"In many ways, I think that, while we've been remarkably violent in our media, there's been a real schizophrenia. In private, on the Internet, and on public-affairs shows or talk radio, we're way more explicit than we've ever been"
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In this quote, Ivan Reitman touches on the double nature of how violence and specific material are managed in modern-day media versus personal discourse. He uses the term "schizophrenia" to describe a sort of split or duality in social behavior and attitudes towards explicit content and violence. On the one hand, there is an extensive symptom of violence in media-- movies, tv, computer game-- where graphic depictions of violence are typically prevalent and in some cases commemorated. This element could recommend a desensitization to violence within the media we consume openly.
On the other hand, Reitman suggests that there is a contrasting dynamic when it pertains to how explicit content is dealt with in more personal or targeted types of communication. On platforms such as the Internet, public-affairs shows, or talk radio, people tend to express themselves in a more explicit manner. These platforms enable a specific privacy or directness that may not be as widespread in mainstream media. There is a recommendation that these forms of media permit people to be more upcoming and raw in expressing their thoughts and viewpoints, differing from traditional media which typically buffers or filters content to preserve a specific public etiquette.
Reitman's observation highlights a dichotomy: while mainstream media frequently imparts a layer of detachment through imaginary or dramatized representations of violence, the platforms for private or semi-private discourse allow a more truthful, albeit typically more raw, expression of ideas and feelings surrounding similar themes. The term "schizophrenia" metaphorically emphasizes this split in how our public and private dialogues deal with explicitness differently. The quote invites reflection on the ramifications of these practices, possibly questioning whether society truly benefits from this double nature of usage and expression, and how it impacts our collective mind and social behavior.
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