Whoever tells the stories defines the culture.
That isn't new. It's been true for thousands of
years.
What is new is that during the 20th century and
at the beginning of the 21st we have delegated
more
and more of the story-telling function to mass
media. Some media stories inform, educate and
even
inspire our youth. Too many, however, don't. Too
many specialize in dishing out heaping servings
of
violence, disrespect and degradation.
Today the average American child will see over
200,000 violent acts on TV alone by the time high
school graduation rolls around. The research linking
violent media with attitudes and behavior is so
overwhelming that few researchers even bother
to dispute that screen violence has an effect
on the
kids watching it. Does this mean that children
directly mimic what they see on screens? Not
necessarily. But an even more pervasive effect
of violent media is not so much violent behavior,
but
rather the culture of disrespect it creates and
nourishes. What stories are we telling?
