Desensitization

One of the portrait volunteers made a comment one day that there is a lack of concern about issues like domestic violence because of all the violent movies and video games that kids (all of us actually) are exposed to on a daily basis. People become desensitized to violence,and she may have a very good point.

Now,I will be the first to admit that I have always loved scary movies, even as a kid. As long as there is a good plot to the mayhem, what's a little blood and guts? I've seen a lot of zombie movies and have always liked the supernatural ones, thinking they are lots of fun only because it's FICTION. Plus there's nothing more cathartic that spending an hour with a girlfriend, playing doubles on House of Dead III, popping off a bunch of zombies and monsters, while working up adrenaline and sweat. My idea of a good time for sure. And yet...

One time, I parked my car at Home Depot, here in Ahwatukee, and saw a bunch of people gathered around someone. When I got out of my car, I could hear screaming. Freaking out, I went over to the collective and saw this large guy standing on the long hair of his girlfriend or wife while she is laying on the dirty, hot ground screaming for him to get off. No one moved a muscle. Boy, was I on fire! Seething with fury, I yelled out into the crowd, "Well is anyone going to do something or are you all just going to stand here and watch?!" I just didn't get it. Luckily for Mr. tough pants, I was a petite female, or I would have gone over and busted his chops. My voice broke the crowd out of a stupor (a few were eating popcorn with eyes the size of saucers)and three guys broke away toward the couple. I then ran into the store to make sure an employee called the police. Fortunately, someone had a working brain because he had already done it.

Now, I'm no psychologist, but I understand the brain itself can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy, which is why we become desensitized to things that we see over and over. Too bad this doesn't work for me when the kitties jump on the kitchen counters over and over. (I have to keep refilling the water spray bottle.) There is an element of truth that repetition creates pathways in the brain that help us get used to a new habit or learn a new language or whatever. Our emotions can follow suit with this repetition, for instance, when we fall back into defense mechanisms that we created as children to deal with uncomfortable situations or pain. Survivors tell me all the time how they didn't even realize how bad the situation was until they finally got away. Some of them, unfortunately, fall in the "learned helplessness" that can lead to dangerous and lethal consequences.

As a community, it may be true that we are less sensitive to violence, but I believe that ignorance is a lot more dangerous because people still know in their hearts what is right and wrong. They just don't see, hear, and feel until violence happens to them or someone they love. I suppose it's an unfortunately result of the human condition.

University of California: Experiments with violent films
Video Games and desensitization to violence