big Driver is a rape and revenge story. The list goes on-and-on. Ultimately, as long as the material is treated with the gravitas it deserves and isn't there for shock value or malicious intent, violence is fine. People are responsible for their actions. I think in general, violent people who claim to have done their crimes because of media are either lying or mentally ill. I work at a ministry that helps homeless people get back on their feet. There is a sizeable portion of our clients who have schizophrenia and will say crazy shit about things voices tell them to do. Depending on the severity of their schizophrenia and whether or not they are taking medication, they can map voices to things in their surroundings. I think it is the brain trying to make sense of something that doesn't make sense. Back when I was addicted to dissociatives, I would go on multi-day binges. Toward the final few days, I could hear voices that sounded real. It made reality seem like something it was not. I thought everyone knew what I was doing and they were conspiring behind my back. The last time I used was five years ago at the end of 10-day binge where I essentially had a total break from reality for a couple days. A mind unleashed is, I think, about the worst hell one can experience.

[@deadbrother5355]

I agree with every word. Well said.

[@robbieburns3564]

You said "mentally ill". These killers were mentally ill and depending on the illness and how it affects you - you could find a message to you in a medium that speaks to you - say, in a song or in a book. This was King's decision to pull his book. He felt it had an effect on these ill people. Charlie spoke to their broken minds and they acted in a similar way as in the story. I respect King's decision - it must have been difficult for him.

[@Vangluss]

Thank you for the essay. I’ve grown tired with this nonsense debate as well.

[@CatMom-uw9jl]

I remember when they were blaming music lyrics in the 80s. In the 90s it was movies like Natural Born Killers. Apparently in the 50s they were blaming comic books. For the last 20 years it’s been video games. And they always blame mental illness, when people with even severe mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence rather than perpetrators.

[@megachonk9440]

I read the Bachman books when I was a teenager in high school, and Rage hit uncomfortably close to home. It isn't that violent media causes people to act violently. King didn't believe that then and doesn't believe it now. He felt that it acted as a catalyst for far too many school shooters, and it was hard to ignore that many of these school shooters were, in fact, venerating this novel and using it as a playbook for their own acts. Yes, he has written many books and stories with disturbing levels of very realistic violence. I've read most of what he's published and I am very much a fan. And you're right, Rage is not what most King fans would consider a particularly good novel from King. But none of his more elaborate, maybe even "better" books have the appeal to angry, disturbed, disenfranchised teenage boys that Rage did. That's why it was uniquely problematic for him, and why King asked for it to be pulled from publication. His other books just don't have that appeal to a demographic already at extremely high risk of committing violent acts.

[@nerdlingeeksly5192]

If we're terrified that a book detailing someone holding their class hostage because they are getting bullied would Inspire someone to do the exact same, then we shouldn't be banning the book we should be making it so the lives of these kids aren't so relatable to the violent main character. Look around today and you hear about school shootings all the time but never once has any of them mentioned rage inspired them.

[@PerfectSense77]

The book wasn’t banned. The author took it out of print of his own accord and was glad of the decision. Big difference.

[@julietfischer5056]

Or any other piece of media, specifically.

[@nicholasfarrell5981]

"We"? Did you not watch the video, King made the decision to pull the book from publication himself. As is his right as the author.

[@nerdlingeeksly5192]

@@PerfectSense77 censorship is censorship wether it's the government or yourself. My point still stands, he removed the book because these kids related to the main character and decided to replicate it. But even without the book these things are still happening because it was never the books fault, it was that the kids lives are as bad as the main characters.

[@jesurenbnb]

​@@nerdlingeeksly5192however i respect king's decision if he is uncormtable with the book even if i disagree with it

[@chrisbradshaw6135]

I remember reading the Bachmann Books as a young teen. Loved them. Never felt the urge to kill anyone. Preferred The Long Walk out of the four.

[@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshield]

Same, it's some of my favorite works by him. I've got a copy of the long walk with arms reach I got for a friend.

[@yuothineyesasian]

Roadwork is my favorite.

[@martinoconnor4314]

The Long Walk was a great story and so was The Running Man, I don't actually recall Rage and Roadwork but I presume I read them in the early 80's. I remember seeing a film called The Running Man starring Arnie, based on the novel by Stephen King and waiting with great anticipation for it to be released at the cinema. Imagine my disappointment after I watched it 😭

[@quantumparadox2518]

Rage might be a top 10 work by king. It’s not just about violence in school. It’s a interesting character study with depth not only from the perspective of the “shooter “ but from each of his captors in the classroom.

[@Mimi-cq4bg]

Ted has- quite possibly- the best character portrayal in the whole story.

[@vonniedemers5683]

Books that people want to ban usually have a lesson in them, even if it's just making you aware of others feelings.. Discuss these things don't van them. Also I love SK my oldest is named after him, he's 33 now lol

[@GlynDwr-d4h]

It's really one of his better books.

[@dustinneely]

You people have zero understanding of what makes for good literature. This book is a piece of 💩.

[@foxtailedcritter]

There's a fridge in every serial killers house. We must look into this further. It must be the reason for this violance just like the books are.

[@celticc9580]

We must ban all the fridges!

[@OhioCoastie94]

Worse yet, every serial killer has ingested dihydrogen monoxide. Every. Single. One. Clearly the fault lies with that compound, and it must be regulated immediately.

[@mr.joshua6818]

Dear God... My grandma has a fridge...

[@mr.joshua6818]

​@@celticc9580at least fully automatic fridges.

[@user-jg6bd7se8u]

My fridge gave me diabetes. Save yourselves, get rid of your fridge!

[@SimonMester]

It's a scapegoat. What he says is very true "he would have done it another way..." I'm sure cavemen, or Jack the ripper didn't need to read anything to do violence onto their fellow man.

[@RHCole]

I am sure The Ripper's knowledge of anatomy helped. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@krown466]

So you're saying giving someone more options doesn't give them more opportunity? If I tell you to go kill that guy you want to kill but you get no weapons I feel like you might be less inclined to carry it out. Not saying you can't or won't just that the chances are lower. But if I present to you other options that make it less personal and a lot easier do you think that doesn't increase the chances? Again not saying you would go through with it in either case but just simply asking if the CHANCES of the crime happening do at least fluctuate?

[@0816M3RC]

​@@krown466 How does consuming "violent media" give someone more options to commit a massacre?

