Slight changes to a balanced system can a dramatic effect.  The shooting at Virginia Tech is on all of our minds.  People want answers to understand why this tragedy happened.  While the world will most likely never know the true reasons Cho Seung-Hui lost control and killed over 30 innocent people, we can expect speculations.   Cho’s personality and behavior worried his classmates and his teachers.  He was a dark, violence-obsessed, loner, whose writing hinted at the terrifying world inside his mind.  His teachers recommended that he see a psychologist, but he never did.  I recommend reading The New York Times article “Experts Shy Away From Instant Diagnoses of Gunman’s Mental Illness, but Hints Abound,” which can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/us/20psych.html?ref=us.  Professionals are interested to find out what made Cho lose control.  While many of his behaviors were suspicious and can now be pointed out as warning signs, his behaviors were “not all that uncommon,” according to Dr. Hare. 

This situation reminds me of the example we discussed in class about “symmetry breaking” where a ball is balanced on the top of a hill.  The slightest fluctuation could have a dramatic effect, sending the ball to the bottom of the hill on any side.  Like the ball at the top of the hill, it seems that Cho was balanced precariously in his life.  Though his teachers were worried about his safety and the violent nature of his writing, no one would have predicted his actions.  That is because something happened, possibly the slightest fluctuation, and he lost balance. 

It is possible that if more had been know about Cho’s issues, this tragedy could have been prevented; however, I am not sure whether it is important or not to know what change sparked his actions.  My main concern is that mental health awareness should be brought to the forefront.  Each person is like the ball at the top of the hill, able to go in any direction.  With the help of professionals, everyone has the chance to live a happier life.  I hope we can learn better ways to reach out to people like Cho.  One thing we should all try to do is deemphasize the stigma of going to a “shrink.”  There are thousands of people, in college and otherwise, struggling to make it through each day, and getting help can prevent their lives from tipping in the wrong direction.