Thoughts on the GETTING NICER article

[1144]

I bet Christianity, in the form of monks through the Dark and Middle Ages, had a lot to do with the nicening up of the Western world. Then a great deal of credit goes to the philosophy of the Enlightenment; but however much a modern intellectual may be against self-sacrifical religions, you would be rooting for the monks if you looked deep enough

Comments

[jonathonjones]

Some of us have a grasp on the difference between reality and fiction. There is all the difference in the world between enjoying fictional misery and enjoying realistic misery.

[1144]

Am I being Ann Coulterish?

[jonathonjones]

I worry when people try to say that there is a strong connection between violent media on the one hand and violent behavior on the other. It's one of the most frequently used claims to try to justify censorship, and as far as I know there is little evidence to back it up. The most that has been shown so far is that there is some increased aggression in the time immediately following the watching/playing of the media, but nothing to a)show that the increased aggression continues rather than subsiding (which seems much more likely to me), nor; b)show that there is any causal relation between the media and later violent behavior.

All I'm saying is, I can like the Saw movies without being a sadist.

[madbard]

It's funny you should mention that, because most aliens consider cats quite a delicacy.

[jonathonjones]

Only on Melmac.

[wildcat_eman]

or china, but they have to compete with dogs for the master's table.

Idetrorce

[anonymous]

very interesting, but I don't agree with you
Idetrorce