[@krown466]

@@0816M3RC if the person isn't someone who has a lot of critical thinking skills then a plot or laid out plan could be used. Which may not have been an option in their mind before consuming it. Either way I'm not advocating for bans or anything I'm just trying to bring light to the situation that consuming media can influence decisions. If I find out it's going to storm today I will bring a jacket and umbrella. Here's an example. If someone were to dox a grand jury and then put their names and addresses out their for cult leaders to use in criminal ways there's a chance that the media consumed could lead to the injury or death of those people. Where they had no idea the names and ways to find them before now they no longer have that hurdle to climb it was given to them.

[@metamorphicorder]

@@krown466 if you are talking about an npc who has no real thoughts of their own and cant think of original ways to do things then yeah. What you need to realize is that ualiving someone is techically no different than doing no laundry or cooking a meal. Its a series of acts

[@johnbowles5399]

One of the Bachman Books, Roadwork, is King's greatest work as far as I'm concerned. A deeply moving and powerful story of an everyday man who loses his battle with grief after the death of his young son and, faced with losing his job, his home and his wife, decides to end things on his own terms. I read it as a teenager and have never forgotten how much the story moved me.

[@tonykennedy8483]

The Woman In the Room did this for me as a teenager. Completely blindsided me as a teenager

[@Gamble661]

Completely agree, I first read Road Work decades ago and have since re-read it twice. It's a great story that does make you think and feel empathy for the main character. I've also read The Long Walk several times over the years, it's another thought provoking story. Funny thing about Roadwork, I always thought the image of the main character on the cover of the paperback looked just like the actor Rutger Hauer.

[@Tuberuser187]

If Seven King felt inspired to write a book like this by his High School experiences, that young men have felt they could relate to this book for decades (as someone outside the US) then it sounds like books are not the problem, that guns are not the problem, video games are not the problem, music is not the problem. It's the school system that needs looking at, everyone looking for all these other causes, blaming all these things yet the only common thing to *all* of it is the schools or the system of schooling.

[@mikepalmer2219]

You are onto something my good man. I hated my school, especially in high school. Our school system sucks as well as most of the teachers. I do not have many good things to say about it. I left in the late 80’s and I am pretty sure it is worse now.

[@zombiechicken7114]

True but access to guns makes the problem more dangerous.

[@jsouth5577]

Stephen King does what a lot of writers do and have done through the ages. He sees something that's happening in society or a trend or taps into a universal experience and then he PUSHES it to see how far it will go. It's why so many old sci-fi books seem to predict the future. It's taking what's already there and expanding it until its large enough to make a compelling story. I hate the idea of censoring any book simply because I don't trust whatever group would be in charge of making those decisions to not go off the rails in short order but if anyone has a right, it would be the author of the book. I agree that broken people are always going to find a way, and an excuse, for their actions but I also respect King for doing what he felt was taking away their 'google maps' of how to do it.

[@sethchapman8001]

I was an angry rebellious teenager when I read Rage, and it didn't inspire me to kill anyone.....

[@EnglishTeacher-ez1bo]

I found Rage to be a compelling look into a troubled mind and how "groupthink" can make people do something they would never do on their own. It's sad that because of the actions of a few, the many will not be able to experience it, but it is completely understandable why King made this decision.

[@henrytjernlund]

I recently read another group-think psychological horror story titled Let's Go Play at the Adam's about an extended babysitting job gone horrible wrong.

[@EnglishTeacher-ez1bo]

Thanks. I'll look for that. @@henrytjernlund

[@tempestholmes]

Stephen King's quote about high school is 100% relatable. I too regard people who think it was the best 4 years of their lives with suspicion and pity. Seriously, were they asleep through most of it?

[@racookster]

Imagine that you're an "Al Bundy" - a popular high school football star who dated (and was later forced to marry) one of the prettiest, most popular girls in his class... and that was your peak. From high school graduation on, you're stuck in a boring, dead-end job. Your wife is lazy and shallow. Your kids don't respect you; no one does. It happens.

[@chanvalentine8283]

There's a saying that says, "If a person loved high school. They will struggle as an adult." I translate it as, adulthood allows the freedom to associate with whomever you want, and if you were a jerk to others in high school, who could blame your classmates trying to escape you.

[@julietfischer5056]

For some, that's the last time they were on top of the world. Then they didn't get the sports scholarship to college (and then to the big leagues), or got arrested for something serious, or other life circumstances slapped them down. For others, the nostalgia filters tell them how carefree they were when their biggest worries were acne and dating.

[@andreagriffiths3512]

Geez, here in Australia it’s 6 years. None of it was enjoyable

[@cervanntes]

For me, high school was neither good nor bad. It just...was. Junior High/Middle School was my personal hell.

[@juliatarrel1674]

My best friend has schizophrenia to the point that the best mix of medications she and her psychiatrist have found (over nearly 20 years) dulls the edge of the metaphorical knife. It's still there, it's always there. Over those 20 years, we've watched her endure stuff I won't describe here. Just know that some of my memories ache so painfully, and I'm eternally grateful that she cannot remember them at all. Playing violent video games can help her calm down. It's not the media. It's not even always the broken-ness. (Don't go fleeing from the mentally ill, please.) I don't know what it is.

[@libbyhyett6625]

I've got schizophrenia. It's well managed with meds. Your comment interests me. I don't remember much about my past psychotic episodes. I'm happy for the memories to remain blurry and I'm frightened (to say the least) of having another psychosis. I get persecutory grandiose delusions. Thankfully I've never harmed myself but I know what can happen.

[@juliatarrel1674]

@@libbyhyett6625 Our friend is rarely alone, though she's well enough that she can be now. She has developed a sense of when a psychosis might be coming. We've seriously considered getting a service dog and training it to detect oncoming psychosis, but it's not right for us. Give it a thought, and talk to service dog trainers. Our friend has tattoos over the scars from self-harming. As for talking therapies and medication, we've found she needs both. She'd done talking therapies many times, to no effect. Then she got medicated enough to dull the edge of that knife. THEN the talking therapies started to work. Before that point, they'd never sink in. I'm not sure exactly how it made the difference - I think that's something locked into my friend's mind (not a "she won't tell me", it's a "can't"). I don't know your state, but I want to tell you that if talking therapies don't seem to work, give them a try from time to time. As for your fear: I know. I know, and I hope you have someone with you, who supports you.

[@norfolkronin6307]

Thank you for your comments. Bless

[@faultypremise]

Hello, schizophrenic here, thank you for saying this.

