Is our generation desensitized to violence?

musicismylife78 · January 2008

You often here this from our parents, that we have lots more violence and murder and rape and such in our culture now, than our parents had when they were growing up.

How valid is that assertion. Do you think with the internet and how easy it is to see violent and disturbing images via streaming webcasts or You Tube or any other video site, and the fact that a lot of movies now have a ton of violence, do you think that has made our generation immune and desensitized to violence?
Has our generation become desensitized?

I would like to think people would feel murder and violence is deplorable and horrific and unacceptable, but I wonder if many people have seen so many movies and tv shows and violent acts via tv and the internet that it no longer is shocking.

Is this an accurate assessment? Is violence and murder as shocking to our generation as in past generations?

justam · January 2008

It's interesting you should ask this when I just saw your thread about Quentin Tarantino and the response I was trying to formulate was something like...

"I find his movies interesting and vivid but TOO VIOLENT to "like" to watch."

FinsburyParkCarrots · January 2008

*Hacks through you with a disc cutter, eats the brains and hangs the offal out of his window to dry*

No, I wouldn't say so.

Disclaimer:

IRONY

firstquartermoon · January 2008

radiohead33 wrote:

You often here this from our parents, that we have lots more violence and murder and rape and such in our culture now, than our parents had when they were growing up.

How valid is that assertion. Do you think with the internet and how easy it is to see violent and disturbing images via streaming webcasts or You Tube or any other video site, and the fact that a lot of movies now have a ton of violence, do you think that has made our generation immune and desensitized to violence?
Has our generation become desensitized?

I would like to think people would feel murder and violence is deplorable and horrific and unacceptable, but I wonder if many people have seen so many movies and tv shows and violent acts via tv and the internet that it no longer is shocking.

Is this an accurate assessment? Is violence and murder as shocking to our generation as in past generations?

Death, violence, killing are nothing new to our society. TV on the other hand, is, and everybody likes a scapegoat. Seriously, did Hitler watch too many Tarantino movies? I doubt it. The crusades, genocide all over the world, murder all over the world. Poverty and greed, I think, are a bigger factor.

Commy · January 2008

Something has to change.
Un-deniable dilemma.
Boredoms not a burden
Anyone should bear.

Constant over stimulation numbs me
But I wouldnt want you
Any other way.

Just, not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I said, I dont want it.
I just need it.
To breathe, to feel, to know Im 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 well be
Well upon our way.

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

But, its not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I said, I dont want it.
I just need it.
To breathe, to feel, to know Im alive.

Knuckle deep inside the borderline.
This may hurt a little but its something youll 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 it mean anything to me
If I really dont feel anything at all?

Ill 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
__________________________________

Commy · January 2008

Its obvious.

Violence is more acceptable on tv than bad language. and its more prominant.

WE have become desensitized to everything..to the point where a war against an impoversihed nation thousands of miles away means nothing. 20 years agao this country would be in full scale mass public protest mode against the authoriteis. Now its rare to see more than 10,000 on the aniversary of the slaughter.

OutOfBreath · January 2008

We're more used to watching it on tv at any rate.

On the other hand, the acceptance of violence IRL seems to be dropping, as in wars are rarely accepted anymore, and violence almost never is highlighted as a solution. It is no longer acceptable with violence within the household. (probably wasn't too accepted before either, but it tended to be swept under a rug much more easily). Reading growing-up books by for instance Bukowski leads me to believe that wanton violence were more common before.

Are we desensitized to it? Well, we are desensitized to watching it, no doubt. Does that mean we accept it easier? Not IRL I think. We may tolerate more violence in the news as a result, but personally, I dont think we accept violence more, I would think that overall it is accepted less IRL.

Peace
Dan

Commy · January 2008

OutOfBreath wrote:

We're more used to watching it on tv at any rate.

On the other hand, the acceptance of violence IRL seems to be dropping, as in wars are rarely accepted anymore, and violence almost never is highlighted as a solution. It is no longer acceptable with violence within the household. (probably wasn't too accepted before either, but it tended to be swept under a rug much more easily). Reading growing-up books by for instance Bukowski leads me to believe that wanton violence were more common before.

Are we desensitized to it? Well, we are desensitized to watching it, no doubt. Does that mean we accept it easier? Not IRL I think. We may tolerate more violence in the news as a result, but personally, I dont think we accept violence more, I would think that overall it is accepted less IRL.

Peace
Dan

Why talk about an issue and solve your differences when you got a M1 abrams tank and they've got a hand grenade? Violence solves problems, short term-empire and all that nonsense, but its the way of the world-I think because we are so desensitzed we cant stand up out of out lounge chair long enoug to protest the insanity. They feed us blood through the tv, so when it comes time for them to shed blood we think its acceptable.

