Salt Sucks

 One day in class, we were talking about media violence, and how it is a risk factor for aggressive behavior. Yet, it is something that we can definitely control in our lives!! Then my mind went to salt. Why?

My head loves analogies. Through comparisons, I understand things better. Once in a human physiology or anatomy class here at BYU, I learned that however much salt you eat consistently, that's what your taste buds become accustomed to. So, in essence, your sensory neurons become desensitized to whatever level of salt you're feeding yourself. You choose the level of salt, and your body becomes accustomed to it, so that you NEED that amount of salt on your food to feel like you're getting the same effect. Health implications follow.
Whether this is actually right or wrong, it fits with the purpose of this analogy. :)

I thought of the uses and gratifications of violent media, and how people may feel a rush by watching violence, but soon need more to get that same rush of adrenaline. Then, I thought of many people I know who have served missions, who wouldn't touch a violent ANYTHING for months after they get back (making me feel really bad and worldly for even suggesting we watch it. Shoot. Ha.) While we may think of those RMs as out of touch with the "real world", I feel like they're just not horribly desensitized like many of us are.

If we lessen our "salt" (violent media) intake, I think that we'll realize that we didn't need that high amount of salt in the first place. In fact, we may find that our high intake of salt was impacting our health. Little did we know. That's what desensitization does.