[@mopeygoff]

My 9th grade English teacher made us read a book of our choosing and do a report every month. I did a book report on "Rage" when I was in 9th grade, roughly 1989 or so. I was also a nerd and got picked on a lot. I played Doom and Wolfenstein 3D and all those scary bad games. I listened to heavy metal from glam metal to dealth metal during that time. I managed to get ALL THE WAY THOUGH LIFE (so far!) without shooting anyone. Or even really being violent. Try again, there's another reason at play here.

[@michaelallain7706]

Owned this three times in print, secondhand. It invoked a specific emotional response in me. I liken it to psychological horror. His effort, his call, in my opinion. I think that most times, people with those tendencies have that ship already cast for them and media is not responsible for people's lack of empathy.

[@tinkerstrade3553]

To understand King's horror, I had to see that horror through his eyes. For that reason, I sympathize with his revulsion at tainting the world further. As well, I feel his need to create, to purge, to examine, in light of day, his own demons. "A key to the Door of Forever is the heads of all the demons one sets loose upon the world." - fr. Toscing

[@almitrahopkins1873]

@@kellyharbeson18I can’t stand his writing. He is woefully overrated. Rage is something different though. It seems more as though the writing was holding up a mirror to the real-life horror and that’s what unsettles him. It would be like Orwell or Huxley walking around in the modern world and seeing 1984 or Brave New World come to life right before their eyes. It should be in print. It should include thousands of pages of essays from historians and psychologists on the nature of violence in schools perpetrated by students against other students and teachers. It should be used for education, not abandoned and discarded.

[@MurdochChan]

Bro lmao take a break from huffing your own farts. This is embarrassing.

[@HorrorHermitofHell]

I read it in junior high, borrowed the paperback from the school library even. The Bachman Books, ahhh memories

[@trouty606]

Same story for me, The Bachman Books collection was just sitting in my school library alongside all the other King books and I read it then. Granted, when I read them it was pre-Columbine so it's entirely possible they pulled it afterwards.

[@LauraKnotek]

Same here, except I was in junior high but borrowed "The Bachman Books" from the public library.

[@Valen-xu2wy]

I perfer different seasons.

[@akadjadikt]

Stephen King is and always will be the most prolific author of our generation. You will find at least one book that resonates with you. He has an unmistakable talent for telling some of the most twisted tales. I think one of the scariest places you could ever find yourself is in Stephen King mind. He really can make you despise a character to the point of throwing the book away but you just can not stop reading them

[@Jolis_Parsec]

Indeed. His unhinged rants on the ex-bird app are such exquisite reminders of what peak leftism does to a person who wasn’t all there to begin with. Mwah! 😘

[@julietfischer5056]

@@Jolis_Parsec- Mad that he's not a fan of authoritarianism, bigotry, vulture capitalism, and Trump? I bet you'd follow Randall Flagg.

[@Jolis_Parsec]

@@julietfischer5056 Cry moar, sweetie. You leftoids are exactly what you accuse your opposition of being. 🥱

[@bruisersdilemma354]

I don't know about "the most prolific," but he is a legend and a true genius.

[@aimeedouglas1584]

@@julietfischer5056I’m sure King is quite a fan of capitalism. He’s reaped the benefits of it quite handsomely.

[@deanobambino23]

We performed this in 1997 and 98' in high school in South Africa. We won the regional play festival to a standing ovation.

[@haackeg]

I remember reading the Bachman Books and Rage in 7th Grade. I was a confused teen who was picked and and just trying to figure out how to get on in the world. The Book actually gave me an example of what not to do. But I’m still glad it’s gone. Too much suffering has been linked to the book. It’s probably for the best.

[@Doofindork]

I still have my dad's old copy of Rage. One of the few books I wanted to keep when we cleaned out his bookshelf, as I did a book review of it in high school. It's a haunting story, but one I would happily read again and again.

[@Taurickk]

I read the Bachman books as a young teen who had a hard time at school, Rage was easily the weakest and least compelling of the stories, to the point I had forgotten it even existed and went into this video initially confusing Rage with Roadwork (the next weakest in the compilation). The Long Walk is the standout and Running Man is a close second. Thinner is also great and probably up there with Running Man.

[@BiggaTigga]

Same! I read the Bachman books when I was 14-15. The Long Walk still haunts me to this day. I too completely forgot about Rage.

[@missdenisebee]

I loved Thinner! I saw the movie version when I was growing up (my mom & I were both huge horror fans), and I read the actual book afterwards. I feel like it gets overlooked quite often, but it’s always been a fave of mine.

[@ancientmingyu0604]

The Long Walk and The Running Man are my top two fav Stephen King books ❤ They're fantastic.

[@alwaysmatterinmotion]

The equivalent to what King is calling for with gun control would involve the GOVERNMENT banning King's book, and the GOVERNMENT seizing all copies of Rage in circulation, with criminal penalties for anyone caught in possession of a copy of the banned book.

[@snakeking211]

The fact we blame inanimate things eg. Guns, movies, video games and books for violent actions instead of finding the real causes is telling it's to scapegoat. Oh its not the parents or society itselfs fault it's the guns or the movies. No people will always find a way to hurt each other and while tragic we must understand to sacrifice any freedom for safety will only get us neither freedom or safety

[@kujjitafari8509]

Exactly!!!!

[@xm8553]

It’s the easy answer. Most people don’t actually want to find the cause or put effort into fixing something. It feels good to blame something and think “if we get rid of __ then the problem goes away.” Taking on mental health issues, or economic issues is insanely difficult to answer so people want to blame guns, video games, movies etc instead

[@jeffmason6344]

Guns don't kill kids... Gun Free Zones kills kids!

[@ToudaHell]

I blame easy access to guns for it too. If the kids didn't have access to the weapons, they wouldn't have done it. It's hard to hurt someone else with a knife. The rest of the developed world is just as free as you guys. My Healthcare is free too. We don't have so many mass shootings in schools. How are you free when you are terrified your kids might get shot at school anytime? If you really want to protect those kids, take away the tools of violence from their grasp. Also, how are you free when you need to bankrupt yourself when (I can't believe I'm not writing if) your kids get shot?

[@Vaeldarg]

One of those things is not like the others, though. With guns, the goal isn't to entertain, it's main selling point IS how easy it would be to kill a target with it.

[@Ravynseye]

I still have my copy of the Bachman Books. I read it when I was in school where I was picked on almost relentlessly. I never considered taking a weapon to anyone. Gonna keep it as long as it's legible. The stories are good and make you think about things and can help you realize that what you see on the outside may not reflect what's going on under the surface.

