Some have seized the occasion to argue against all media violence, particularly because of its influence on children. That s simplistic. Yes, Hollywood cranks out a great deal of mindlessly exploitative violent product, but it s also yielded such masterpieces as Schindler s List and Saving Private Ryan, which convey the horror of violence without glamorizing it in any way and which mature children ought to see for that reason alone. Glibness, for one thing. The humor we need, be it bawdy or witty, is grounded in the substance of real life, in human nature and character.
Glibness is quite different.
It s determinedly insubstantial, irreverent. Its ultimate meaning is that nothing matters enough to matter. Over almost two decades of largely carefree affluence, it s been an easy attitude to adopt. Glibness now rings horribly, horribly false. The magazine Entertainment Weekly long ago moved past flirting with glibness into a steady relationship with it.