Hi Neil, No reasonable person would argue that life was harsher during the Middle Ages, or for that matter during many other time periods in human history. However I must say that although comparisons can be made, our immediate concern should be today and in the future. Yes we can learn from the past, but the solutions need to be applied to the present for effect. Your own statement of visually witnessing violence would in fact tend to support my statements. As for assumptions, I made no assumptions. There are well documented studies correlating violence in the Media and it's effects on our children. I invite you to review the following links which were found in a quick search. I've read many similar reports over the years and find it disconcerting that people continue to ignore the dangers we face. http://sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/295/5564/2377 http://www.commercialalert.org/huesmann.pdf http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/stateindustryviolence/main.asp http://www.killology.com/stanfordstudy.htm http://www.ridgenet.org/szaflik/tvrating.htm These links relate to Video Game violence and the effects on the developing minds of our children. http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/walsh.html http://www.psychologymatters.org/videogames.html http://www.apa.org/science/psa/sb-anderson.html Of course one will also be able to find numerous articles which seek to debunk these findings, but then there were also many published reports which argued against the dangers of smoking. I would look with a critical eye on the opposing views simply on the basis that few if any provide a satisfactory level of factual research data.

Hi Tim, Yep, I agree with most of what you said and should of made it more clear in what I said. I do not doubt SOME Children are adversly affected by what they see. Only to say ALL children who see the SAME thing would be adversely affected by it would not be correct. The bottom line is, we are now, over all, living (in most countries) the safest period in history.

And Tim, I forgot to say the following. I understand that here in the U.S., we have a law which states those who watch a lynching taking place without taking steps to stop it are as guilty as are those who actually lynched the person. Where I running things, the driver & passengers who just watched the guy get beat to death would all be arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter! They would be incarcerated, taken to trial and hopefully, be found guilty. In my view, they do not have the right to be free as they are too selfish to be a member of a civilized society.

Hello Bogdan, awesome again.Don't turn a blind eye and really take control of this suituation especially if the underdog is yourself...Go for Broke never let fear hold us back defend the defenceless. Take care,Just Do it. Regards jeffrey OBrien friend to all:) http://www.bringyourbuddy.com/ticket/jeffreyobrien