No, Mr. Rosenberg, I'm just one of those who's fed up with the excuses. If we trace the human propensity for wickedness to its source, we arrive at original sin, not Jerry Springer. But in this technology-driven age, the media are the most powerful external influence on the young, whether we like it or not. When children are asked who their role models are, they don't name parents, teachers, or clergy. Overwhelmingly, they name entertainers.
Entertainment can be a sort of last straw or the moment of dark inspiration.
Of course , corrupting entertainment product isn't the whole story. Such depravity can flourish only in a moral and spiritual vacuum, and, sad to say, the recent growth in religion has by no means touched all of America. It might have at least come close had the media afforded it the proper attention. In Manhattan and Hollywood, however, religion remains a largely foreign concept. A 1998 study found an average of less than one religious reference for every three hours of prime time programming.