EDITORIAL - Has life become so cheap?

Crimes like murder and homicide or attempts thereof are sad facts of life. Usually such crimes are born out of deep grudges or other substantial reasons. But recently there have been a rash of killings or attempts for reasons that really don’t make sense.

In Quezon City last Tuesday, two men shot dead two others, including a barangay tanod, after they were called out for singing videoke late into the night.

In Pasig City, a man was killed by his own friends and his body dumped in a septic tank allegedly over a love triangle. The suspect was allegedly dating the victim’s ex-girlfriend.

In Lumban, Laguna, a Philippine Basketball Association player reportedly shot at another basketball player with whom he had an argument during a game. Luckily, the intended victim was not hit, while the suspect and his accomplice were arrested.

Being called out for singing, jealousy, an altercation during a game. Has honor become so fragile nowadays that it is easily shattered and people become offended quite easily? Or maybe the better question to ask would be has life become so cheap nowadays that people think nothing of killing or trying to kill others over nothing at all?

And the sad answer to this might be yes. Sadly, this is the age where even looking at someone the wrong way at the wrong time in the wrong place can get someone killed.

Like road rage incidents, more people seem to become more given to their base behavior and to not think of the consequences of their actions.

For those of us who are suddenly thrust into situations where we think violent confrontation seems to be the quickest solution, the fact that more and more people are now thinking the same should give us pause. That and the fact that these days everyone has something in their pocket that just doesn’t record what others say and do but to also upload it to the internet in a matter of seconds.