These days it is easy for children to be bombarded with violent images on television, in the movies, and in videogames. It is hard for them to escape scenes that shouldn’t be witnessed at young ages. Being exposed to violence often results in young people being deadened to violent acts in society. Even though the world we live in is becoming increasingly violent, there is only a limited amount that parents can control. Children will have access to violent scenes at other friend’s houses or when they witness news clips during the broadcast of their favorite cartoons. The media as a whole is probably the most responsible party in deterring this trend—they are the ones that can lessen the number of violent scenes shown on network television and in films with children’s ratings. The website Mediafamily.org describes many facts that demonstrate this disturbing trend of violence in the media. Studies conducted have shown that by the time an American child is 18 years old, they will have witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television. They will also have seen over 40,000 murders. It is not surprising that children become numb to scenes depicting violence; it becomes something they have seen over and over again.
The Impact of Seeing Violent Acts
There is also a great problem with the eventual impacts of seeing violence in the media. A study, also found on Mediafamily.org, was conducted by the Congressional Public Health Summit in 2000; the study found that young children who have witnessed media violence have a much greater chance of exhibiting violent and aggressive behavior. These viewings also directly correlate to violent video games. Individuals who are exposed to violent video games, like “Call of Duty” and “Grand Theft Auto,” have more aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors. These people also are less empathetic and display less helpful behaviors with their peers. A study featured on the website Psychologymatters.org details further significant influences violence in the media has—children who had watched a lot of television violence around the age of eight were more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal acts as adults. These children became so familiar with violence that it became a part of life. Value of human life will become even more obsolete if children become desensitized to violence. Examples of movies filled with violent scenes are “Saving Private Ryan,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Reservoir Dogs,” and the “Saw” and “Hostel” series. These movies are often ‘edited’ when shown on television—but most of the violent scenes remain in the final cut, and the edited version is only for time constraints. Some violent television shows include “Prison Break,” “The Sopranos,” “Dexter,” and “CSI.”
How News is One of the Worst Areas
One of the most violent areas of television would have to be the news programs. Brutal and horrific events (like beatings, car chases, accidents, etc.) that are captured on film are often broadcast without consideration of young viewers who might be tuning into that channel. The website, Bigmedia.org, details the many organizations that caution against showing violent scenes in news shows: the Surgeon General, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychoanalytical Association, and the National PTA have all warned of the dangers of news programs airing disturbing violent clips. The website also describes a study that analyzed local television newscasts across the country. They found that “violent topics consistently comprise 40 to 50 percent of all the air-time devoted to news…murder, one of the least common crimes committed, is the number one topic on newscasts.”
Mediums that Foster This Desensitization
Movies and television are not the only culprits in this argument. According to Psychologymatters.org, teens who play violent video games are more likely to exhibit violent behavior because games are “interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor.” Violent video games depict bloody scenes, shootings, and games where the player can beat up a virtual person. There is no doubt that these videogames are contributing to violence in the real world—several school shooters (including the Columbine attacks) cited playing violent videogames as favorite activities. Copycat violence is a troublesome trend that is increasing with time in our culture. Music is also an element of media that depicts violence. A study conducted in 2003 determined that violent lyrics “increased aggression-related thoughts and emotions and this effect was directly related to the violent content of the lyrics.” Examples of these lyrics can be found in songs by rappers like Eminem, 50 Cent, and Notorious B.I.G.
Overall, there is a clear sign that something needs to be done in order to curb violence in the media. Parents should take responsibility for their children’s actions—it is a necessary step to check which movies, television shows, music, and videogames their kids are being exposed to. Although parents can’t control what their kids do outside the home, they can ensure that their children don’t watch inappropriate violence while under their roof. The media is the main party who should take steps to limit the violence seen in the media. Movie companies should insist on higher ratings for movies that feature violent scenes. Television stations should be aware of when they are airing violent content. Because violence is becoming so prevalent in our society, the media needs to take the first concrete steps to improve our society’s exposure to violence. Not all movies and television have to be completely wholesome, but the industry would be entirely remiss if they didn’t take action in solving the problem of violence in the media as soon as possible.
Erin Konrad - Hey everybody! I'm so excited to be writing for this website. I'm just starting out in this field, but I've worked on my university's ...
