“How We Decide” by Jonah Lehrer Reading Assignment 2: Chapter 5-8

Reading “How We Decide” is very interesting and informative about how humans make basic decisions to very complicated ones with many variables.  It is the first time I have read required material for school and read the entire text.  As I read chapter six, “The Moral Mind” I found myself really disturbed by the fact that the government allows organizations, the military, and the media to influence the way people think and make decisions.  From which cereal we want to eat to accepting violence as a social norm.

 On page 179 Lehrer encloses that only 20% of infantryman of US military during WWII actually fired their weapon while being attacked because it was against people’s moral code to kill another human being.  So the US Military changed tactics and launched new strategies to desensitize their men and making killing morally easier and automatic.  During the Korean War 60% shot their weapons and Vietnam 90% shot their weapons.  Needless to say the US Military tactics were effective.  I am not saying that these tactics were not important or invaluable in a war situation or that the military was wrong. 

What does distress me is that desensitization to violence does not just effect willing participants in the US military, no, it affects us much closer to home.  Why is it that the US government allows desensitization in mass media?  According to New Scienctist 2007, “By the time the average U.S. child starts elementary school he or she will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,00 acts of violence on TV.” (http://www.cybercollege.com/violence.htm)

What we watch or participate in inadvertently affects who we are, how we act, and what behaviors we deem safe and healthy.  If we as a nation promote nothing but violence then whether we realize it or not we are telling our children that violence is ok.  If anything mass media should be advocating healthy lifestyles.  If that were the case we would probably have a smaller percentage with obesity and we wouldn’t have terrible acts of violence like the Columbine shooting.  One thing is for sure this book most definitely gives food for thought!