[@Larannis]

Yeah I have an old paperback copy of this work trying to keep in in good condition.

[@methos4866]

Rage can still be found online. Took me less than a minute to find an epub file of the original 1977 publication. Though i still understand and support why Stephen King decided to pull the book from print.

[@Tuberuser187]

You honestly never considered smacking one of your victimizers in the face in the face with something? Thats why you got bullied, not saying taking a gun and shooting people or taking hostages is the thing to do but to fight back directly at the people, only the people victimizing you just has to be done in life, at the personal and national level.

[@claytonberg721]

I wish I hadn't donated my abused paperback copy of the bachman books 25 years ago. Copies like that are going for like $40 on ebay. Like others said, it's not hard to find the epub.

[@Ravynseye]

@@Tuberuser187 I said I never considered taking a weapon to anyone. I also started martial arts in 7th grade. Things calmed a bit, but I was never strong kid and I could never harness the adrenaline the few times I did fight. My father was also a lawyer, so I was keenly aware of the possibilities if a fight went too far.

[@ikopi56]

The truly unfortunate thing is that we, as human beings, tend to focus on the tool, not the tool user in this kind of scenario. It IS Not gun violence, it is Human Violence using a gun. Taking away the gun WILL NOT stop the violence. The focus needs to be taken off the tool and placed on the user of the tool. But that ain't gonna happen, because that means people actually have to care for and look after each other. We're way too selfish and self-centered for that.

[@RHCole]

It may not end the violence, but it will mitigate the gun violence, which is the point

[@oplawlz]

@@RHCole It really won't, though. The vast majority of crimes involving firearms aren't perpetrated by legal owners, and with more guns than people in the U.S. the only thing strict gun laws accomplish is increasing the power of criminals.

[@RHCole]

​@@oplawlzSo why does gun control work in other countries? Sounds to me like you are a defeatist.

[@JCCyC]

Yes, it will not stop the violence, but will make it slower and less deadly.

[@RealSkoolmaster]

Oh yeah because all those countries have No violence anymore. I mean when was the last time Anyone heard of violence in South Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, or a plethora of other places with strong, if not strongER, gun laws. You just sound like an idealist.

[@ambition112]

0:00: 📚 Throughout history, there have been instances where violent media has been blamed for inspiring real-world violence, including cases involving Charles Manson, Mark David Chapman, and Senate hearings on violent media censorship. 3:20: 😱 A summary of the disturbing and realistic Bachmann books written by Stephen King under the pseudonym Bachmann. 6:21: 😱 Several incidents of school shootings were inspired by Stephen King's novel Rage. 9:21: 📚 Stephen King's book 'Rage' has been blamed for inspiring real-life shooters, leading King to remove it from publication and address America's gun violence epidemic. Recap by Tammy AI

[@thirteenthandy]

I'm a huge fan of King's work, but I had never sought out Rage before. Recently I decided to buy every novel he released that I didn't already own, and that included the original Bachman Books collection with Rage, even though I did already have the stand-alone versions of the other three stories. I found that reading as a 40-something man must be very different than reading it as an angsty teen boy. I thought it was really poorly written, with completely unbelievable character actions for the circumstances they found themselves in. It reads like a bullied kid's immature daydream where they are the most clever one in the room, and they have all the control of the pathetic sheep... But it really reads like that. Not like the kid might want to appear, but as they really would sound if the fantasy was spoken outside their own head. Absurd. In reality the bullied kid is not charismatic, clever, or powerful, and the story doesn't come across as an excellent author's imagining of the tale. If it had, there may not be all this controversy.

[@claytonberg721]

Some of his early work is outstanding, I don't think he's ever written a better book than the shining. But yeah, the bachman books, I don't think any of them stand out. I don't know how the running man movie came to be, but I suspect someone early on saw the basic parallels between the movie they were making and an obscure early king novel, changed the title, gave Steve a cheque and realized if they put 'based on the novel by stephen king' tag on it they'd make a bunch more money. King may be big now but he was bigger in the early 90's/late 80's. We didn't have YA then, we had Stephen King. Every budding book worm knew his books backwards and forwards.

[@davidcox3076]

A very good analysis. I had similar thoughts after reading it many years ago. It really is told from the standpoint of Charlie. Of course he's the hero of his own story. So it's no surprise it reads like a daydream. I like mobster flicks. But also understand that they're told from the view of the mob. The characters are all glib, charismatic and only doing what they do "for the family". The damage they do to society is glossed over. Of course they don't see themselves as evil thugs.

[@Bombadil-ez9ns]

Not sure what this says about me, but this gives me a powerful desire to read this book.

[@Ecselsiour]

Me too. It honestly doesn't say anything when you understand the vast majority of people regularly separate fantasy from reality without even thinking about it. How many people play games like Grand Theft Auto every day and then how many of them feel inspired enough to go outside (ha), steal a car and run a bunch of folks over? Not enough to legitimise any claim that such games turn people into real criminals. It's all pure scapegoatism.

[@deniseroe5891]

I know, tell me I can’t do something, and I will definitely do it. Especially when it is a book or movie I have been told are “bad”. BTW, I am 63.

[@missdenisebee]

Same :/ I’ve been a fan of King since the early 90s, but Rage never particularly grabbed my attention. But now, I’m watching this while also wondering “can I find a used copy somewhere?? I NEED to read this”.

[@canaanval]

What about “The Regulators”? Also published as Bachman….and a great book!(along with Desparation)

[@CeeJayThe13th]

The Regulators is messed up. I love it.

[@BoycottChinaa]

Those were both 20+ years later using the pseudonym as a gag of sorts

[@literaterose6731]

Loved those books! I read The Regulators first not realizing the connection to Desperation; I suspect the links between the books hit a little differently depending on order read (though it really doesn’t matter, of course!).

[@CeeJayThe13th]

@@BoycottChinaa more of a gimmick than a gag, I reckon but yes. I think this person just wanted to talk about The Regulators because it's awesome but rarely talked about.

[@hollieBlu303]

The Bachmann Books are all brilliant and brilliantly upsetting. This was published under Robert Bachmann alongside the Running Man, The Long Walk and Roadwork... All hard reads...all brilliant

[@hollieBlu303]

To clarify....the thing I love about these books is that nearly nothing happens...but you are GRIPPED from the first page to the last....it's a horrible experience. But I would recommend it...kinda. worth a go for some...many even

[@Therevdon]

It was Richard Bachman, but yes. They were all great stories, but very violent stories. I still have the paperback I read first, then after Stephen King took it out of print, I was able to find two copies of it in hardcover.

