Friday's tragic event in the US state Connecticut, which left 26 people dead in which 20 have been reported to be children of 6-8 years, was not the first of its kind. The gunman, who also shot himself after the rampage, has been reported to be only 20 years old and having some emotional problems with his family.

This was a new example of a number of sad incidents when a US citizen, having some emotional problems with the family or the society, took his revenge from the society. It must be remembered that, in majority of such incidents, teenagers were involved who were unhappy of their house, family or other members of society.

In societies where material development is given preference to other values, such incidents happen time and again to remind us of a danger that lies hidden under this race for the development and material gain. Usually, parents and other members of family remain so much busy in their careers and jobs that they don't find time to give sufficient attention to their children and other members of family.

Children try their best to draw the attention and affection of parents but when they fail in their repeated efforts, they resort to a negative and destructive way to draw the attention of others. There were many serial killers in the developed and modern countries who became serial killers when they were not given enough time and attention from the people around them.

This phenomenon is not related to any specific country or society. In societies, where people give too much attention for the material gain and start ignoring each other, grounds for such incidents are established and with the passage of time, any such possibility becomes inevitable.

In our present Afghan society, especially in the educated and elite residing in Kabul, we see increasing attachment of people with their jobs and businesses, sparing very less time to their children and other family members. The result of it can be seen in the form of weak family relations when elder members mostly remain silent while children are made busy with computer, mobile phone and other electronic gadgets.

The increasing time and attachment of our youth with such electronic devices for passing their time shows an alarming situation that we are ignoring them and when found no sufficient attention from us, they are diverting their attention towards these things. Development is not a bad thing, rather it is the sweet fruit of civilization but it never grants us to ignore our emotional and cultural values.