CULTURAL DESENSITIZATION
One evening Ardie and I decided we needed to get out of the house. On an impulse, we went looking for a good movie. When we got to the theater, we didn't recognize any of the movies that were playing, so we just picked one. It was titled "District 13" . . . big mistake!
It turned out to be a movie full of blood, violence and mayhem under the guise of entertainment. Within the first 15 or 20 minutes, we decided it was time to leave. On the way out, I couldn't help notice the faces of those who were enjoying the movie. They were transfixed by the terrible images on the screen. In that instant, I thought, They don't have a clue what life's about!
In psychology, it's called "de-sensitizing." After seeing so much blood and violence, people become de-sensitized to its horror. When we don't feel revulsion at violence and death, then we don't work so hard to avoid it.
Later, I looked up a movie review on Google, and the critic said, "If it wasn't for the liberal dose of ultra-violence and swearing you might suspect that the whole exercise had been written for kids." What does that mean? It's like saying, "If it wasn't for the death and destruction, Hurricane Katrina would've been fun!"
Then he added, "The stylized violence is mostly gratuitous." Exactly how can violence and mayhem be gratuitous? Obviously that critic was already calloused by over-exposure no less than the mindless masses at the Gladiatorial games of Rome. Like many today, the critic really doesn't get it.