The Killing at the Batman Premiere

We already know the painful story. At the opening of the new Batman film in Colorado, a guy killed more than 10 people at gunpoint and wounded many more.

It was a shameful event which distressed worldwide public opinion including, of course, that of Mexico.

It was an event which ended many lives, as unfortunately happens frequently in our country, with circumstances which were of course distinct, but had the same consequences. In this way, it calls more attention to what happens in our country every week.

“The Batman Killer” obtained what he possibly was seeking: a certain fame, attention, rising from anonymity “to be somebody” — something which is sadly common.

I have no doubt that these types of stories would occur with much less frequency if the name of the person responsible was not released, if the killer remained anonymous. But it is perhaps impossible in an informative sense to avoid releasing the name of the perpetrator, which is a controversy that has already been argued unsuccessfully many times.

There is no way whatsoever to justify this guy’s actions. But it is worthwhile to reflect on what the desire “to be someone” represents; whatever it may be in life.

In contemporary Western societies, we have created a painful idea that the value of a person is rooted in his power, what he has, in how others see him, in whether he is known or not. It seems that someone who has an ordered, productive but discreet life is unimportant, is nobody.

A person has to appear on television, in magazines, on the radio, in newspapers… popular people receive preferential treatment everywhere, a reflection of this same materialism. Being passed by completely unnoticed hurts a great deal.

Success is measured in “applause” and “the spotlight.” We do not find worth where it ought to be — in affection, the love we gain through our dearest ones. It also seems that spiritual tranquility is not valued.

We are bombarded by messages everywhere which tell us how to be happy, how to be successful, how to ask the universe to give us what we want. The majority of these messages have to do with professional achievement, or obtaining material goods.

It is not enough for us to have a loving family, a group of sensational friends, a clear conscience, a peaceful faith; we need something more that is involved with success in the eyes of everyone else.

In reality, what is worthwhile — what will we have left in our final days?