Quote:

Part of the problem is that nothing sells like bad news. If they ran the 50 stories of the old ladies helped to cross the street and the lost kids brought home by concerned citizens. If that happened once in a while, people would begin to believe that was how to behave. Instead the bad stuff becomes the percieved norm and people believe that they should live like vicious pack animals with little regard for consequence. So, perhaps the media plays a bigger role than I previously let on.



Nope Barry. You were right the first time.

The TWO most base of human emotions...fear and sex...will always sell the most number of papers and garner the highest television ratings.

I mean , when was the last time any of us were transfixed to the ol' boob tube when some "talking head" was voiceing opinions about reforming the tax codes or offering ideas about how to gain some semblence of sanity in campaign financing?

And regarding these recent rash of murder sprees....unfortunately for the Media, the ONLY THING these sad stories lack is that some "celebrity"(gee...maybe somebody like Paris Hilton???!!!) wasn't somehow involved in them.

THEN, the news organization could call them the "Crime Of The Century", and John Q. would eat it up.

Now MY theory, for what it's worth(probably not much), about these insane acts:
Sick people like these murderers, were probably dropped on their heads by uncaring or clueless parents YEARS AGO.

Dwight
(yep...I'm firmly in the "Nurture Camp" when it comes to explaining the human condition)

Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)