Looking for More... Hope, Freedom from Violence

Chicago PD

Looking for something to watch the other day, I waded through Netflix and then Amazon Prime. We long ago gave up watching “network” TV and cable programming.

I absolutely hate commercials, especially those local newscast car dealer, roof repair, realtor, and law firm commercials. Next on my “instantly-mute-them” list are every one of those disgusting drug commercials that appear on the network newscasts.

Searching… looking for something that appeared to be "Not", as in, not about cops beating people or stealing from them; not about sex crimes; not about murders; not about drugs; not about psychos; not about betrayal; not about monsters, vampires, etc. You get the idea.

After about an hour of looking and finding a ton of the above, but zero interesting programming, I went back to research a little about our love of “violence entertainment”.

I found this comment from Dr. Emanuel Tanay, MD, retired Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Wayne State University:

“Violence in the media has been increasing and reaching proportions that are dangerous.”

“You turn on the television, and violence is there. You go to a movie, and violence is there,” Tanay told Psychiatric Times. “Reality is distorted. If you live in a fictional world, then the fictional world becomes your reality.”

"The average American watches nearly 5 hours of video each day, 98% of which is watched on a traditional television set, according to Nielsen Company. Nearly two-thirds of TV programs contain some physical violence. Most self-involving video games contain some violent content, even those for children."

Tanay noted, “Anything that promotes something can be called propaganda.” What we call entertainment is really propaganda for violence. If you manufacture guns, you don’t need to advertise, because it is done by our entertainment industry.”

"In reality, the number of violent crimes has been falling, but the public’s perception is that violence has increased. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, the overall violent victimization rate (eg, rape and assaults) decreased by 40% from 2001 to 2010. Similarly, the murder rate in the US has dropped by almost half, from 9.8 per 100,000 people in 1991 to 5.0 in 2009."

Yet the propaganda, Tanay said, makes people feel that crime is everywhere and that guns are needed for protection.

That, I thought, explains everything: "... (our) entertainment is really propaganda for violence."

George Harrison - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) - 1973