In the moral realm, there is very little consensus left in Western countries over the proper basis of moral behavior. And because of the power of the media, for millions of men and women the only venue where moral questions are discussed and weighed is the talk show, where more often than not the primary aim is to entertain, even shock, not to think. When Geraldo and Oprah become the arbiters of public morality, when the opinion of the latest media personality is sought on everything from abortion to transvestites, when banality is mistaken for profundity because [it's] uttered by a movie star or a basketball player, it is not surprising that there is less thought than hype. Oprah shapes more of the nation's grasp of right and wrong than most of the pulpits in the land. Personal and social ethics have been removed from the realms of truth and structures of thoughts; they have not only been relativized, but they have been democratized and trivialized. D.A. Carson
About This Quote

The media can often trivialize and demean the value of moral and ethical principles. They focus on the "shock factor," rather than the spiritual and ethical principles that make up a proper understanding of morality. The media can be a huge influence on what is considered ethical and moral; it's important to keep in mind that popular culture does not always reflect ethical and moral principles. People who don't have a lot of morals or ethics in their life can live through the media and be affected by what they see.

Source: The Gagging Of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism

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