ARE we becoming too remote from reality?

[TalnSG]

I don't seriously think the majority of kids have a problem with video games or the violence in the media. At least they are not seeing the sort of things we saw in the 70s that was almost live broadcasts of real massacres. Thankfully, most of the violence is fictionalized, not "action" shots from the front lines.

Even so, while excessive exposure to violence (even fictional) has risks, I think those who are placing most of the blame for violent behavior on the media are simply choosing a more comfortable scapegoat instead of admitting their complicity.

When the latter part of my generation decided to stop showing respect for anyone but themselves, some of them perpetuated it in their offspring. Impatience and outbursts from a toddler is expected, but you are also expected to grow out of it. It just seems those negative traits have increased on a parallel to that increase in reasoning speed and dexterity.

[janet986w]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

elsewhere there is a discussion about the way some of us received the news of the attack o 9/11.

this makes me wonder about the affect of us all being so exposed to wars and earthquakes, floods etc etc.

WHen the war in IRAQ started our televisions showed us close up pictures of what was happening.

I believe we become innoculated about so many tragedies that are shown on TV and in many ways somehow separate ourselves from the tragedy. we become immune.

Years ago there was a programme showing how Japanese youth who watched or played violent games on PLAY station etc were becoming aggressive and actually reenacting the parts of aggressors.

I do believe that watching or playing many of the violent games definitely affects those who indulge.

How do they separate fantasy from reality.

Violence begets Violence.


there was a recent experiment shown on tv where young children in school were shown certain types of videos or games, one type pretty innocuous, the other more violent.

The test was to see how those children would react in certain situations.

Simply, when the individual child was interviewed, the "teacher" accidentally on purpose would allow a book to slip to the floor. would the child pick up the book and return it to the teacher?


THe general outcome was that the child who had watched a non violent film or played non violent games-- would bend down to return the book, but most of the others ignored the book and carried on. In other words-- they did not care about the fallen book or think they should have picked it up.

I believe in certain circusmstance we do become isolated and removed and too easily lose our sense of what is right or what is wrong and the feeling of helpfulness disregarded.

THis may sound like an odd experiment-- but we all can become anaesthetised against reality-- so unlikely to intervene if really we should go and help somebody in trouble.

Subconscious is very powerful and the MEDIA uses it to an enormous extent.

Thanks you for the post.