This has been known for thousands of years. That's why, in Plato's Republic, Socrates wants to build a society where 'the poets' (artists and culture creators more generally) are highly restricted in what they can write about; as it will dramatically effect the intellectual and emotional development of those in the proposed society. They are only allowed to write about the noble, wholesome qualities in human beings, and by creating a culture focused on the venerable qualities of human beings: the civilisation will thus be ennobled, and conditioned toward greatness.

In the modern world all people want to focus on is the failing of others, and the uglier side of the collective psyche. And so, our civilisation falling to pieces while we aggrandise criminals and manipulative whores.