Quoted Text No movie, song, book, comic, piece of art or video game should ever be to blame for the actions of one man/woman.

An average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18.  

I'd say it's fair to make the statement we're "part" to blame.  And when I say we, I mean screenwriters and filmmakers.    Sure there's many other factors involved.   But to say media doesn't influence the masses is crazy, IMO.  

Dude, I don't think anyone is saying that media does not influence the masses, but c'mon now...

Think of the ridiculous violent, evil icons throughout time and media...are they really to blame for evil and violence in real life?

No, definitely not.

The cause of most violence in America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-e1Hxy_kQU

Quoted from M.Alexander An average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18.   I'd say it's fair to make the statement we're "part" to blame.  And when I say we, I mean screenwriters and filmmakers.    Sure there's many other factors involved.   But to say media doesn't influence the masses is crazy, IMO.

Wouldn't you say that's something that parents should be responsible for if it's such a concern to them rather than placing blame/responsibility on someone else?

Don't get me wrong, guys.  I'm not trying to stand on a soap box here.  I'm just as guilty as the rest when it comes to writing violent content in my stories.  But there's a fine line.  Anyways, the original question I posted seems to have gotten muddled in translation.    I'm almost sorry I brought it up.  But I stick to my conviction.  Visual media is definitely part to blame in today's screwed up society.

We as screenwriter/filmmakers should be more responsible, or at least, aware of what kind of vibes we're sending out, because eventually it's gonna come back to bite us in the rear.   You can agree or disagree but it doesn't change the fact.   That's all.

Quoted from greg Wouldn't you say that's something that parents should be responsible for if it's such a concern to them rather than placing blame/responsibility on someone else?

Good one Greg!!

I remember films being brought up to blame in the past too. Like Natural Born Killers for example which in my opinion is a master piece. A perfect satirical look at society at the time...and maybe even more fitting today where being infamous is just as good as being famous. You don't have to achieve anything. As long as you're known to the dumb...masses, you're cool.  The Matrix has been blamed too, along with many other films.

Like I said earlier, maybe we should all just aim to write family friendly fair for the LifeTime network.

PS. I just heard today that some hotel chain is replacing the Gideons Bible in every room with the novel Fifty Shades of Grey...  

Quoted from M.Alexander Visual media is definitely part to blame in today's screwed up society.

IMO news media is more to blame for today's screwed up society because people base their beliefs on what a reporter tells them using quotes from Twitter.  

But maybe that's not relevant for this debate.

Also IMO today's screwed up society is relative considering that in Roman times they used to fill massive arenas to watch people fight to the death.  I like to think we've at least progressed some.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I just heard today that some hotel chain is replacing the Gideons Bible in every room with the novel Fifty Shades of Grey...

That won't be very good for business.  

Quoted from greg Also IMO today's screwed up society is relative considering that in Roman times they used to fill massive arenas to watch people fight to the death.  I like to think we've at least progressed some.

Thank God.  

Quoted from M.Alexander That won't be very good for business.

Maybe not as many people as you think that sleep in those hotels read the bible before they go to bed...

Quoted from Grandma Bear Maybe not as many people as you think that sleep in those hotels read the bible before they go to bed...

Looks like this thread's heading toward the topics of sex, politics and religion.

Where's a mod when ya need one?

Please remember the spirit in which this thread was intended.  It was mostly out of respect and concern for those who lost their lives in a very tragic event.

Thanks.

Not really. My point was that maybe times are changing...since society in general is changing was being mentioned.

Quoted from M.Alexander An average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18.

When I owned a private investigative company, one of my primary functions in investigating cases I was hired to cover, was the documentation of forensic trauma pertaining to the accidental and purposeful demise pertaining to a corpse.

More often than not, my investigations were of homicide and suicide cases.

What you see and sense in a morgue, far exceeds the violence on any screen.

I mean this with all respect for those in the field I worked with. I don’t remember hearing lately of a mortician, pathologist, coroner, funeral director or anyone involved in any of these fields committing horrible acts against humanity.

And I've personally known hundreds of them.

To say exposure to violence could possibly be a precursor to murder is absurd.

The person is either fucked in the head or he isn’t.

Shawn.....><

Quoted from Ledbetter To say exposure to violence could possibly be a precursor to murder is absurd.

Actually it's exposre to violece in "visual media".    In any event I'm done beating this dead horse.    The topic kinda went sideways.  We can all agree that we disagree.  

I'm sorry most people seem to disagree with you. You're still welcome here though and there are plenty of people who would agree with you. Most of us here have just agreed that we avoid certain subjects to keep the big arguments at bay. That's all.  

PS. I'm a PETA member and I don't like beating any animal. Dead or alive.  

Quoted from Grandma Bear I'm sorry most people seem to disagree with you. You're still welcome here though and there are plenty of people who would agree with you. Most of us here have just agreed that we avoid certain subjects to keep the big arguments at bay. That's all.   PS. I'm a PETA member and I don't like beating any animal. Dead or alive.

I could care less who agrees or disagrees with me.  It's not about me.  You missed the point completely.   You can avoid subjects all you want and I'm sorry if it made youn feel uncomfortable.  As for me, I'd much rather swim upstream and opposed to down.   Have a glorious day.