Is our generation desensitized to violence?

firstquartermoon

chopitdown wrote:

i don't think we should excuse our problems because of tv or violent videogames...but I think they do play a role in desensitizing us as individuals. I think a lot of people have enough sense that "real" tragedy still bothers us, but who knows if it bothers it as much as it would if we weren't exposed to it on a daily basis. I don't think violence witnessed on tv necessarily propels us to commit violence but I think it def makes us a little more "used" to violence. If we didn't get desensitized to violence every nightly news broadcast there would be an outrage. That's what desensitization is...it now takes real violence to make us uncomfortable rather than just fictitious violence.

But history is filled with great violence that people weren't outraged over. My point is still that it's not TV that's desensitizing us, but showing us how many of us don't really care.

writersu

firstquartermoon wrote:

Now, is this because of TV, or because of YOU?
That's the real question, and I think it probably has more to do with you.

Now, myself, I enjoy violent videogames, but real violence bothers me a great deal. Shit, even seeing roadkill twists my stomach a little. Fake violence doesn't usually bother me (granted I don't like slasher movies or "torture porn").
I have a hard time blaming TV, Marilyn Manson, etc. for my problems or anyone else's.

no, sorry for the image I guess I put out there......

I didn't blame tv or anything; you are right, it is us not the stuff out there.
it bothered me that I had to remind myself not blaming anyone at all for that.

chopitdown

firstquartermoon wrote:

But history is filled with great violence that people weren't outraged over. My point is still that it's not TV that's desensitizing us, but showing us how many of us don't really care.

and I'd say that now we have such access to it and it's available on demand on the internet that people dont' care b/c we've seen it so much. Think of it like beer. If you don't drink and you then you have one or 2 it causes changes in your personality...if you drink 3-5 every day you aren't as affected by the chemical changes that occur; it takes more to have an impact. That's desensitization: you get used to it and it doesn't effect you as much which can come of as not caring. Why do you think they use desensitization to help overcome phobias? You get used to your fears and know how to handle them so the response isn't as great. So if you're initially bothered by violence but you see it every day, multiple times a day you can become used to it;sure at times things will really shock you (9-11, war videos) but it takes greater things to get a response.

firstquartermoon

writersu wrote:

no, sorry for the image I guess I put out there......

I didn't blame tv or anything; you are right, it is us not the stuff out there.
it bothered me that I had to remind myself not blaming anyone at all for that.

Sorry, I was thinking along a different line of thought, what with the other posters here and all.

And no, as I have said before, I don't think it's TV, but people who don't care. Yes, some people might become desensitized, but there are more people who NEVER CARED TO BEGIN WITH. And it is those people that are being brought to our attention.

writersu

firstquartermoon wrote:

Sorry, I was thinking along a different line of thought, what with the other posters here and all.

And no, as I have said before, I don't think it's TV, but people who don't care. Yes, some people might become desensitized, but there are more people who NEVER CARED TO BEGIN WITH. And it is those people that are being brought to our attention.

thanks. I think we have to begin always with our own minds as to what we are thinking; a lot of people cop out of their own ideas, thoughts, phobias, kids whatever, as blame elsewhere when it is only us who ultimately choose what we choose.........you know?

like the guy who goes to the dr and the he says to the dr "it hurts when I do that" and the dr says, "so, don't do that."

sponger

You guys can take this experience I'm about to describe with a grain of salt. In fact, I wouldn't blame you if you simply discarded it as absolute hogwash, but I'm going to tell it anyway however lacking in profoundness it might be.

Back in college, I was taking a communications class and of course we were required to give presentations and what not.

So, there I was up there going through my slides and I start noticing that this guy in the front row is looking at me like he wants to kill me.

Yes I do know what it's like to have someone want to kill me or at least cause to me serious bodily harm on numerous occasions.

So that's how this guy was looking at me. He had this crazy charlie manson stare and it kept getting my attention because it was the most bizarre thing I had ever witnessed in all my classroom presentations for my undergraduate business degree.

After class, I get to talking to the guy and he seemed like a totally easy-going guy to talk to. It was conversation as usual and that stare was gone.

During this conversation, I found out that he plays first person shooters religiously and he mentioned something about taking a trip to some national competition for one of the games that he plays.

Could it possible that this guy spends so much time in a state of virtual "kill mode" that it affects him even when he's not playing the game?

OutOfBreath

That look could just be his "concentration stare" you know. And maybe it looks a bit like that out of habit from FPS. But I guess I'd be a bit uncomfortable with someone staring at me like that as well.