[@hollieBlu303]

He pulled it!? Had no idea! ...I get it though...not that I'll be getting rid of it. Wow😢

[@PJWestfield]

I remember reading The Long Walk when I was 14. My school librarian didn't hesitate in letting me check it out. It was a brilliant book and I have always wanted it to be made into a movie.

[@BohoStitcher]

@@hollieBlu303 Yep. If you own it, definitely hang on to it!!

[@wendychavez5348]

Much as i dislike censorship of any kind, Stephen King's self-imposed ban is exactly the way it should be done. He was reluctant at first, but when he saw a pattern that seemed to mirror events in his fiction, he accepted responsibility and did what he could to correct the problem. I have nothing but admiration for the man, as an author and as a human being!

[@yopestevens1505]

Been a fan of S King since fourth grade, when one of my cool, rebel teachers decided to read The Shining to us (uncensored except for one sexy bit-it was fun to watch her face work while reading that to herself, tee hee) during the last ten minutes of class. I remember I was the first one to figure out what 'redrum' meant, so proud. I was hooked & read every book he'd written to that point (this was 1978ish) and then all the other horror authors of the time. I have the Bachman book, so I will revisit Rage and The Long Walk (my favorite). Rage isn't anything more than the product of the author's imagination, written when he himself was in high school, written when school shootings weren't a thing at all, written when parents still actively raised their own children through to adulthood. Given how children are largely left to their own devices these days, it's no surprise that some would take to violence to relieve the pressure. It's a sick society, specifically American society, that induces violence, not a book!

[@ChakasCave]

I have this book. Read it when I was a teenager. I didn’t shoot up any schools.

[@ChakasCave]

Also side note Blaze is my favorite book.

[@oplawlz]

Yeah but providing sufficient resources to deal with mental illness is way more expensive than shouting at the sky about how evil guns and media are.

[@RHCole]

​@@oplawlzIt's not the ones wanting more gun control who are blocking universal healthcare, now is it?

[@angelabennett8245]

Art does not imitate life unless some idiot wants it too. I've read almost all of Stephen Kings books and was not influence into doing anything more than love his books and admire his work.

[@robbieburns3564]

You're not mentally ill though in a way that you identify deeply with a killer in one of his stories. It's easy to play Moral Minion when you don't have demons in your mind.

[@cristinesplinis5815]

Agreed. King is an incredible writer. I have read many of them, and have watched a lot of his movie adaptation. I also have never killed anyone, not would I ever even consider it. I have had trauma, and have been victim of abuse. I also deal with mental illness. Still not killing anyone.

[@juliadwiggins-jo3fo]

Really? Funny I thought stories and shows were to entertain and inspire similar to art..... In a way that makes it usually as close to reality as possible with dramatic overtones...... Again how does that possibly influence anyone ever? Grow up..... I'm not like that so no one else could be and if so they will do it anyway and deserve what they get and forget about the victim or situation that could've been handled differently in our society...... That's the principle theme of your argument. Go be a narrow minded lemming and have Disney chase you off the cliff with a cattle prod.

[@UniDocs_Mahapushpa_Cyavana]

It probably positively changed your actions by giving you different perspectives 👀.

[@wanggaard]

I have "The Bachman Books" on my bookshelf, with the story "Rage". It is falling apart. I remember liking that story (and a few others) in that collection. I was not happy to find I could not find an ebook of it that contained this story, and eventually found out why it is no longer available. I did eventually find an epub version by alternate means. To me the story was fascinating because it seemed to portray someone losing it, but the writing was very matter-of-fact.

[@dianamiller3307]

I also have a falling apart hardcover edition of the Bachman Books, with Rage. My favorite was also The Long Walk. I initially picked up the volume on a suggestion from friends who critiqued The Running Man movie for eliminating everything pertinent from the story, so I read that first. After that I couldn't put it down until I had finished the entire book.

[@chopinbloc]

I'm not saying we should ban all books. It's just time that we consider common sense speech control laws. I mean, you can't teach grammar with high capacity assault novels like Stephen King's horror books.

[@llllllll1014]

"I wrote a song about toothpaste but nobody's teeth got cleaner."

[@Shannon_Vlogs]

Feelin extra early on this one. PS: I actually own this book

[@krymera666x7]

I have it as well in the Richard Bachman collection.

[@Michaele1991]

Cool story bro

[@DemonEyes23]

so...we should keep an eye on you then. Got it.

[@Shannon_Vlogs]

@@krymera666x7 yes! Me too! My favorite is actually The Long Walk!

[@Shannon_Vlogs]

@@DemonEyes23 hahaahaha, nah, I’m harmless

[@caroljo420]

I'm an avid reader of Stephen King's novels and short stories. Many of his stories involve no paranormal activities. His books are the only books I read these days. SK is a living legend!!! He DID say that Rage was the only story he regretted.

[@krisfinley6706]

I always found 'The Stand' to be the one that terrified me the most because it's a completely realistic scenario! Took me a while to read the full unabridged copy whew😮‍💨😄

[@ApatheticXer]

@@krisfinley6706 weirdly enough, the unabridged version was the one I read before the abridged version. Both brilliant.

[@megachonk9440]

He only regrets it in the sense that he feels it has caused harm. He regrets Dreamcatcher for other reasons. He was badly addicted to painkillers after being hit by a car when he wrote it, and he has called it his least favorite work. He's probably right about that. Let's just say you won't regret getting to the end of it and moving on to something else. It's not absolute dogshit or anything, and it's still very much Stephen King, but it just lacks some of the magic his other novels have.

[@lenelie3051]

The kids knew exactly what was on the line. The all watched the walks every year. Willing participants as much as any impoverished people can be.

[@johnfinkbiner3599]

No they didn't. At the end of the walk, the "winner" is quietly removed from sight and shot. The walkers thought they were competing for a (small) chance at a better life, but they were just providing mass entertainment with no possible benefit to themselves. I assume Simon left this bit out to avoid spoilers for a book nearly fifty years old.

[@lenelie3051]

@@johnfinkbiner3599 not sure why you said I was wrong, you agreed with me. They all knew they would get killed. Not a single one of the them believed they would win, even if they did.

[@johnfinkbiner3599]

@@lenelie3051 It's been ~30 years so my memory may be hazy, but my impression was that the narrator was sure until the very end that winning was a possibility. The reader gets plenty of hints that the entire thing is a sham but (at least some of) the characters believe, I think.

