If you have it flaunt it

When I was young it was very common to hear this word alpam.... it meant people who are greedy and will not spend on others.
I was reading an article by Kanchi Sankaracharya that there is a sin known as alpitham. It means showing off your wealth and worldly possessions in an inappropriate manner. He further went on to say that flaunting your wealth is a sin, since it equals to eating food in front of someone starved/famished.
I am wondering if the word alpam stems from alpitham?
Does alpitham have a place in our 'if you have it flaunt it' world?

Desensitization

NDTV debate on WWE and its impact on children, triggered this blog.

Desensitization as a behavior modification technique in Psychology is used to treat phobias and anxieties, in addition to a host of other neurotic problems. In this process, the person is vicariously exposed to the anxiety provoking stimuli through visual imagery and the anxiety level is brought down.

Experts talk about children being able to distinguish between real and imaginary visuals. I have seen adults watching the video showing the beheading of a journalist , twin towers crumbling down and a boy in Bihar being tied to a bike and drawn without any feelings whatsoever.

It appeared to me that adults could not distinguish between reel and real since they are desensitized to violence by watching hollywood, tollywood, bollywood - movies.

Mind, has unique capabilities and somehow we seem to simplify things taking only the conscious mind into consideration. Even the psychiatrist on the show did not bring up the point on subconsicous and unconscious minds and how they interact with the conscious brain... these shows are turning more into entertainment rather than a platform for meaningful debates.