02/19/2018
Whispering waves...somehow turned into the sounds of screaming students at yet another school shooting this past week. While the media is already on to the next story, we wonder what is being done. Wherever you stand on gun control, at least it lies at the very heart of our national discourse as these events sadly continue to reoccur.
Yet the role culture and media play in the commercialization and distribution of violence continues to be hushed. Part of being a boy or man today centers on constant exposure to a tide of violence, including but not limited to video games, slasher films, tv shows and violent p**n. If you go online or watch tv, it is largely inescapable. How many times have you heard a ten year old excitedly report killing something or someone with a machine gun in a video game? Did you know there are more than 50 apps or games where the central theme is ra**ng women? We as a culture have accepted the normalization and commercialization of violence that is targeted at boys and men. Maybe small stands against violence, racism and sexism in our daily lives offer the only way to building a culture I know so many of us want. Speak up. Consume consciously and with empathy. And believe that small moments of strength can truly add up to a big difference.
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