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Can movie consumption teach us about politics?

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By Matthew Hartvigsen

Deseret News

Published: Monday, Jan. 21 2013 11:10 a.m. MST

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Ray Owens in "The Last Stand."

Photo credit: Merrick Morton, Merrick Morton

Enlarge photo»

Summary

People's choices to avoid recent violent films may signal a political shift in Americans. It may, however, show that movie goers are making the connection between violent entertainment and violent behavior.

More Coverage
  • Network executives evade questions about violent TV, social ills

  • Matthew Sanders: America needs to curb its appetite for violent media

  • Matthew Sanders: Is Hollywood suddenly gun-shy? Director's Guild nixes Tarantino in nominations

  • In our opinion: No easy answers to end tragedies like the one at Sandy Hook

  • Media violence 'unchained': Multiple studies show kids are adversely affected by violence in entertainment, news

  • Matthew Sanders: Reframing the debate on Hollywood's violent profits

Can people's movie choices reflect the political mindset of some Americans? Noah Gittel seems to think so. According to his recent column in The Atlantic, the Rogue Cop action films that were popular in the 1980s have fallen from vogue. Gittel suggests that this change in movie preference may actually show a political shift in mindset from Reagan's policies in the '80s to those of today.

However, it seems odd that Gittel would not mention that these changes in movie consumption may actually be a reaction to the connection between on-screen violence and horrific shootings like Aurora and Sandy Hook. Many recent Deseret News articles show the link between violent entertainment and violent behavior:

Matthew Sanders: America needs to curb its appetite for violent media

Network executives evade questions about violent TV, social ills

Media violence 'unchained': Multiple studies show kids are adversely affected by violence in entertainment, news

Matthew Sanders: Reframing the debate on Hollywood's violent profits

Email: mhartvigsen@deseretdigital.com

Related Stories
  • Network executives evade questions about violent TV, social ills

  • Matthew Sanders: America needs to curb its appetite for violent media

  • Matthew Sanders: Is Hollywood suddenly gun-shy? Director's Guild nixes Tarantino in nominations

Featured Comments

See all 10 comments »
John Charity Spring
Back Home in Davis County, UT

It is no coincidence that the perpetrator of every school massacre in the last 25 years had spent an enormous amount of time watching violent shows and/or playing video games. Study after study has proven that those who participate in violent More..

  • 12:03 p.m. Jan. 21, 2013
  • Top comment
Pagan
Salt Lake City, UT

Arnold Schwarzenegger voted against gay marriage while he was Governor of California.

Then, told his wife Maria Shriver that he had a 10 year old son with another woman.

My dollars will support those politics that I support.
More..

  • 11:44 a.m. Jan. 21, 2013
  • Top comment
Screwdriver
Casa Grande, AZ

That at least half of the actors are only in it for the money and are pretending to love guns?

  • 1:55 p.m. Jan. 21, 2013
  • Top comment
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