The man of lawlessness - Tom Davies

This book attempts to examine what lies behind the upsurge of lawlessness in modern society. The author aims to show that there is one mind and one philosophy generating the current plague. Examining the roots of modern alienation through the Romantic writers, the author traces how their philosophy has influenced contemporary cinema and videos, with its consequent effect on behaviour, and draws parallels between violent crimes committed on the screen and recent much-publicised atrocities such as Hungerford. He exposes what he claims is television's role in creating new acts of violence whilst providing a psychological victory for the terrorist - whether it be the IRA or inner-city rioters. He looks at the way television has substituted true political debate for hype. Finally the author speculates that this threat to society was prophesied long ago by St Paul and that in the growth of the modern media this prophecy is perhaps being fulfilled.