Colosseum

How could they?
The Colosseum hosted many events.  There were animal parades and gladiatorial fights which did not all end in death.  It could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators.  The average attendance was 65,000.  It could be filled or emptied in 15 minutes if necessary.  It was actually built on a man-made lake by mostly Jewish slaves.  It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre.
Thousands of animals were killed and thousands of people.  The people who died were criminals and they were torn apart by wild animals and had nothing to defend themselves with.
This was entertainment.  Watching people die was like Saturday afternoon  entertainment.
It is so easy to see that as off the planet and something that could not happen in our day and age or in our modern society.  The trouble for me is, I think it could happen.  I don’t think it could happen now, but it seems to me it is an incremental thing.
When movies started they were squeaky clean.  No swearing, no nudity and violence was implied but not seen.  Then things started creeping in.  They were seen as avant-garde.  Cutting edge.  Out there.
We did not go from there straight to in your face swearing, nudity and violence.  It has been incremental.  It was not long before it was seen to be necessary to have swearing for it to be real.  Now it is all on display both visually and audially.    Nothing is left to the imagination.
I imagine initially seeing people die as entertainment was abhorrent.  Then what was happening did not satisfy.  More was needed. Eventually there were no limits.
I may be seeing things, but reality tv seems the same way to me right now.  Originally it was harmless, interesting entertainment.  Now more is called for.  Some twist is needed that costs.  It is just a matter of time until people die on the show.  It probably then will not be a bridge too far to see people dying as entertainment.  If it improves the ratings, just do it.
We think that could not happen here as we are more sophisticated.   I really can’t help but think that maybe that sophistication hides something more sinister.  What happened in Yugoslavia happened in a sophisticated society.  They had held the winter Olympics then neighbour turned against neighbour.  Their crime?  The wrong ethnicity or religion.  Murders, genocide and mass graves followed.  Riots in LA led to looting and destruction. 
So much seems to be a façade.  Given the chance, what is inside comes out.  Without the law people tend to run riot.  The best in people comes out, but so does the worst.