What really caught my attention was the suggestion of being back in Jr. High - and reliving that kind of trauma. Yet so much of what I saw on TV (back when I had a TV) had a sense of "abuse" to it - just like Jr. High. It reminds of a story by Ray Bradbury called "The Playground".
One of the ways that the media have attracted audiences is using "shock". "You won't believe the shocking new revelation about _______." But Mills suggests that the ability to shock is a gift. Maybe the shock comes in the form of a Compassion International video showing starving people in terrible need. Maybe the shock comes in the picture of a rotting body found on a field of war. But these have a point - a challenge to better ourselves and the lives of those around us. Using (overusing!) shocking behavior and abusive language for a laugh or for ratings is not a positive direction for us.
