Watching CSI last night...

After reading this:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227091.900-review-how-storytelling-shaped-humanity.html

I started wondering, if people listen to stories (in the broadest sense of the word... I include tv/films here too) to get a deeper insight into the society they live.

What does a programme like CSI say about society? why is CSI(s) so successful? or is this our Ballardian society?? do they provide us with a certain voyeurism on violence, the various flavours of human sexuality? or does the violence become sexual?

Because stories shape our minds, do the Hidden Persuaders also use these programmes to effectively control our behaviour? I would like know if there are studies that show a correlation between crime rates and these programmes? do these programmes increase or decrease incidents of crime? or do they service as an outlet for our more violent tendencies?

How do these programmes influence our view of American society? does it have a homogenising effect?

#R;