[@alisonk5807]

​@johnfinkbiner3599 that's never started in the book, the ending is left to interpretation. I think he lives, but just loses his mind.

[@SupremeGreatGrandmaster]

@@johnfinkbiner3599 That's not what the book says at all. It makes no sense. How could they keep the murder of the winner a secret? Wouldn't they want last year's winner to promote this year's Long Walk? The winners all have family, friends, and schoolmates. Does the government kill every person who knew each winner? That would require a massacre of thousands of people annually.

[@razorwire3056]

My wife started collecting Stephen King two years ago after reading my copy of 11/22/63. We have Rage, and both of us have read it. I just finished watching this video and then I played it for her. Neither of us thought the book could lead anyone to commit the crimes talked about by Simon. I would like to know if there are any statistics about females who read the book. I know women rarely commit mass murder, but if the book was that bad, I would think some female readers would have snapped somewhere.

[@PhantomMagician1846]

Guns, Books, Music, don't kill people ...... people kill people. The root of the problem is the lack of care for mental health issues we have in America. High schools need to have classes on the subject. The stigma of seeking help for mental health has to go. America needs to do better with this

[@drpretzel2086]

My father had a copy of Rage I now own it. Out of all the books in my collection it’s the only one with dark history to it

[@13fyrefli]

In the Bachman Books or stand-alone? Lucky duck.

[@u-neekusername4430]

I 2nd @HadenBlake 's suggestion & add put it in a safety deposit box or wall safe. Might sound crazy but so are people for money. I know the point of having a book collection is to have access to those books in your own home, but you have something that I assume is more precious to you than any dollar value & insurance $ could never compensate for. ....sorry to be a bit intense but personal experience can do that. Hate to see it happen to someone else is all.❤‍🩹

[@13fyrefli]

If I had that book, I'd secure it away. Like Smaug and his gold. @@u-neekusername4430

[@John-u1j7r]

This is the equivalent of Metallica being taken to court because someone killed themselves while listening to Fade to Black...its ridiculous to blame an artist for the actions of a person with mental health issues especially now with the saturation of violent fiction thanks to the internet...if I kill someone while listening to Mozart, does it mean we should cancel Mozart?!

[@paulannable3734]

No it isn’t. No one went to court. King self-censored. It’s his work, his right. Your Mozart analogy is just dumb. Did you actually watch the video? And if you did, do you actually possess any comprehension skills?

[@michaelfrench3396]

I loved this book! I actually read it in 11th grade back in 1996. It used to be part of the bachman books. And as an outcast in high school who fought on the regular, I could commiserate with his character and it made me realize that there were probably other people out there going through the exact same bullshit as me. And they probably wanted to talk to somebody about it as much as I did. Did so I saw those people out and we became friends. I didn't see it as a detriment. I think the book was actually kind of positive. And yes he shoots his teacher. But then he has a therapy session with the entire class. And he calls everybody on their bullshit

[@999theeagle]

"We are not going to take it." Is the best rendition of this song so far!

[@edscmidt5193]

I have rage in a Bachman collection with 3 other books, the running man was one. When I read rage I instantly realized the book had nothing to do with school shootings

[@gavinbrown7336]

I enjoyed Rage when I read it years ago and still have a digital copy, I've never thought of doing things myself but I can understand how it would be like pouring gas on a fire for someone who is already on that path. The Long Walk is probably one of my favorite books ever, I'm surprised no one has ever tried to make a film adaptation of it.

[@yopestevens1505]

Enjoyed The Long Walk also. Thinking how it might come across on film, well hmm, don't think society has been ready to accept it. Now with Squid Game (is that right name?) and the Hunger Games movies, maybe a few others, it seems we're ready. Touchy though, considering the graphic violence exacted out on those kids.......maybe not.

[@bill0804]

I read this book when I was a teenager….. I never wanted to shoot up a school. It’s a mental health issue

[@RHCole]

I read this book in middle school and am mentally ill and I never wanted to shoot up my school. Stop scapegoating us for Human behaviour 👍🏻

[@poppyrider5541]

@@RHCole There are different types of mental illness. You saying someone that walks into a school and starts shooting kids is mentally stable?

[@bill0804]

Definitely not an attack on your condition I just wish these lost souls that did these terrible things could get the help they need

[@RHCole]

​​@@poppyrider5541 Not every killer is mentally ill. In fact, most aren't. You may not like to believe this but there are many reasons for Humans to kill fellow Humans aside from mental illness 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@BatBreakr]

Every human turned murderer has bones. It's likely, since every human that has killed anything had them, that THEY ARE TO BLAME.

[@ForgottenRebel77]

banning assault weapons would do nothing since most shootings arent even committed with assault weapons.

[@InquisMalleus]

"Roadwork" sounds a lot like the movie "Falling Down". In the movie, a defense contractor employee is fired, after he was already in the middle of a divorce and losing custody of his daughter, and then goes on a rampage against a variety of targets because he's lost everything.

[@The_Gnome_Chomskee]

It’s too bad he had it removed. It’s a good book, somewhat important, too. Definitely more important than Thinner or other Bachman books

[@NinjaRunningWild]

You can easily find it as an ebook if you're really interested.

[@mouse7669]

​@@NinjaRunningWildthe bachman book has it removed in ebooks

[@BoycottChinaa]

Beware the gypsy

[@guyanomaly]

This is a tough one. If I were King, I would have also withdrawn the book. I’m a writer and I really, really object to censorship of taboo themes and content, including self-censorship, in literature. But I would have done the same thing in King’s shoes. I don’t know, man. School shooting media is a strange beast.

[@Benson_aka_devils_advocate_88]

Stephen King's books also have a paranormal component that can sway the gullible criminals. Especially one's where the antagonist has some sort of supernatural powers. Dean Koontz's books also fall within this genre.

[@rascta]

Some. Not that one. I read it as a teen and it was as normal as you can get. Nothing paranormal or supernatural about it. Some of his others that are closest to that (minimal or no supernatural stuff) are also his best works. They illustrate the terrifying beast of humanity itself.

[@UniDocs_Mahapushpa_Cyavana]

I think it is just because writers ✍ and generically everyone is much worse at writing about the supernatural 👻. I think adding the supernatural to a book and having it being realistic with models, inferences, and connecting to the nature of humans and the world 🌍 can show humanity's character better than most. Minor Premise (2020) is a good example of what could be done with it, even if it uses science 🧪, as the justification. Though really, science 🧪 should be in every supernatural 👻 creative work. Science is a process to understand the world around you, and any limitation of it to the natural world is arbitrary and only exists because of paradigms made up by religion. Science 🧪 is a core tool in understanding. It is not just a product of mindless association. @@rascta

[@RunnerBoy55]

The title animation is so cool. I don't know how I've never noticed it before if it isn't new.