Peace
Dan

sponger

OutOfBreath wrote:

That look could just be his "concentration stare" you know. And maybe it looks a bit like that out of habit from FPS. But I guess I'd be a bit uncomfortable with someone staring at me like that as well.

Peace
Dan

If that's a concentration stare, then I guess no one has ever concentrated on anything I've said in person.

OutOfBreath

sponger wrote:

If that's a concentration stare, then I guess no one has ever concentrated on anything I've said in person.

As I said, it may be HIS stare. Some people I know of have that uncanny unwavering stare sometimes. Doesn't necessarily mean he's in "kill mode".

Peace
Dan

writersu

sponger wrote:

You guys can take this experience I'm about to describe with a grain of salt. In fact, I wouldn't blame you if you simply discarded it as absolute hogwash, but I'm going to tell it anyway however lacking in profoundness it might be.

Back in college, I was taking a communications class and of course we were required to give presentations and what not.

So, there I was up there going through my slides and I start noticing that this guy in the front row is looking at me like he wants to kill me.

Yes I do know what it's like to have someone want to kill me or at least cause to me serious bodily harm on numerous occasions.

So that's how this guy was looking at me. He had this crazy charlie manson stare and it kept getting my attention because it was the most bizarre thing I had ever witnessed in all my classroom presentations for my undergraduate business degree.

After class, I get to talking to the guy and he seemed like a totally easy-going guy to talk to. It was conversation as usual and that stare was gone.

During this conversation, I found out that he plays first person shooters religiously and he mentioned something about taking a trip to some national competition for one of the games that he plays.

Could it possible that this guy spends so much time in a state of virtual "kill mode" that it affects him even when he's not playing the game?

ok; I am taking a blind stab here and saying that maybe he is either of any of these types 1) a nutcase period no outside factors involved..........

2) a nutcase enhanced.....(by which I mean he's already a #1 but uses outside factors to charge him, up, get ideas from and then may/may
not blame them for his behavior


or
3) He is just a bored kid who knows he can scare people and likes to be the scary guy and goes with it when it works...........

but if you ask my opinion, all of these described here are one stone's throw away from going off...........but aren't we all?????

Pacomc79

maybe, but we also have better further reaching media too.

elmer

sponger wrote:

Could it possible that this guy spends so much time in a state of virtual "kill mode" that it affects him even when he's not playing the game?

haaa! seems unlikely, although these games are far more sophisticated than when I last bothered to notice so maybe you reminded him of some vietcong sniper he blasted to pieces the night before.

Back in the mid 90s Jerry Springer was quite extreme, it´d be tame in comparison to what you see on television today. There is a thirst for conflict/bullying in all forms, the central premise of a show like Big Brother is to deprive men & women of their consciousness of freedom, thus they have no control other than their ability to exploit and manipulate their peers. It appeals to the lowest tendencies in human life, a Hell with no fundamental good. For sure through television instilled messages are pumped into the proletariat.

Obviously there are countless factors you could include here, and it could be disputed whether there really is much diffeence from recent generations because as we all know the world has seen much worse than a couple of pimp-rolling, adolescent yung tugs stabbing each other up. ye´gt me!

beachdweller

we seem to be desensitized to anything older than a week or two

writersu

just gotta throw this out there as possible for food for thought in regard to this suject matter.....................

is it that we desentized truly or have we become placid and just find what was once found as unacceptable as to our standards now a little more flexibile.

do you think there are more of us who know what is considered normal and chose to be hopeless, thinking it'll never change?

Commy

Something has to change.
Un-deniable dilemma.
Boredom's not a burden
Anyone should bear.

Constant over stimu-lation numbs me
but I would not want you
any other way.

It's not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I don't want it.
I just need it.
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

Finger deep within the borderline.
Show me that you love me and that we belong together.
Relax, turn around and take my hand.

I can help you change
Tired moments into pleasure.
Say the word and we'll be
Well upon our way.

Blend and balance
Pain and comfort
Deep within you
Till you will not want me any other way.

It's not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I don't want it.
I just need it.
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

Knuckle deep inside the borderline.
This may hurt a little but it's something you'll get used to.
Relax. Slip away.

Something kinda sad about
the way that things have come to be.
Desensitized to everything.
What became of subtlety?

How can this mean anything to me
If I really don't feel anything at all?

I'll keep digging till
I feel something.

Elbow deep inside the borderline.
Show me that you love me and that we belong together.
Shoulder deep within the borderline.
Relax. Turn around and take my hand.