AP PHOTO VIA MORUNG EXPRESS Thoughts and prayers. These are the words surrounding the Las Vegas area after the tragedy that occurred on October 1, 2017 at the Route 91 Festival: the deadliest shooting in modern American History. Those words hit everyone around the world. For Las Vegas residents, those words hit home. These events always seem like pictures and video on a distant screen until it becomes your hometown. For locals, this was an attack on not only their country but

2016 has been a monumental year in terms of spectacles and horrors. Scientists have landed a satellite on an orbiting comet, perceptions have shifted over women’s rights, and public ride sharing services like Uber have become household terms. At the same time, recent media has brought several atrocities to light, involving racial violence and shootings. What is it in the basis of human nature that can lead to both glorious and horrific situations in tandem? The role of author