the media assault.....the major findings
Here are the numbers (from cultureandmediainstitute.org/specialreports/pdf/
NationalCulturalValues.pdf):
I. Americans believe the nation is in moral decline,and that the news and entertainment media
are major contributors to the slide.
74%, including majorities of every major demographic group, say they believe moral
values in America are weaker than they were 20 years ago.
48% say moral values are much weaker than they were 20 years ago.
68%, including majorities of virtually every demographic group, say the media –
entertainment and news alike – are having a detrimental effect on moral values in America..
64% agree the news and entertainment media exercise powerful influence over
American moral values. In fact,the substantial majority (74 percent) who believe moral
values are weaker than twenty years ago consider the media to be the second greatest
influence on moral values after parents and families.
II. Consensus remains high on the importance of classical virtues like industry, truthfulness,
thrift, and charity.
Industry: 88% believe in consistently doing their best n the job.
Truthfulness: 51% say lying is always wrong, and 46% accept lying only to
protect someone else’s feelings.
Thrift: A solid majority, 59%, believe in saving for the future even if it means making
sacrifices now. An additional 38% will save when they can. Thus the great majority
of Americans embrace the concept of delayed gratification.
Charity: 94% of American adults believe in giving to others. 45% say they give
regardless of their circumstances, and 49% say they help when they can. Religious
beliefs exercise great influence over attitudes toward charity: religious people are far more
committed to giving than secular people.
III. But what happens when the rubber meets the road? While Americans say they believe in the classical virtues,they often fail to follow through. Significant numbers admit they are willing to act dishonestly in everyday life.
33% of American adults say they would cheat the government by working under the
table while receiving unemployment benefits.
25% admit they would cheat a restaurant that left items off a bill.
25% believe the use of illegal drugs by adults is acceptable.
IV. Personal and societal sexual moral standards are crumbling.
16% say sex between unmarried adults is never wrong, and 49% more say it
depends on the situation. 65% of Americans will excuse sex outside marriage.
Only 67% believe premarital sex among high school kids is always wrong.
Only 49% think homosexuality is wrong. A mere 14% say homosexuality is right, but 26 percent say it depends on the situation.
51% describe themselves as "pro-choice," though only 8 percent believe abortion is
"morally right."
45% say divorce should be legal for any reason at any time.
IV. America is losing its fear of God.
87% of Americans say they believe in God and 52% say they believe the Bible is
God’s authoritative word.
But only 36% believe people should live by God ’s principles. 15% say they will live by their own principles even if they conflict with God ’s principles, and 45% prefer to combine God’s teachings and their own values.
In defiance of the Bible ’s prohibition against taking innocent life, 51% describe
themselves as "pro-choice," and 53% are willing to tolerate physician-assisted suicide.
28% are willing to exclude religious principles from government simply because the
principles are religious in origin. An additional 35% will exclude religious principles
from government on certain issues.
Regular churchgoing has dipped below 50 percent among American adults.
That's a lot of numbers. You can go to the report itself and get a whole lot more detail, but the numbers I quoted above come from the Executive Summary.
One other major fact bears repeating, however. "Heavy" TV viewers (4 hours or more per evening) three times more likely to identify with the Progressive views than were "light" TV viewers (1 hour or less per evening). Further, the vast majority of heavy TV viewers (over 70%) disagree with the belief that TV has been one of the causes or moral decay in America.
Read for yourself the reports I have linked to from this post, my previous post, and my June 14 post. It seems pretty clear that the most efficient way to become a godless liberaliar is to stay glued to the TV every night!
NationalCulturalValues.pdf):
I. Americans believe the nation is in moral decline,and that the news and entertainment media
are major contributors to the slide.
74%, including majorities of every major demographic group, say they believe moral
values in America are weaker than they were 20 years ago.
48% say moral values are much weaker than they were 20 years ago.
68%, including majorities of virtually every demographic group, say the media –
entertainment and news alike – are having a detrimental effect on moral values in America..
64% agree the news and entertainment media exercise powerful influence over
American moral values. In fact,the substantial majority (74 percent) who believe moral
values are weaker than twenty years ago consider the media to be the second greatest
influence on moral values after parents and families.
II. Consensus remains high on the importance of classical virtues like industry, truthfulness,
thrift, and charity.
Industry: 88% believe in consistently doing their best n the job.
Truthfulness: 51% say lying is always wrong, and 46% accept lying only to
protect someone else’s feelings.
Thrift: A solid majority, 59%, believe in saving for the future even if it means making
sacrifices now. An additional 38% will save when they can. Thus the great majority
of Americans embrace the concept of delayed gratification.
Charity: 94% of American adults believe in giving to others. 45% say they give
regardless of their circumstances, and 49% say they help when they can. Religious
beliefs exercise great influence over attitudes toward charity: religious people are far more
committed to giving than secular people.
III. But what happens when the rubber meets the road? While Americans say they believe in the classical virtues,they often fail to follow through. Significant numbers admit they are willing to act dishonestly in everyday life.
33% of American adults say they would cheat the government by working under the
table while receiving unemployment benefits.
25% admit they would cheat a restaurant that left items off a bill.
25% believe the use of illegal drugs by adults is acceptable.
IV. Personal and societal sexual moral standards are crumbling.
16% say sex between unmarried adults is never wrong, and 49% more say it
depends on the situation. 65% of Americans will excuse sex outside marriage.
Only 67% believe premarital sex among high school kids is always wrong.
Only 49% think homosexuality is wrong. A mere 14% say homosexuality is right, but 26 percent say it depends on the situation.
51% describe themselves as "pro-choice," though only 8 percent believe abortion is
"morally right."
45% say divorce should be legal for any reason at any time.
IV. America is losing its fear of God.
87% of Americans say they believe in God and 52% say they believe the Bible is
God’s authoritative word.
But only 36% believe people should live by God ’s principles. 15% say they will live by their own principles even if they conflict with God ’s principles, and 45% prefer to combine God’s teachings and their own values.
In defiance of the Bible ’s prohibition against taking innocent life, 51% describe
themselves as "pro-choice," and 53% are willing to tolerate physician-assisted suicide.
28% are willing to exclude religious principles from government simply because the
principles are religious in origin. An additional 35% will exclude religious principles
from government on certain issues.
Regular churchgoing has dipped below 50 percent among American adults.
That's a lot of numbers. You can go to the report itself and get a whole lot more detail, but the numbers I quoted above come from the Executive Summary.
One other major fact bears repeating, however. "Heavy" TV viewers (4 hours or more per evening) three times more likely to identify with the Progressive views than were "light" TV viewers (1 hour or less per evening). Further, the vast majority of heavy TV viewers (over 70%) disagree with the belief that TV has been one of the causes or moral decay in America.
Read for yourself the reports I have linked to from this post, my previous post, and my June 14 post. It seems pretty clear that the most efficient way to become a godless liberaliar is to stay glued to the TV every night!
posted by hondo at 9:33 PM
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