[US] Violence and Manufactured Outrage

[PC2]

For any pessimistic people out there who think the US is becoming a more violent place, this thread is to remind you that the opposite is true. Violent crime is going down overall and has been cut in half since 1990.

http://www.statista.com/statistics/1...sa-since-1990/

However Gallup polls show that most Americans think that crime is going up.

Some of this increase can be attributed to the media and its tendency for drama and more views, but I would also argue that some of it is from politically manufactured outrage. As in cherry picking incident coverage based on what agenda can be pushed. What do you think are the main reasons that truth and perception behind US violence are going in opposite directions?

Also to give anyone who might still think interpersonal violence of any flavor(including guns) is a top 10 issue in the US, take a look at the following mortality breakdown and see if you can find what small section interpersonal violence actually accounts for.

[Stacyrect]

Statistics are great but when people see "50 PEOPLE GUNNED DOWN IN 1 WEEKEND IN CHICAGO" statistics kind of fly out the window with people.

[soulzek]

Anyway, you're infinitely more likely to die from cancer, metabolic diseases, or car crashes than AIDS, ebola, or police.

But, you know, media.

[Rooflesstoofless]

What do you think are the main reasons that truth and perception behind US violence are going in opposite directions?

Viewership and pushing a political agenda...pretty much what the US mainstream media is known for these days.