Corrupting influence of fiction

Literature familiarizes people with evil. It breaks down taboos by making people think the unthinkable. The danger is not limited to squalid late films, nor is it restricted to possible copy-cat actions. The problem is not precise. The danger is the general atmosphere created by the literature and drama of the current period. This takes violence for granted, notably in television. Whether the images are fact or fiction, the idea is the same, and by representation it becomes irresistible. Brutality and bloodshed become accepted as part of life. It is no more sensible to complain about their existence than it is to complain about the weather.