Quote Quoting TGM (view post)
I’m curious. We’ve all pretty much agreed that the notion that violent video games incite real life violence is bullshit, right? And before that, the notion that rap or heavy metal music was inspiring youths to go out and enact violence was also seen as being quite ridiculous. And for years we’ve held a similar stance as it regards violence as depicted in movies and TV.
Yes and no.

I don't think, for example, that "Mortal Kombat" causes real life violence. Like, nobody puts down a controller and then runs out in the street yelling "FINISH HIM" and punching strangers.

But I do think media has a direct influence on the way people think and feel, their long term decisions and value judgments, their worldview and ambition.

There's also direct evidence that pop culture influences government policy, eg: "War Games" and Reagan, "24" and Bush 43.

This must be the case though, no? Because otherwise Fox News wouldn't be a thing and advertising would have no effect on anyone.

So then, why the hell are so many people now suddenly convinced that a movie about a goddamn cartoon comic book villain is gonna bring on mass hysteria and waves of violence? And to the point where some are apparently trying to get the military involved?
The io9 article pissed me off. First, these pop culture writing fuckheads run around calling themselves "journalists," then they publish an FBI memo verbatim with almost no context, and they never asked the obvious question: How often does the DoD warn service members about whatever? Was the "Joker" warning an anomaly or was it merely a routine memo in a pile of other, routine memos?

Nope. None of that. Instead they went with the most viral, clickbaity piece of shit content they could.

(Nevermind the hypocrisy of sowing fear over "Joker" while they'd previously screamed in defense of videogames after the last round of mass shootings.)