In fact, while the climate of widespread
moral uncertainty can in some way be
explained by the multiplicity and gravity
of today's social problems, and these can
sometimes mitigate the subjective
responsibility of individuals, it is no less
true that we are confronted by an even
larger reality, which can be described
as a veritable structure of sin. This reality
is characterized by the emergence
of a culture which denies solidarity and
in many cases takes the form of a veritable
'culture of death.' This culture is actively
fostered by powerful cultural, economic
and political currents which encourage
an idea of society excessively concerned
with efficiency. The term "**** culture"
was first coined in the 1970s in the United
States by second-wave feminists,
and was applied to contemporary
American culture as a whole. During
the 1970s, second-wave feminists had begun
to engage in consciousness-raising efforts
designed to educate the public about the
prevalence of ****. Previously, according
to Canadian psychology professor Alexandra
Rutherford, most Americans assumed
that ****, ******, and wife-beating rarely
happened. The concept of **** culture
posited that **** was common and normal
in American culture, and that it was one
extreme manifestation of pervasive societal
misogyny and sexism. **** was defined
as a crime of violence rather than a crime
of *** as it had been before and the focus
of **** shifted from desire for ******
pleasure to one of male *******,
intimidation and a sense of control
over gender norms. **** also started
to be reexamined through the eyes
of the victims rather than the perpetrators...