In many cultures story-telling has progressed past its audio means of communication. Technology has ushered in a generation of mash-up videos, self made publicity and the ability to communicate thoughts through various means of media. This ability to display thoughts world-wide is accentuated by America's freedom of speech.
Throughout time governments have oppressed writers, painters, and overall creators of content that should be available to the public. Even today some regimes have strict control over content produced as well as its availability. Americans have taken their ability to speak their minds to an unnerving level, often undertaking sensationalistic approaches to topics which need not be mentioned.
The abuse of freedom of speech has materialized in highly viewed televised events, such as MTV's music awards, the NFL's televised football games, and even the CNN news room. Not a single person that I am acquainted with could ever dream of pulling some of the stunts public figures casually brush off as irresponsible while displaying 'deeply apologetic' attitudes. The fact that many of these public displays of disrespect go unheeded, while in other nations there would be drastic repercussions shows how freedom of speech may be abused.
What we are encountering is a generation of loose cannons. Our society thrives on outlandish behavior, which gains whoever is exerting it attention. I recently signed on to CNN.com and literally 13 of the 20 'Top Stories' were pure rubbish, People magazineish headlines. Words cannot describe how disappointed I was, I want the news, not the most recent feud over Anna Nicole Smith's(may she rest in peace) fortune.