Crossing the Threshold: School Shooting as a “Ritual of Chiral Initiation”

Abstract

The article delves into the phenomenon of school shootings, interpreting these as metaphorical representations of profound dysfunctions in cultural communication. The shootings are examined through the lens of the concept “Ritual of Chiral Initiation” introduced by the author. This concept portrays school shootings as inverted rituals in which traditional structures and values become reversed or distorted. The study leans on the post-structuralist tradition of deconstruction to find out why modern societies give rise to delinquent behaviors (like school shootings) and to comprehend their symbolic implications. The goal of the research is to analyze school shootings as metaphoric representation of significant dysfunctions in cultural communication and to grasp their symbolic relevance in today’s society. School shootings are often the radical attempts of adolescents trying to find their footing in a society while facing the identity crisis. The results suggest that such aberrant behaviors stem from inverted rituals and upturned values. School shootings signify the identity crisis in today’s society and can be considered as inverted rites of initiation. This article is meant for researchers interested in cultural communication challenges and societal delinquent behaviors.

Keywords

• delinquent behaviors
• school shooting
• mass killings
• school
• ritual
• ritualization
• initiation
• separation
• sequestration
• liminality
• return