A recent study underscores the growing anxiety young adults experience due to mass violence. Researchers have recently started referring to children who’ve grown up in an era marked by the fear of the mass shooting, “massacre generation.” This generation is subject to grave threats against their physical safety. Acute shocks such as Columbine and 9/11 have deeply colored their fears of one day becoming victims of such violent acts.
FSU’s Jillian Turanovic, an associate professor of sociology, recently uncovered a scary truth. She points out that for the massacre generation, the omnipresent fear of mass violence is completely worth it. This concern is justified, but unfortunately so is this anxiety. It’s a product of growing up in an environment where mass shootings are the subject of daily headlines and lockdown drills have integrated into the fabric of our education.
The study reached almost 1,700 emerging adults from a racially representative national sample and it shows that 44% of respondents said they were very afraid of mass shootings, with another 17% saying they were extremely afraid. Alarmingly, almost one in five (17%) Americans surveyed are afraid that they themselves or family members will be targeted. This fear of future events is a significant concern on their mind.
The Context of Fear Among Young Adults
In fact, mass shootings account for just 1% of all gun deaths annually. The cultural role they play informing public discourse and shaping eventual firearm policy decisions is immense. The study’s findings shine a light on a shocking chasm. It is no wonder then that rare events wreak such havoc on the psychology of America’s youth.
Turanovic emphasized the importance of understanding this demographic’s perspective, stating, “Young adults today represent the most powerful potential voting bloc in the future of American policy making, so it is very important to understand how they feel about policy issues.” The fear that soaks this generation through doesn’t necessarily come out the same way when it comes to support for gun control legislation.
“This is a generation of people who live with significant fear and anxiety over mass violence.” – Jillian Turanovic
This uniformity suggests that concern for the potential of mass violence is driving feelings on gun control at the same time through political and demographic divides. Beyond the expected, the study presented an interesting surprise. Second, among young republicans and conservatives a heightened fear of mass violence typically makes someone more opposed to firearm restrictions.
Polarized Views on Gun Control
The results show a stark polarization on the issue of gun control among emerging adults. Turanovic underscored that millions of Americans agree with her that mass shootings are a severe threat to community safety. Yet, it tends to not coalesce into one clear position on guns. Instead, they exacerbate divisions.
“But we found that those shared fears do not unite them in attitudes on gun policy. In fact, they polarize them.” – Jillian Turanovic
Our analysis reveals that many young adults deeply desire more rigorous gun control as a result of their apprehensions. At the same time, outliers attempt to roll back these protections, illustrating the deeper ideological chasms in American society. This polarization is at its most acute during times when fear of mass shootings are high.
In the charged political climate that surrounds high-profile mass shootings, spirited discussions oftentimes ensue. Turanovic noted the predictable narrative cycle, where both gun rights advocates and gun control supporters make opposing claims each time.
“In the wake of nearly every high-profile mass shooting incident, there is a predictable flurry of opposing discourse by gun control and gun rights activists.” – Jillian Turanovic
Implications for Policymakers
This study provides the clearest picture we have gained so far about what young people are most afraid of. Equally important, it calls on policymakers to act now. Turanovic hopes the data will signal the need to push more mental health resources to this new generation of slaughtered innocents. With anxieties over safety still fueling the culture war that divides Americans, providing solutions for these worries has the power to unify.
“This shows that emerging adults today are very divided in their gun control sentiment, and those divisions are most pronounced when fear of mass shootings runs high.” – Jillian Turanovic
Turanovic cautions that generational change won’t automatically heal America’s deep division on guns. The funding and disinformation of the continuing debate over gun control further complicates this multifaceted problem. Young Americans have nuanced and conflicted views on gun ownership. To do that, we need to have nuanced conversations about and with them that acknowledge their legitimate fears and their many complex perspectives.
“Generational change alone will not resolve America’s gun policy debates.” – Jillian Turanovic