Blame the media

[TeeJay12513]

You want proof of youth intelligence declining? Walk into any publc highschool and ask every student of the 10th grade how to spell family. Statistically, only 65% will spell it right. There's your proof.

Hm, well maybe the bad side of media is only hiding the terrible side of the US? Maybe the druggies on tv are better than a percentage of americans in inner-city enviornments..

[papayahed]

You want proof of youth intelligence declining? Walk into any publc highschool and ask every student of the 10th grade how to spell family. Statistically, only 65% will spell it right. There's your proof.

I'm not sure what that has to do with the assertion that values are declining more rapidly today then yesteryear.


(Sidenote: 1940 only 24% of the population 25 and older had a high school diploma or more; compared to 80% in 2000: http://www.census.gov/population/soc.../phct41/MI.pdf)

[B-Mental]

What about when the media focuses on attractive white women that go missing? Doesn't that exacerbate racism?

[TeeJay12513]

I'm not sure what that has to do with the assertion that values are declining more rapidly today then yesteryear.


(Sidenote: 1940 only 24% of the population 25 and older had a high school diploma or more; compared to 80% in 2000: http://www.census.gov/population/soc.../phct41/MI.pdf)

I think it has everything to do with it. If people cant even spell family how are they expected to tell what is right or wrong? And what is the point of having an eductation if all your going to do with it is throw it away in alcohol and blind patriotism.. I'd rather people be knowledgable of their surroundings any day than them know advanced chemistry yet not know why their country is in a war, or why not to have sex without a condom..

[Shea]

I'm not sure what that has to do with the assertion that values are declining more rapidly today then yesteryear.


(Sidenote: 1940 only 24% of the population 25 and older had a high school diploma or more; compared to 80% in 2000: http://www.census.gov/population/soc.../phct41/MI.pdf)

I can understand your point here, papaya. But didn't the other 76% have other things to do? Weren't they typically busy trying to make a living? The 35% of students who can't spell 'family' (having taught the 10th grade, I believe that this would have been worse in my school) are there because they have to be there. This is why I felt like a glorified babysitter. All they cared about was the latest entertainment that the media could provide them. If they could be given something constructive (like a need to work), they wouldn't have been busy causing trouble, experimenting with drugs, or sleeping school away because they cause trouble elsewhere.

The media gives society what they want, thereby shaping it. When the national news feels that Britney Spears' issues are important enough to report, that's when I had proof that the media has cause much of our society to stop thinking clearly. Her media attention is why she is the way she is anyway. I DON'T CARE ABOUT HER!!! Let her make her bad decisions, and give me things that are important.

[Pensive]

I think it has everything to do with it. If people cant even spell family how are they expected to tell what is right or wrong?

No.

Those who are no good with spelling don't have to be cantankerous gansters. It's just that they are not intelligent in one thing. They can possess some other values like the ability to love, help and be polite towards other people, can't they? Judging whether people have values by their spelling/academic performance is I think totally wrong. Uneducated people can be nice. So can be a teenager who is pregnant at sixteen. Anyway, aside from that, what about those girls in the past who used to get married at thirteen/fourteen? Drugs have always been there too. So has been alcohol. I wouldn't say things have not changed at all, I believe in every moment in every day, we metamorphose in some way or another but saying in a self-assured matter-of-fact way that teenagers today are far worse when it comes to values and other stuff than the previous generations I don't feel is what should be done.

[B-Mental]

Well said Pensive... a very good approach to humankind. I like your way of thinking.

[papayahed]

Yeah Pensy well said.

[kilted exile]

So much to disagree with but so little time.......

Firstly Pensive, is correct I agree fully.

Secondly, take a gander at this thread here - http://www.online-literature.com/for...hlight=culture


Now, addressing some points currently

1) Moral Values are decreasing/ non-existant in today's youth:

Nonsense, there are still plenty of taboo subjects in youth society. It is just that the taboo's have changed. As an example, previous generations were far more accepting of racism, domestic violence, and discrimination because of gender, religion or sexual orientation. Yes, the current generation is more open about sexuality - but this is not from this generation, that was from the 60's.

2)

but before people didn't actually follow much of holliwood's examples but now, teen pregnancies are increasing, gang activity is climbing up the charts, children are internalizing what before was accessible only to few.

I am willing to accept there are more teen pregnancies, however exact figures are incredibly difficult to compare due to the fact that teen pregnancy in previous generations usually meant getting sent to live with the aunt in another city for a few months till the kid was born. The child was then in the majority of cases raised as a sibling or left at the orphanage - is this a better way to do it?

Gang activity has always been rampant in any inner city area - hell the youth gangs in NY & Chicago during the 20's were the training ground for the mob. The difference is now people are using semi-automatic sub machine guns instead of knives, clubs, poles & chains (except in Glasgow, where we still still prefer to inflict our pain face to face).

Will get to rest of the thread later, work calls........

[metal134]

A few points.

1) The question has been raised as to whether the media is to blame for "decling values", in society, but maybe it's the decling values in society that are to blame for the media.

2) Values are subjective. I hear some people say how horrible it is that there is not as much religious devotion as in the past, but I think that's a good thing and not a bad thing. Many values are pretty universal (i.e., murder and rape is bad, helping a person in need is good), but there are plenty of so called values that people are complaining about disappearing that I have no problem with going by the wayside.

3) The whole "society is going to hell in a handbasket" argument has been going on since the dawn of civilization. Maybe there is more crime going on now than 50 years from now, but we also lived in a society where black people couldn't eat attend certain schools or eat at certain restaurants. And at some point in the distant future, crime will be way down, people will be goody-goody and will still harken back to the good ol' days when people had values. It is a never ending cycle.

[Shea]

I think I just want to go live with the Amish.

[Lily Adams]

Can I say both?

I blame the media for being sneaky. Have they no shame?

I blame people for falling for it. You can be educated to overcome all that, you know.

I don't find mass media completely evil, but a lot of it really ticks me off, yes.

[Lily Adams]

I saw "devolution" in the first post, where is Lily?

We forget that humans are the ones who created "the media", perhaps we blame it because it is the ultimate reflection of us. As a society, we pretty much choose what is represented and presented to us via technology and entertainment. I mean, as individuals we could disagree with it, but it isn't a battle of "People against the media", as it is more "people against themselves".
We shouldn't be targeting the media for change, we should target the actual issues in society, not how they are being presented.

I made it to the party. *dances poot*

Yeah! Right on the dot. I love that last line you just said.

[Bakiryu]

I think I just want to go live with the Amish.

Oh me too! My stepfather did for a while and he says it was an enlightening experience.

[papayahed]

Oh me too! My stepfather did for a while and he says it was an enlightening experience.

But they're a pretty religious group.