I don't think that it's any more acceptable today. If anything I think it's less acceptable. People shudder in disgust when some one is killed by a cirminal where as five hundred years ago they might have just shrugged it off as part of society. If nothing else, we have gotten angery enough to have conversations such as these, trying to point fingers and blame enteraintment.

I'm not saying that the media isn't harmful. It can brainwash people easily and in the case of many people has caused severe mental problems in relation to the way they look and other things.

However, when it comes to violence I honestly believe that it does more good to modern society. In western culture, virtually no one witnesses even a normal natural death. Many people like to forget it is a part of life. Many people who would also like to forget that there are people killing people out there. Wars don't seem so bad because it's not a human killing another human. It's a machine killing a human. That is, until a war movie comes out. At that point people are sick and disgusted with the thought of war. No matter what the cause.

Or in the case of video games it allows an outlet for such feelings. Well over half of the US plays video games and yet very few people have taken up guns and run off to go slaughter fellow citizens for the sheer pleasure of it. And I don't think it desenistizes the normal human to violence either.

If you can admit that violence is a part of human nature then I am sure you can admit that we could easily find another outlet for that nature if the media were to become less violent.

I'm not saying you're views are stupid. This is a discussion and I'm just stating mine. It wouldn't be a very good discussion if we agreed with each other one hundred percent now would it?

Then in relation to parent discretion: One thing you must remember is that nine out of ten parents think that their kids are the most mature and intellegent creatures ever to walk the face of the planet. Far too many are blind to faults their kids have. Which is why so many parents are allowing their kids to do so muc and not watching them. And if their kid screws up it was obvioulsy not his or their fault. They must find some one else to blame. Hence (in this case) the media.

I agree that violence is much less acceptable today, but people think that because we are 'devloped' then it shouldnt exist.

The world woulf be damned boring if we all agreed

its not that violence isnt acceptable... its just that violence that is involuntary (such as shootings and whatnot)... people love to fight as long as its a gentlemens game.

i doubt that killings would have been dismissed by all 500 years ago. i think it would have been received the same as today. sure some people are shocked and horrified, but mostly, it's just another death. people are killed every day. does it shock and disgust you every day?

If a small child is watching the saturday morning cartoons an watching power rangers or bat man or something like that their going to thingk violence is the only way to solve any conflict and are going to be more aggressive later on in life as opposed to any child who watched the care bares for example, it's realy quite a contrast, oone is likely to use words to solve conflicts whereas the other is likely to use violence.

yes, and thrusting gut at an enemy really settle matters?

I don't think cartoons affect actions. Hell, lets use this '500' years ago think. In the 1500's, kids watched people being burned alive. So why aren't we a bunch of people burners today? Given all the war in the last 500 years, why aren't we all warriors?

My favorite quote (for now) when it comes to violence is this on by John A. De Vito (and I'm paraphrasing): "There are two languages, that of violence and that of reason. Reason is wasted on the violent man, and violence is wasted on the reasonable man. Speak to each in his own language."

I find that to be completely true, both today and throughout history.

I was kicking things and pulling small creatures legs off long before I watched my first video 'How to Kick Things and Maim Creatures 9'

I don't think violence in the media causes children to be agressive. I do however think it contributes to it-I'm studying psychology and i could post 100+ surveys, experiments, observation etc that can back up the opinion that the medis and violence does effect society, especially children!

guns don't kill people, television kills people!