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"Are people more violent now?"

More and more incidents, such as the University shooting the other day, seem to appear to be happening. Is this a sign that we're getting more violent as a society, or at least certain countries are becoming more violent? Or is it a growing minority of people suffering with mental health issues due to some change in the way we live today?

Obviously it's a gross generalisation to say we're getting more violent. Just look at the Roman Empire or any one of a number of historical groups of people and you'll see not just battles between borders but internal fighting, slaughter and blood. Today it seems to be more focused on individuals than organised groups, though there are enough gangs (yes, thanks to Ross Kemp for pointing that out). Our wars are less bloody and feel more detached to those of us not on the battlefield. So maybe this lack of war or organised violence has created a reservoir of pent up aggression?

Whatever changes on an organised front have happened, it’s certainly the individual that now seems to be causing the main violent outbursts, or perhaps this is the media’s need to report any and every occurrence? There seem to be (and possibly are) more people suddenly going off the rails, particularly in America, where gun crime is rife and guns are legally sold over the counter. But even if they weren’t, another weapon would be used. You only have to look at the amount of sword killings in this country to see that banning guns does not completely solve the answer. It makes it harder to kill so many people so easily, but those same people who would wield a gun would find another way to kill instead.

If these incidents are happening more often, though, perhaps it’s a sign of humanity’s mental state as a whole, or more specifically in those countries like the US where it happens more often. Perhaps pressure from society (the haves and have nots or political correctness and many other issues) or even the food we eat (junk food has been shown to have negative affects on health, and mental health is included) go towards making us less ‘sane’ at the end of the day. If this is the case, it really needs to be looked at. One thing that points to this more than any other is the amount of personal crime involving people who ‘snap’ in America compared to Europe. The lifestyle, diet and society is different. But more than this, the UK is a good mix of the two and if this country has a near enough average number of incidents between the figures of Europe and the US it would certainly point to the way we live and what we eat/do as a contributing cause.

So is Macdonalds killing our brain? I don’t think it’s that simple or straight forward. A number of things are probably to blame, media possibly being the least likely to affect any ‘normal’ person and send them on a killing spree. Maybe people are being born with more violent tendencies, or are we just creating them through the way we live these days?

Behaviourist theory says that you'll copy what you see depending on whether you percieve a lack of punishment or a reward for your actions. Before TV there was no was no mass perception of what was acceptable and as such, the world was a extremely violent place. When TV was introduced it opened up a whole new world of morality that stretched out beyond your neightbours, mass morality and public opinion. People were educated, were shown how to behave and were taught that if you dont you get punished for it. Thats not the message we're getting anymore.
Yes there was violence before tv, just like there was 40 years ago but compare 2007 to 1987 and there is a big difference in attitude and i think you'd have to be blind or living in the middle of nowhere not to think this country hasnt gotten more violent. Now i want to hear where you guys think the blame lies if it's not in the great educator of our time.

Religion isn't responsible for anything either, kill someone and they're either going to a better place or hell.

Can't see that influencing people at all. Mmmmm toasty witches.

The Romans got the idea for crucifiction off CNN and the Spanish Inquisition were copying Heraldo.

Napoleon invaded russia on the advice of Jade Goody and Ghengis Khan was a puppy dog until he took part in an episode of wifeswap with the Hamiltons.

Damn that media influence, corrupting human nature since the beginning of time.

But then take sex on television. Many European countries have explicit sex scenes early on in the evening and adverts with full nudity, yet have lower teenage pregnancies and less paedophiles than other countries like ours with higher censorship values.

The same can be said of violence. There is less censorship on the European continent than here or in the US (the US is actually worse than us for censoring films and TV), and yet less violence as well.

I think Media is an easy target and I don't think it can make people any more mentally unstable, unless perhaps they are in the spotlight themselves, constantly hounded by the press. It just provides stimulation for those already mentally unstable, but they'd get stimulation elsewhere if it wasn't there.

So whats your explanation then? I agree with the duck, media influence.

Whats an acceptable standard of behaviour has been lowered or advertised by the media.

They also (sometimes unintentionally) put out the message that you can get away with just about anything these days.

There is also an issue with desensitizing people to it. Violence is so common now that everyone has slipped into a malaise about it.

There isn't a message being portrayed anymore that being good will reward you. Is it not the constant message we get that good people are consistently being screwed? I personally think the media is undermining morality.
And to answer the orginal question. Yes, people are more violent, no doubt, theyre certainly more aggressive.

I still think the media is the least likely cause. It's a contributing factor, sure, but only in the same way that a shop selling matches is a contributing factor in arson.

I doubt people who are in prison think it's a complete joke.

I do think that a lot of it is down to media hype. The press make it sound like you'll be stabbed by a gang of 15 year olds as soon as you leave your house.

I do think that our justice system is worse these days though. The types of people who are in gangs or involved in violent crimes etc aren't afraid of being arrested. Even if they do get arrested the prisons aren't so bad these days. Don't get me wrong, I would hate to go to prison, but these days they get pool tables, internet access, TV's in their cells and the latest games consoles. I bet half of the people in prison don't even have this at home. The prison system is a complete joke.

My feeling is that a stronger and more hype-based media contributes heavily to our perception of increased violence.

It's similar to the way a tiny minority of people, all rich and famous, are now thrust in front of our lives, massively scrambling our perceptions of what it means to be successful and the standard of living we aspire too.

So too the news is rammed down peoples' throats harder and faster than ever before, until everyone is choking on the splurge of violence and negativity in the headlines.

I have no idea. I'm not a sociologist/anthropologist.

I would say there are more people, ipso facto more violent people. But I dunno.

:)