Is Law & Order bad for America?

[Radical Activist]

No, this isn't about Fred Thompson.
Some of my family are big fans of Law & Order. I think they watch special victims unit the most. It seems like the show is always about really horrific crimes and evil people. Mother killers, father rapers, child molesters and so on. These are things I don't like hearing or thinking about so I don't watch the show.

So here's my question. What is the psychological impact on America as a whole that every day millions of Americans are watching shows about such horrible, evil crimes and people? It has to have some kind of impact on how people view the world and their mood in general.

Or does what people watch on TV really have no effect on them at all?

[Radical Activist]

1. Is my post too boring for a response?

I guess so. :)

[Skittles]

2. not as much as what watching mindless "reality" crap does

no INDEED

[Radical Activist]

5. Oh there's no doubt that American Idol is destroying America.

That's not even questionable.

[Skittles]

6. lord I wish people would stop watching that crap

and cease the endless parade of half-talent celebrity wanabes :puke:

[Radical Activist]

10. The worst part

is that the illinois state fair, that once upon a time booked really good musical acts, now has an american idol loser every year. Its bad enough that people watch the crappy show and buy the CD of the winner but even the LOSERS get record deals and tours. WTF?!

[Skittles]

18. as a native Illinoisan

that is highly offensive to me - YUCK. :o

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. I watch crime shows all the time, fictional and documentary. There are times I have

to take a break. For example too many shows about child killers gets me hyperventilating about how far away my kids' bedroom is from mine. Or too many shoot-'em-up shows had me wondering if someone was hiding behind a car in a grocery store parking lot waiting to take me out.

But I am not sure what weight you should give my thoughts here. Most of those experiences happened before I started taking my meds which help keep my paranoia and fears in check. :shrug:

[Radical Activist]

4. hehe

maybe there's a connection between the shows and the paranoia?
Thanks for responding.

[RevolutionaryActs]

7. Why do you hate America?

[Radical Activist]

8. Because

women are not given free plaid skirts.

[RevolutionaryActs]

11. I have plaid skirts and knee black boots

I'm coo'


:P

[Radical Activist]

13. umm

I didn't know about the black boots. That's good news.
I've heard and seen that long black boots are in this year and that makes me glad.

[RevolutionaryActs]

15. They're new.

;)

[Radical Activist]

19. Reminds me of a great song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjqSF8CQStQ

...in leather boots

[RevolutionaryActs]

21. In my head I'm changing it to Sweet Twenty-One

and pretending it's about me. 'Kay?


Or I could just play this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYbZNamJQ5g


Big black boots, long brown hair. < --- SO ME! :D

[Radical Activist]

22. The leather boots are the important part

but I'm sure you could pass for 16 in a plaid skirt if you wanted to.

[RevolutionaryActs]

23. Why would I want to though?

Then I couldn't drink! :cry:

[Radical Activist]

24. Maybe

your uncle would still sneak you some liquor.

[RevolutionaryActs]

25. Uncle RA...

is my skirt too short? :rofl:

[Radical Activist]

26. oh no

hike it up a little more honey

[RevolutionaryActs]

27. Bwhahaha

:rofl:


I really hate to, but I have to go to bed. Or else I'll hate myself in the morning when my alarm goes off. x(


It was wonderful playing with your again Uncle RA, don't be a stranger. :* :hug:

[Radical Activist]

28. I'm tired too

goodnight

[sasquatch]

9. Cause people like you that enslave Prozacicon live in it!

:P

[RevolutionaryActs]

12. I did not enslave Prozacimon!

How dare you! He is my loyal and trustworthy companion.

[sasquatch]

17. Yeah right

:eyes:



































:D

[RevolutionaryActs]

20. *sigh*

:spank:



Like you didn't see that one coming! :P

[Dawggie]

14. I think that they might give the opinion that law enforcement agencies are never wrong.

I'll admit that I TiVo most of them and I enjoy many of their over-the-top plots, and the characters are all easy on the eyes with mediocre performances... But, damn, they're fun to watch and I still worry that I was an English major and 51% of the American populaion once voted for the idiot son of a pror president and buy his "be scared of your shadow" policies.

I doubt many here take the show as any form of reality, but there are couch potatoes by the million that want to believe that if a cop arrests someone, they are guilty.

[Radical Activist]

16. I hadn't thought about it from that aspect.

[Wapsie B]

29. I think all the L & A shows along with the CSI shows present a distorted picture

of crime in this country. The vast majority of these cases revolve around violent crime. White-Collar crime is rarely if ever the center of an investigation. I swear if they can make test tubes and microscopes look exciting, albeit with lots of T & A they can show a group of Forensic Accountants going after a crooked banker or CEO.

[Radical Activist]

30. That would be cool.

I'm sure someone could make it interesting. Spike Lee managed to do it but it was only a subplot in a movie about a male hooker for lesbians trying to get pregnant.

[Wapsie B]

31. Yes it sure would.

I could see them focusing on all the ill-gotten goods from embezzlers and con artists. Then they could show something other than politicians too. :P

There's the crime show "Numbers" on CBS.

[Drunken Irishman]

32. I've always liked Law and Order.

[Fire Walk With Me]

33. It says nothing due to the overwhelming number of television shows espousing joy and love.

:sarcasm:

[Mythsaje]

34. I haven't watched it in a long time...

But I like some of the discussions the show could engender...between me and my ex and me and my wife. There were ethical and moral dilemmas that often came up...the lesser of two evils, how far was TOO far in prosecuting a case, etc. I liked that McCoy would go after corporations for practices that led to death at times.

I must admit I don't like SVU. Belzer is a great character, but I can't stand the main guy.

[murielm99]

35. I enjoy watching those shows.

I like to read detective stories and murder mysteries from time to time also.

There was a study, at least ten years ago, that found that people who watched television excessively did have a more fearful and pessimistic view of life. Maybe that is why so many of them fell for bush's fear and terra routine and still support him. They watch too much television.