Violence as Entertainment
I have at least as much testosterone as most men and probably more but It doesn’t cause me to enjoy some things. Maybe it’s due to age but I like to think it’s due to choice and conscious values.
We saw “No Country for Old Men” last week. I went into the movie with some skepticism and tried to watch with openness but … I just don’t like gratuitous violence.
The movie had a significant subject but, in my opinion, failed to deal with it directly. It toyed with a serious message but devoted most of the time to fear and violence as entertainment.
On Saturday at a bookstore I picked up a religious magazine that was new to me (and whose title I cannot remember). I read three articles two of which were written by Buddhists. Two were opposing view points on political humor. One saw humor in the President’s questionable education, intelligence and ability to speak coherently without a script. The opposing article addressed the danger in attacking a person rather than challenging issues.
The third article dealt with evil and compared the President’s assertions regarding evil with those of his perceived opponent who is trying to defend his world view by attacking the West. Using quotes the author pointed out that both men are saying the same thing. Asserting another person is evil does not lead to peace.
I have plenty of testosterone that could easily foster violence. I see the injustices in the world and have a natural tendency toward anger and fight rather than fear and flight. I struggle constantly to control anger. I don’t need violence as entertainment.
I find it more helpful for the situation – and more conducive to my personal health and happiness – to avoid violence as entertainment and to read thoughtful, balanced, serious articles and books that advocate understanding and peace while rejecting fear and violence.
We saw “No Country for Old Men” last week. I went into the movie with some skepticism and tried to watch with openness but … I just don’t like gratuitous violence.
The movie had a significant subject but, in my opinion, failed to deal with it directly. It toyed with a serious message but devoted most of the time to fear and violence as entertainment.
On Saturday at a bookstore I picked up a religious magazine that was new to me (and whose title I cannot remember). I read three articles two of which were written by Buddhists. Two were opposing view points on political humor. One saw humor in the President’s questionable education, intelligence and ability to speak coherently without a script. The opposing article addressed the danger in attacking a person rather than challenging issues.
The third article dealt with evil and compared the President’s assertions regarding evil with those of his perceived opponent who is trying to defend his world view by attacking the West. Using quotes the author pointed out that both men are saying the same thing. Asserting another person is evil does not lead to peace.
I have plenty of testosterone that could easily foster violence. I see the injustices in the world and have a natural tendency toward anger and fight rather than fear and flight. I struggle constantly to control anger. I don’t need violence as entertainment.
I find it more helpful for the situation – and more conducive to my personal health and happiness – to avoid violence as entertainment and to read thoughtful, balanced, serious articles and books that advocate understanding and peace while rejecting fear and violence.
posted by Paul at 9:11 AM
3 Comments:
Your post makes me ponder our fascination with violence in all forms of entertainment from TV to movies to cage fighting to NFL football. How many pause to think about what we are doing?
I always wondered if it were possible to weed out the genetic propencity for violence without totally emasculating the human male. Could we possibly defend ourselves as a species without SOME ability to WANT to kill something? I don't know. I enjoy science fiction monster and robot movies, space ships blowing up, and try to think of them as evil "things" being dealt with rather than living creatures with possibly as much right to existence as us.
I'm not sure that suppression of minor violence doesn't increase the potential for greater violence down the line. I do believe there is way too much graphic and gratutious violence in the movies and on television - yet they don't show the true face of violence. The face that should be shown. The face that conveys the odor, the fear, terror, agony, grief, sounds, and consequences of real violence.
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