[@remforrest]

The Long Walk was one of the first books I read by Steven King/Richard Bachman back as a freshman in high school and I still as a 37 year old father love that novel and King's works. I hope those with mental health issues and their family know the signs to seek real help. After serving 8 years in the military I have seen alot but I still talk to therapist after 10 years.

[@blaznskais2048]

It’s his intellectual property and therefore I agree he has the right to demand it be pulled from print. However, I strongly disagree with the notion that violent media makes people violent. I do agree that parents need to stand up and take responsibility when it comes to assuring their children are only consuming age appropriate media and make sure they’re touching grass. But if violent media made people violent pretty sure we’d have much more knife wielding maniacs running around considering the multi generational fame of movie franchises like Halloween. I’ve personally have easily logged over a thousand hours AC, RD2 on top of the graphic videos I sit through as part of my military training. But you don’t find me trying to replicate that violence on the populous. I’ve grown up around guns my whole life. I enjoy going to range as often as I can. But it had never once accrued to me to use a firearm to actively hurt someone. Personally I think if we stopped painting guns as the problem instead of the people behind them and started educating people and children especially that guns are tools to be respected and used only in hunting and defense then we’d have much less gun violence.

[@williamvoorhees3888]

Every nutcase is going to blame something or someone else for their actions. It's not a book problem, it's a wack-job problem.

[@robbieburns3564]

None of these shooters blamed Rage. They just had it in their close possession.

[@mandibailey9104]

Calling people nutcases just reinforces their beliefs. How many parents have you seen admit their faults as parents? How many teachers, counselors, physicians, classmates, etc sees a young person in crisis and turn a blind eye? There are people who are born broken. Typically, that isn't the case. These problems aren't all on the perpetrators shoulders. Everyone that passed them down the line has a burden to bear. If the adults who were responsible for a child who grew into a person that committed these heinous acts were held accountable people would try harder. Media isn't to blame. It never has been. People are more likely to find solace in books, music, art, video games, etc when there isn't anything or anyone they connect with. Most people who consume media don't go on to hurt others. Some do. As an adult should you blame your parents for being shite? Absolutely not. An adult has the choice to ask for help. The human brain doesn't completely form until age 25. Yet, as a society we blame only the perpetrators. No one else takes accountability. When a young person has been failed it is the fault of everyone who could have and should have intervened.

[@andrewfischer8564]

im my hs school in nyc we had shootings and robberies all the time. just went to the next class like it was nothing.

[@EvilGav]

I take it you understand how horrifying that is to everyone that didn't grow up in the US?

[@andrewfischer8564]

@@EvilGav it was horrifying to live through it. its been a long time since america was a good palce to live. we have been on a downward spiral since we let the steel mills close and the japanees then chineese build our electronics

[@EvilGav]

@@andrewfischer8564I asked because they way you worded that could be taken either way, that it was just "meh, it happens" or "this is fucked up, gotta keep my head down" .

[@andrewfischer8564]

@@EvilGav both

[@andrewfischer8564]

@@EvilGav somehow i have a good life but i was very very lucky. the people around me and behind me i feel sorry for. and automation is underway. in 10 years no cab drivers truck drivers delivery men brick layers how will people make a living. soilent greeb / bell riots are coming

[@ronaldmccomb8301]

I read Rage when I was bullied in high school in the 80’s. I had easy access to guns but I couldn’t fathom going that far.

[@craigfurlong7981]

Dear constant reader....... my favorite lines of my youth......

[@eetadakimasu]

SK is seriously disturbed, but at least he's sane enough to act out his angst in writing and not in the real world.

[@proto-geek248]

The King story I find the most disturbing is Storm of the Century.

[@jonathanseibert8832]

Simon, PLEASE use brain blaze to keep all your true fans in the loop on where you're going to be! A lot of us saw the top tenz apology video from the channel owner earlier. We didn't watch for the channel itself, mainly just for the host. Hate that that all happened, but really, keep us posted!

[@SnickC13]

I can get behind this.

[@hacker4chn841]

Indeed. Blaze was the channel for true Simon Whistler fans. It was fun and quirky.

[@triciac.5078]

What happened? I’ve been traveling for work and on vacation.

[@LumiSisuSusi]

What have I missed? I've been really busy the last few weeks with moving houses so I've not watched Simon as much as I normally would

[@r1ddl324]

Top tenz Geographics Biographics Those three channels he is no longer a part of. They are owned by someone else and they have parted ways. They posted about it today(on Top Tenz), where the channel owner blames herself for what is going on

[@goatsandroses4258]

It's not the guns, although the guns perhaps help. It's the kids who feel alienated, dead inside, tormented, mocked, bullied, and even tortured at school, and that usually have no loving home. It's the kids who are different: maybe a little autistic, a little smarter, a little slower, those who're already emotionally damaged from abuse or trauma. It's anything makes them an easy target for the living hell that school can be, and the kid develops an empty place where their soul should be. Yet our society won't take seriously how horrific school can really be for these kids. Even school counselors don't seem to pick up on the signs of either rage or depression that something is deeply, desperately, dangerously broken. Then everyone is confused when the kid one day explodes like a nuclear bomb or simply decides to check out of life completely...or both.

[@RHCole]

So they have too easy access to guns... got it. Edit: Especially since every nation has morose teens.

[@Vikingocazar]

The Bachman books were incredible. I hadn’t read anything like them, ever.

[@TriggerTalk7]

The new intro is 🔥

[@charleschristner7123]

I liked all the Bachman books, have the first four as a collection on hardcover. Thinner was probably the best, however. Also, I have to laugh at King taking rage out of circulation, if he was serious he should have taken the stand out of circulation instead of something that hasn't sold in decades. It's content is certainly far more violent and darker than anything in the Bachman books.

[@ianjohnson7646]

Imitation of the Stand really isn't the same kind of problem

[@charleschristner7123]

@@ianjohnson7646 Virtue signaling is the only problem I see

[@louyork8379]

Isn’t blaming guns also a scapegoat to explain a violent person’s actions? It’s no different than blaming rock music or video games.

[@robertjames7921]

This is the simple thing Americans can’t get their head around. It’s not the guns fault but the ease at which they are obtainable.