OutOfBreath · January 2008

Commy wrote:

Why talk about an issue and solve your differences when you got a M1 abrams tank and they've got a hand grenade? Violence solves problems, short term-empire and all that nonsense, but its the way of the world-I think because we are so desensitzed we cant stand up out of out lounge chair long enoug to protest the insanity. They feed us blood through the tv, so when it comes time for them to shed blood we think its acceptable.

We accept more on the tv. But at the same time wars have actually become less and less bloody over the years (perhaps more a testament to how they were before), and more and more difficult to maintain. Largely because the population have less and less acceptance of it. Use of force "just because we can" have virtually no acceptance anymore, which is why they have to scew and lie and use propaganda heavily to get any kind of war going. A war nowadays needs some kind of realistic humanitarian excuse to get any support at all.

As for domestically, the stats given by the us bureau of justice shows a sharp decline in violent offenses over the last 10-20 years.

Peace
Dan

Commy · January 2008

OutOfBreath wrote:

We accept more on the tv. But at the same time wars have actually become less and less bloody over the years (perhaps more a testament to how they were before), and more and more difficult to maintain. Largely because the population have less and less acceptance of it. Use of force "just because we can" have virtually no acceptance anymore, which is why they have to scew and lie and use propaganda heavily to get any kind of war going. A war nowadays needs some kind of realistic humanitarian excuse to get any support at all.

As for domestically, the stats given by the us bureau of justice shows a sharp decline in violent offenses over the last 10-20 years.

Peace
Dan

mm

I was under the impression that war machines have actually gotten better at killing people. THat's what they are designed for right?

At a home a school shooting (columbine) saw a nation gasp, but its happened since and not much in a way of response was shown by the country. Its becoming more acceptable it seems, because we see it more often. We are taught that violence solves problesm-look at the gov't..

OutOfBreath · January 2008

Commy wrote:

mm

I was under the impression that war machines have actually gotten better at killing people. THat's what they are designed for right?

Oh yes, better weapons. But whereas wars before also just chewed up civilian populations indiscriminately, now they try to avoid that. To call anything "surgical" is going way too far, but it's a step up from generally and indiscriminately dropping thousands of bombs over a city. And worldwide, the number and severity of conflicts is actually way low down compared with before. Believe it or not from the news, internationally it's a long time since it was so quiet. That is not to say that there arent shit going on in many places.

At a home a school shooting (columbine) saw a nation gasp, but its happened since and not much in a way of response was shown by the country. Its becoming more acceptable it seems, because we see it more often. We are taught that violence solves problesm-look at the gov't..

Are you suggesting that school shootings are accepted?
And what can you do, really? I wouldn't say that these snapping youths have anything to say about the general population. Besides that mentally unstable people perhaps have too easy access to guns over there.

Peace
Dan

genie · January 2008

firstquartermoon wrote:

Death, violence, killing are nothing new to our society. TV on the other hand, is, and everybody likes a scapegoat. Seriously, did Hitler watch too many Tarantino movies? I doubt it. The crusades, genocide all over the world, murder all over the world. Poverty and greed, I think, are a bigger factor.

i agree with you

these days tv gives people what they want, seriously would producers continue supplying violent movies if they knew there was no trend for them? it's a money making business and they probably analyse statistics and come up with such movies to make more profit.

People need to look at themselves first. When i was young about 8 or 9 i had a dog and i was walking out my dog with my mother and we came to a point of children's nursery kids were about 4 to 7 years old. they were all playing outside within their nursery boundaries. at this point we saw another dog, who was not on the leash ( it's owner must've been a stupid fucking bitch to let her fucking dog wonder around like that :mad: ) so that dog started threatning our dog and our dog is no pussy our dog was a street dog before we found him, our dog was beautiful black and white German Shephard ( he almost resembled a wolf ). So the two dogs start fighting, my mum tried really hard to keep our dog away but it's hard cause our dog was strong.

what i found really disturbing is that those fucking little kids came as close as they could to look at the fight and started enjoying it............hmm, hey that's says a lot about human nature! :( i was horrified to see my dogs fighting, because i didn't want both the dogs to be hurt, but i was completely shocked to see those little fucks taking pleasure out of watching the fight.

i think it's very clear what i'm getting at

Collin · January 2008

I've seen a lot of bloody and violent movies. And I mean a lot. Some of those Japanese films, for example, are very gory and gruesome. Yet I have no problem watching them whatsoever. My friend's sister was totally disgusted and couldn't even watch a certain scene while me and my friend were eating during that scene.

But I realize it's not real. It's a movie. It's special effects. Sometimes I'm very much impressed by how realistic it looks.

But a couple of years ago I accidentally saw part of one of those beheadings videos and I was sick for over an hour and quite uncomfortable for the rest of the day because I knew it was real.

But your question was: "Is violence and murder as shocking to our generation as in past generations?"

That, I don't know. I mean my parents see the same bloody and violent movies as me. My grandfather fought in WWII and saw some very disturbing things. I really don't know the answer.

firstquartermoon · January 2008

Commy wrote:

Its obvious.

