The Romanticism of Violence.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

A perfect example of the romanticism of violence:

Many Americans flip out over any sort of nudity, sexual relations, etc. Sex is such a taboo that many parents don't even talk about it with their children. The church shuns it, labels it as 'sin', and often sweeps it under the rug. This includes nudity when used as non-erotic art, etc. Essentially, it's all bad.

Yet they can watch movies with gratuitous violence, blood, gore, and violence for the sake of violence. The church refuses to take a stand against violence, yet violently speaks out against anything even remotely sexual in nature. This isn't just in the church either -- the entire modern world barely bats an eye at violence in fiction.

[Lord J Esq]

It's more of a U.S. thing than an "entire modern world thing," and, to a lesser extent, more of a "modern countries with Christian origins" thing than an "entire modern world thing." This country was first peopled by Puritans and we have yet to get over their childishness.

[tushantin]

Thought this would be the best place to post this:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201110/evolutionary-shockology-and-human-nature