Desensitised, how about emotionally dead.

I shocked myself this evening, I was watching the program on BBC1 about the tsunami, and looking at the aftermath and destruction, all I could think of was "That would make a nice level on 'Call of Duty'". I feel sorry for those who lost and died of course but still, there it was niggling in the back of my mind, why?

I had to ask, am I the only person who fails to be shocked at anything the world throws at us?

The terrible truth is no.

It's horrendous, and also quite scary to realise that the teenage generation has been so desensitised to world events that it fails to take notice of what is happening unless it is right on their doorstep.

Could it be that this desensitisation has occurred partly due to the loss of childhood and partly due to the latest special effects, or does it merely show the way in which we are all a part of a meaningless life driven by consumerism?

Childhoods are becoming shorter, which means that innocence is being destroyed - I mean for Pete's sake why are they selling thongs for young children? Especially when they are motifed with "Little Miss Naughty" or even "SEX KITTEN"!!! - and children are learning about things at too young an age. I remember the good old days when at the grand old age of six years, parents did not allow their children to roam the streets and actually made sure they were in bed and in theory away from the nasty filthy programs that were shown after the watershed. Children had manners and respect for people which today is almost non-existent.In todays society it is not unusual to see that children in pushchairs are swearing, being racist and a lttle older than that smoking.

Modern day film and television use the latest in special effects to go one step further than any other film or television program before. Don't get me wrong, I love a nice gory horror movie as much as the next person, but people have become so used to seeing blood, violence and the inside of people that they have trouble distinguishing the films from real life.

Surely this is not the way in which we want our future teachers, doctors, politicians and even religious figures to behave.

I understand that teenagers need to be given the space to grow and develop, but are we not providing them with too much space. The majority of teenagers in todays society have no respect for anyone and laugh at even the police, what way is that for a society to behave?