Violence is more acceptable on tv than bad language. and its more prominant.

WE have become desensitized to everything..to the point where a war against an impoversihed nation thousands of miles away means nothing. 20 years agao this country would be in full scale mass public protest mode against the authoriteis. Now its rare to see more than 10,000 on the aniversary of the slaughter.

Are you serious? Nobody's protesting against the war we're in now? I think protestors have become better at it. Yes, millions marched and chanted during Vietnam, and what did it get us? Hundreds and thousands of our soldiers died over there, millions of Vietnamese died.
I'm not saying that the deaths now aren't as bad, but the quantity is not as bad.
Throughout history there has been raping, killing, pillaging.
Maybe what we have to ask is, are we desensitized, or has the proliferation of these images and the news from all over the world made us realize how many of us never cared to begin with?

Kel Varnsen · January 2008

Collin wrote:

I've seen a lot of bloody and violent movies. And I mean a lot. Some of those Japanese films, for example, are very gory and gruesome. Yet I have no problem watching them whatsoever. My friend's sister was totally disgusted and couldn't even watch a certain scene while me and my friend were eating during that scene.

But I realize it's not real. It's a movie. It's special effects. Sometimes I'm very much impressed by how realistic it looks.

But a couple of years ago I accidentally saw part of one of those beheadings videos and I was sick for over an hour and quite uncomfortable for the rest of the day because I knew it was real.

But your question was: "Is violence and murder as shocking to our generation as in past generations?"

That, I don't know. I mean my parents see the same bloody and violent movies as me. My grandfather fought in WWII and saw some very disturbing things. I really don't know the answer.

I sort of feel the same way, people have always been exposed to violent images, both real and fake. I mean how many oh Shakespear's plays end up with everyone murdered?

surferdude · January 2008

radiohead33 wrote:

You often here this from our parents, that we have lots more violence and murder and rape and such in our culture now, than our parents had when they were growing up.

How valid is that assertion.

Is this an accurate assessment? Is violence and murder as shocking to our generation as in past generations?

We are probably the generation most sensitized to violence. We've made great strides in the last 50 years with regards to violence and not putting up with it.

Everyone knows it's wrong to hit their partner. Everyone knows it's wrong to hit their kids. Everyone knows bullying is wrong. Everyone knows that war should be the very last step taken and avoided if at all possible. Nobody glorifies war like they used to. These are all huge strides showing how sensitized to violence we've become.

I think it's great that bullying now makes the news, as once it's out in the open it can be addressed. Fourty years ago that was not the case. It is sad that we still have people and governments that perpetuate a cycle of violence but we now all know it's wrong.

even flow? · January 2008

The more you show on the news the more it will happen. Kids who don't give a damn for adults or their own parents. Kids being raised by nannies. Games and the internet where the graphics are as good as real when you kill people. Sure we have been turned off to violence. Hell the fact that there is a perpetual war is good enough to turn off the senses.

It is cool to show yourself getting beaten up on youtube for you five minutes of fame.

writersu · January 2008

radiohead33 wrote:

You often here this from our parents, that we have lots more violence and murder and rape and such in our culture now, than our parents had when they were growing up.

How valid is that assertion. Do you think with the internet and how easy it is to see violent and disturbing images via streaming webcasts or You Tube or any other video site, and the fact that a lot of movies now have a ton of violence, do you think that has made our generation immune and desensitized to violence?
Has our generation become desensitized?

I would like to think people would feel murder and violence is deplorable and horrific and unacceptable, but I wonder if many people have seen so many movies and tv shows and violent acts via tv and the internet that it no longer is shocking.

Is this an accurate assessment? Is violence and murder as shocking to our generation as in past generations?

I think I have been. On 9/11 it really disturbed me that I actually had to remind myself that this really happened and that it wasn't just a movie. That bothered me a lot.

Kel Varnsen · January 2008

surferdude wrote:

Everyone knows it's wrong to hit their partner. Everyone knows it's wrong to hit their kids. Everyone knows bullying is wrong. Everyone knows that war should be the very last step taken and avoided if at all possible. Nobody glorifies war like they used to. These are all huge strides showing how sensitized to violence we've become.

I think this is a good point. I mean in times past hitting your wife or a teacher dishing out corporal punishment was ok. Even lynch mobs and duels were considered socially acceptable at one point. I mean can you imagine if that had that know, someone offends your honour and you challenge him to basically a gun fight, and if you kill him it is ok?

firstquartermoon · January 2008

writersu wrote:

I think I have been. On 9/11 it really disturbed me that I actually had to remind myself that this really happened and that it wasn't just a movie. That bothered me a lot.

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.

chopitdown · January 2008

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.

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.

firstquartermoon · January 2008

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 · January 2008

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 · January 2008

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 · January 2008

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 · January 2008

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 · February 2008

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 · February 2008

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 · February 2008

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 · February 2008

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 · February 2008

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?????

Is our generation desensitized to violence?

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