Without chaos and catastrophe there would be no news. Our society has become accumstomed to negative as newsworthy. It is sad commentary to realize that the positive elements of humanity are not at the forefront. Being fair, this is not solely a local/national TV news and newspaper/news magazine issue, as we may readily define media, but transcends into popular culture, including magazines, afternoon drive disc jockeys on the FM dial, movies and video games. While the former developed as the delivery mechanism for events of the day pressing our society into the next gear to arrive at the next day, the latter is an entertainment vehicle allowing us to getaway from the trudgery or exuberence of our daily lives. Can blame be placed?

To a degree it can. As was inferred, we are not being shown the triumphs of humankind, not nearly enough. Redefine what is important through responsible use of content rather than allowing past ratings to drive future content for perceived success and advertising revenue. Daily our media outlets have an opportunity to improve communication skills, perhaps they need a constant reminder.

Does entertainment need constant disclaimers of what it’s intentions are and if so are they to blame? While some parents groups lobby and scream from their McMansions that it does need more rating systems and control imposed by government they consistently miss the point as parents. What is sickening are the groups who want laws passed that give parents comfort in “knowing” that they can parent less and their children will be unscathed by the machine that is pop-culture. There is no substitute for the teachings of parents. And no, school is not the place children should first learn of discipline, comportment, respect.

Here is a prime example of parents failing their children:

A four year old girl wants shoes like her grandmother, knee-high boots with high heels. The mother says OK because, in her words, its will become a fight that is not worth fighting. The translation: as a mom I am not equipped to talk to my child about what is appropriate for her age. This is one of many opportunities for the child to usurp control of the relationship. These would be small battles that go unfought result in larger issues where the parent has no control and the child and the child has lost an opporunity at a wonderful lesson. The kicker is that this involved zero “media” interaction. Blame mom and dad with little or no backbone.

As our melting pot society is reformed into a beautiful mosaic, the grout that holds these tiles together, social mores and family values, is weakened and wiped away. This is a direct result of people who communicate poorly yet find a way to procreate resulting in subpar parenting, a skill that continues to disintegrate with each subsequent generation.

The elements that come together to create out media empire have an opportunity to improve our ability to communicate and we should implore them to do so daily. They are in no way responsible for our lack of communication skills, for that look at parents and gaurdians who care more about themselves, their image and status, and the now instead of the develoment of their children, family, and the future.