[@louyork8379]

@@robertjames7921 lol, they aren’t as easy to obtain as you have been told. They are prohibitively expensive and regardless of laws, they still gonna be out there. Meth is illegal and not sold in stores but it’s cheap and easy as hell to find. It’s not the product, it’s not the availability it’s the intent. I could kill everyone with a $5 hammer but I don’t because I’m not murderous. But if I did kill a bunch of people with a hammer, nobody gonna be talking about how hammers are to easy to get. Scapegoat.

[@proto-geek248]

I've read it. Own U.S. & British versions. Not as bad as it's made out to be. Seems to me it falls into the same category as the Judas Priest trials & video games inspired violence. You can't blame media for a psychopath's actions. They're going to find a reason to lash out no matter how many books, games, movies etc. you ban. Too me, The Running Man is the best of the 4, & Thinner is the best originally published under the Bachman pseudonym.

[@Henchman1977]

I read the Catcher in the Rye when I was in highschool... LOVED IT! Had a great effect on me... Tried to read it again recently as a 40 something year old... Unreadable. Clearly written for a kid.

[@ohbichonplease2600]

The Long Walk is one of all-time favorite books. I don't understand why it hasn't been adapted for film or television .

[@karlajaeger2082]

Possibly because it's so damn bleak. The Road was a good movie storywise but a very sobering and unpleasant watch.

[@ohbichonplease2600]

@karlajaeger2082 I just figured with all the Hunger Games and Squid Game live, there'd be room for it 🤷‍♀️

[@yopestevens1505]

@@ohbichonplease2600 I was thinking that exactly, but remember this is about a bunch of 12- year-old boys, not adults. And there's really no happy ending. Everyone loves a happy ending...

[@apexqc04]

I read rage once. Probably one of his best works. I also read Guns and why he pulled it. Sad it had to go. I do my own writing now and wonder whether one day I'll have to make the same decisions, but also aware that some things written will inspire ordinary people to do good and great things.

[@sasmozza7019]

"if teachers read rage today they would need therapy." just goes to show how weak minded and how sad people and society have gone these days.

[@vo1non]

I’m sure Rage was inspired by real life events. So what actually came first? Obviously the criminal activity. The book just spread the word wider.

[@victorvale1015]

It also sort of promotes the narrative of them being victims of bullying, which is used by them to justify the crimes. In reality it’s more often the other way around

[@DEADisBEAUTIFUL]

I remember the media and anyone and everyone else coming unglued over Mortal Kombat… My grandmother saw the game being played at a nearby Toys-R-Us and had an absolute hissy fit when my cousin tried to go over and play the game. My cousin told me that she witnessed Sub-Zero’s fatality as I recall. My parents bought my younger brother and I a Sega Genesis console and a copy of MK2 for Christmas not long after. The best part? My brother and I hearing our parents and aunt and uncle playing the game on Christmas Eve at around 2 AM just to see what it all looked like before putting the console back in its box and wrapping it all up for us to tear into the following morning. Our parents were more pissed off that they couldn’t figure out how to use the controller than they were about seeing a spine being ripped out in a gush of highly animated blood. One of the only times my parents actually were cool and not lame asses when I was a kid. Edit: Spelling because I’m a fool.

[@ge2719]

10:30 you should probably include the context to that statement. That the shooting is very likely to be gang crime, gang members shooting gang members. Not a school shooting. Even if it may be gang member shooting each other at or near school.

[@omgbuffy2276]

What makes those different? A mass shooting is a mass shooting. By your definition, the only shooting that would count is ones by kids in suburban schools. There's a problem with guns everywhere in America.

[@gladitsnotme]

No difference. Gang members are humans too dummy.

[@kingofhearts3185]

People tend to conflate those a lot, a mix of ignorance and narrative. I don't know about you, but it completely invalidates their opinions for me.

[@usonumabeach300]

This is also a large part of the new narrative that gun control activists are now peddling. They say "guns are the leading cause of death for children in the US", but they don't extrapolate that their definition of children now includes anyone under the age of 21, and that this reclassification has changed the parameters for their argument because of 18, 19, and 20 year olds dying in gang violence.

[@williamallen2413]

I think that King is such a good storyteller that he was able to put you into the mind of Decker and make you understand why he did what he did. That provided a justification for the actions of those disturbed individuals who read the book and chose to act them out. While I would defend against any attempt to censer his writing by an outside authority, I do believe that it was the right decision for him to pull the book from publication on his own.

[@ZATennisFan]

I’ve always respected King as an author even though his stuff is not my cup of tea. After this video I respect him even more as a human being and a man of conscience.

[@jollyjohnthepirate3168]

Had the Bachmann books compilation. Gave it to a friend who loved King.

[@flowertrue]

I was badly bullied in middle school but by high school it was mostly over. When I was a junior, I was in Spanish class when suddenly there was a loud boom and the school shook. We were all told to remain where we were as bomb sniffing dogs went over the school. A kind of nerdy boy decided to take revenge on his bully by putting a pipe bomb in his locker, rigged to explode when he opened it. The thing about pipe bombs is that they're hard to regulate how big an explosion they make. I felt ambivalence about it. I never had wished for serious harm to my bullies, but I got it. As they drove me to near suicide, I wanted retribution. Now that I'm older, I'm very much inclined to blame the parents. Teach your children love and kindness. Teach them that bullying is never acceptable.

[@DJWESG1]

Sometimes the kids just end up the opposite of the parents. I think its bound up in risk and security.

[@homersimpsonsfatguyhat9541]

Nothing but respect for Stephen King

[@jeast417]

King see himself smarter and more important than he truly is and his opinions on politics are meaningless

[@slimmccoy8863]

Most people's opinions, on politics (or any other topic) are meaningless. That's why they are opinions, and not facts.

[@williammatthews693]

I would never place blame on King for any of this. He didn't commit the crimes. I do think it says something about his moral fiber, that he eventually had his book taken out of print from an abundance of caution. He is truly a stand-up guy. Can't say the same for groups like the NRA.

[@avabethmcghee3048]

Loaned that book to a co-worker. 20 years later, I have yet to get it back. It's probably earned several hundred dollars while being passed from one person to another, because it's out of print and in demand.... I just want my damn book back.

[@eladious]

I've read Rage, I've played Doom, I've listened to Marilyn Manson and I've never managed to hurt anyone

[@DoctorX101]

Yet. 😝

[@Roughneck7712]

If you ever doubted SK’s god complex, here’s your proof