An article in psychology today says, "Peering inside the brain with MRI scans, researchers at University College London found that self-described conservative students had a larger amygdala (link is external) than liberals. The amygdala is an almond-shaped structure deep in the brain that is active during states of fear and anxiety. Liberals had more gray matter at least in the anterior cingulate cortex, a region of the brain that helps people cope with complexity."

Moreover, things that made them feel safer also made them kinder people. Yes, violence in the media is driving people into panic, it is not just children that are affected. Statistics show that we live in an era with fewer murders, deaths from disease, and war than at any time in history. Yet, conservatives are driven by fear that is whipped up by arms manufacturers and others who want to sell weapons.

If we can make people feel safer, gentler attitudes will prevail.

[psychologytoday.com]

Man I love this site. So many good topics to discuss whilst laying in bed with a hot cup of coffee!
I did a research paper for some college class in the 80's where there was some study about how violence in cartoons affects children. Ugh...so long ago...but let me present the issue in this light:
I think we are desensitized all over the place. The world is violent. Nature is violent. Unless it's directly affecting our little reality, most of us sort of care...but not really. Kids included.
I think violence in the past was much more "personal". Wars were fought hand to hand...knives, swords, blood. Hell, if you study history, half those poor bastards were drunk just so they could get on the field! They knew what was coming!
It's an arguable position. But I feel our ancestors took violence a whole lot more seriously, more personally, than more recent generations where we create cultures around different forms by way of shows and video games. We have guns and bombs and drones. It's quite impersonal, is it not?
I think it's lack of empathy that promotes much violence. Can we teach our kids empathy? Why yes...yes we can...

Throughout history, literature has been filled with violence. Only the medium by which it’s presented has changed.

Are we starting to get used to it? Human's have been killing each other for thousands of years. What's new?

Yes. And no.

Violence has always been accepted in the media. Shakespeare wrote about battles, and feuds. Newspapers have almost always reported crime and violence in preference to nice fluffy stories - sensational out of the ordinary stuff sells. In the movies, the good guy not only always outwits the bad guy, but also is tougher and wins out in the final violent scenes.

Modern media report violence as everyday occurrences and scare is into thinking it is endemic everywhere - but it isn't. It's only newsworthy because it is out of the ordinary. We are told to keep ourselves safe and be paranoid about our chances of being attacked. Statistics show (in western europe) that the chances of being subject to violent crime is still less than 1%

I also think (personal opinion only) that there is a growing backlash to a lot of the violence.

Yes, look how fast we got used to Trump's idiotic tweets. We are still afraid but not blown away.

I grew up watching the Viet Nam conflict every day on TV so I doubt it is worse today.

I don't think this is true, necessarily. I have watched violent movies since I can remember. I have never once been violent with anyone. I also think we're all different and will respond differently to different stimuli. What I see is, the media today, gives too much opinion. They don't report the news, they act it out. Whether it's reading an article or watching a clip or news on tv, I feel like the people reporting are putting too much emotion and drama into their stories and naive people don't see passed it and automatically take the side of the reporter. I feel 20 years ago, the news was really boring because it just talked about the news, now I find it repulsive because they exaggerate shit for ratings. People see this and want to become the next 15 min sensation or viral video. It's ridiculous. I think I answered your question lol! I got a little carried away.

Humans have always been violent, its in our genes like chimps. its not different because we see more of it by choice on a differnt platform. just because you can't see it doesnt mean it isnt happening. that being said it just might get the young fighting more because at there fingertips they can see more people doing it. I think violent people are just going to be violent people what ever happens. there technice might change but not there actions. it doesnt make you into a rapist watching porn. a lot of unviolent people are put off even more by violance as they see it more or cruelty. I know I am

The more we see things the more familiar we become with it but accepting it is another thing.
When we have a president who calls people names and slams good people we have entered another level of madness.

I read books and watch series with violence in it (violence doesnt only show itself in fisticuffs) I think most of us know the difference between whats out there that can really harm us and that which is a sort of 'what if? entertainment - But no one needs to watch anything they don't want to and on English T.V there are very often warnings about explict violence and bad language.

Violence is everywhere, I blame over crowding, in towns, on highways. Too many people,

Yes, for aaaaaaaaaages. I had to stop watching violent movies and shows years ago.

Although we may be still disgusted by it, we may be getting jaded enough to consider it normal. How very sad!

The USA was founded on violence, has perpetuated itself on violence and violence is the underlying driving force that sustains it today (fear, dillusion and violence). The media is just a tool. IMHO

The violence in the media is an outgrowth of the violence we do to each other. We have allowed oursleves to be drawn into a polerized society. We are told that Mexican immagrants are rapisits and murders and that Muslems are all terrorists, no matter the facts to the contrary. Until we begin to accept other, different people this will not change. Not that this is new, there has always been this undercurrent in society, look at the Jews and pograms they have put up with.

No. I think that the large majority of our people are distrubed by the amount of violence. What is even more disturbing is the collapse of moral intrgrity among our politicians, particularly Republicans, shown in their unwillingness to do anything to deter violence-- particularly gun violence.

Do you mean compared to the violence in the media in the past?

I used to work with a 3 year old whose favorite movie was Blade. I can barely watch that, too violent, but that anyone would let a preschooler watch that...!

We need more movies modeling HEALTHY relationships (please, no Twilight or 50 Shades!), that are realistic and not some stupid fairy tale.

Yes but you must fight censureship

yes

It's inevitable especially if you actively seek news you therefore make the world's business your own. You'll start to get a sense of creeping normacly.

I think that violence is normally diconnected from our everyday lives , we are so used to seeing the results ,war reported from around the world etc that a lot of people just murmur platitudes, but then don't do a lot about it.Then off they go to buy some video game or other where people are getting shot ,blown up or whatever ....
I wonder how many soldiers who have seen combat or the effects of this stufff buy this crap.

There's never been any credibly established correlation between violent comic books/cartoons/movies/video games and kids turning into killers. Kids watch Tom and Jerry. They know it isn't real. The argument that on-screen (or on paper) violence leads to real life violence is a classic case of the appeal to probability fallacy.

One exception, of course. Someone with dangerous psychotic tendencies may seek out these things and will view them in a different manner to a typical individual: they treat a violent film more as an instruction manual, and rather than getting an adrenaline rush from witnessing the violent situiation, their thrill comes from the fantasy of being the one who instigates it. And accepted, that kind of person, already predisposed towards violence, might find the violence in this media fuels their urge to go out and commit it in real life. But the mental health problem must be at the root of it for this to happen.

As for (relatively) normal people? I "learned to drive" thrashing a Ferrari Testarossa as fast and recklessly as I could around a track. Yes, I put a lot of money into Sega's arcade Outrun when I was a teen. When I got my own car, was I driving it foot to the floor, overtaking trucks on blind bends? No, I wasn't. I knew full well that such behaviour was likely to get me killed. The game didn't teach me that smashing into another vehicle in real life just meant I lost a few seconds and might not make it to the next checkpoint in time, because I wasn't an idiot.