I was recently talking to a boy about 8 years old and learned that he watches horror movies that are not unlike the Roman arena “games” with killings and torture.
These things denigrate and harm the psyche and spiritual merit of those who convey such images as well as the viewers. The Buddhist teaching of compassion for all sentient beings says anything, even passive participation, that is harmful to humans or animals harms the perpetrator and prevents his development of spirituality, or merit.
This is the opposite of the compassion adults need to develop and also reflects a general degeneration of society. I wonder how this is any different from the ancient Romans, maybe only by degree.