Why is violence seen as 'cool'?

Violent rap lyrics, the whole gangsta bling thing, graphic video and computer games fully available to children, parents not knowing what their kids are up to, and not teaching them morals or setting firm boundaries, laws that seem to protect the rights of offenders more than their victims, too much paperwork for the police, thereby keeping them off the streets where they should be, the list goes on really.

Something needs to be done in a big way to nip this in the bud.

They need serious punishments.Im sure they do it coz they know they will get away with it.Just a tap with a ruler on the back of the knuckles and off they go, to do it again.

If you commit the crime you do the time.I dont care if your 12!!!!!

We have just started getting the craze 'Happy Slapping' have you guys heard of it?

It's chilling and going on all the time now - I know it makes me sound old...but I just don't know how this cultural change came about. It somehow seems too big to ponder...is it TV, parenting, games, sportspeople behaving badly, no role models, no National Service???

How did it happen?...sometimes in my job, I feel genuinely intimidated by 16 and 17 year olds, just by their stance, posture, dress style and I'm a big, strong, assertive woman, so how must the frail and or elderly feel?

Violence is the


Sign of Decline
When you've had your roast and now you want goose too.
Sign of Decline
When you just love yourself and don't know what else to do.
Sign of Decline.

sung to the tune Sign of the times.

When I see hooded teenagers I think they are hiding their faces because they know they are thinking of acting badly and they should be ashamed to show their faces!!!!

I find it ASTOUNDING that kids follow the bad things in supposed role models.

How can being shot 9 times be cool!!Why dont they notice that 50 cent(£1 in the UK) has got off his arse and made a successful music career.Why do they follow the violence and not the work??

Eminem, 8 mile-In his career he comes across as this chainsaw weilding maniac, but in 8 mile he is this caring loving guy!!Which does he want us to believe!!

Happy slapping-Exactly who are they copying??I dont get it.

Is it girls or just stupid boys???

At the moment happy slapping seems confined to boys...but hey, it won't take long

HHHhhhhMMMmmmmmm!

For chrissakes,

Rap does not cause violence. You see, before there was gangsta rap, there had to be...

drumroll please

GANSTERS! Rap reports violence that is already there, violence that is bigger than a CD could inspire.

I know what you mean...but don't you think rap music 'normalises' the violence, simply by the repetitous espousing of such?

Good point.Maybe its not the cause but it does tend to promote it.

They say films do the same thing, horror movies inspire murders, yet I didnt see people being a bit slow when Forest Gump came out.

...or doing extra kindnesses when 'pay it forward' came out...

I don't want to come across all 'fogeyish' and say "I blame rap music". Because I live in the real world, and I know there's no definitive answer. I'm just pondering possible contributions to the culture change...and there has most certainly been one in the last 20 years. Maybe it's just the acessability of media

Loved Pay it forward!! cried so much.

It seem so to be something in the air, not something thats being done, maybe things that ARNT being done.
It sems people get away with so much nowadays.

That policeman doing 159mph on public roads and getting let off!!Err hello, not ideal behaviour on PUBLIC roads.

No, I agree...what kind of a bloody message is that!

Its the 'its ok, if your a policeman driving like a loony on a public road then its ok for boyracers to do the same' message!!!!

grrrrrr, Im in a rage.Its friday, why am I stressing??!!

No, don't stress

I've got to go now and put loadsa slap on...see 'Mancunian night out' thread!

i'll have one for ya!

Laters

I think such violence has always been around but that we've just made it easier to see.

Everybody has a camera and the phone number to the news.

violence is the last epidemic ya all !!Scripture 9/28.6

I prefer violence to evangelism...

A guy by the name of George Gerbner has studied the effects of exposure to TV violence. There is an article archived at Atlantic Monthly for you subscribers who want to check it out, it's called "The Man Who Counts the Killings."

This guy has done the most influential research on the subject, was consulted during Clinton administration when Vchip legislation was in progress...

His most interesting theory is called "The Mean World Syndrome. " Essentially, he contends that violent television does not cause us to run right outside and duplicate it. But over time it causes us to perceive the world as a more dangerous and violent place than it really is, and reinforces within us a police state mentality. We basically become baby fascists, more reactionary, and ultimately more prone to violence.

Your really a cool aid Gargamel.