Media Deadly
Is the Media a Deadly Weapon?
In today’s society, it is almost impossible to avoid any type of advertising or media display. Children have become targets by the advertisement industry and some people believe that it has a negative affect. The APA’s view is that violence in the media causes violence in children, which is stated in the article, “APA Congressional Testimony on Media Violence and Children: Testimony of Jeff J. McIntyre on Behalf of the American Psychological Association.” The American Psychological Association believes that the media targets children not only positively, but negatively as well. The APA expresses their belief that while the media and advertising industry can affect the youth in a positive light, it can also influence aggressive behavior, desensitize the acts of violence, and increase an unrealistic fear of being victimized (McIntyre 93-94). The APA goes on to make a radical statement that, “Every exposure to violence increases the chances that, someday, a child will behave more violently than they otherwise would (McIntyre 93).” Throughout the article, Jeff McIntyre makes extreme statements and analogies referring to how the media negatively influences young children. For example, McIntyre makes the analogy that the more you smoke the more likely you are to get cancer and that the more a child watches violent TV, the more likely they are to become violent (McIntyre 93). This is a prime example of a false analogy because smoking is completely different from watching TV, and in no way, shape, or form can the two be compared logically. McIntyre also talks about how, “hundreds of studies have confirmed that exposing our children to a steady diet of violence in the media makes our children more violence prone…children learn by observing others. Mass media and the advertising world provide a very attractive window for these observations (94).” Although McIntyre states that plenty of research has been done to prove that the media
In today’s society, it is almost impossible to avoid any type of advertising or media display. Children have become targets by the advertisement industry and some people believe that it has a negative affect. The APA’s view is that violence in the media causes violence in children, which is stated in the article, “APA Congressional Testimony on Media Violence and Children: Testimony of Jeff J. McIntyre on Behalf of the American Psychological Association.” The American Psychological Association believes that the media targets children not only positively, but negatively as well. The APA expresses their belief that while the media and advertising industry can affect the youth in a positive light, it can also influence aggressive behavior, desensitize the acts of violence, and increase an unrealistic fear of being victimized (McIntyre 93-94). The APA goes on to make a radical statement that, “Every exposure to violence increases the chances that, someday, a child will behave more violently than they otherwise would (McIntyre 93).” Throughout the article, Jeff McIntyre makes extreme statements and analogies referring to how the media negatively influences young children. For example, McIntyre makes the analogy that the more you smoke the more likely you are to get cancer and that the more a child watches violent TV, the more likely they are to become violent (McIntyre 93). This is a prime example of a false analogy because smoking is completely different from watching TV, and in no way, shape, or form can the two be compared logically. McIntyre also talks about how, “hundreds of studies have confirmed that exposing our children to a steady diet of violence in the media makes our children more violence prone…children learn by observing others. Mass media and the advertising world provide a very attractive window for these observations (94).” Although McIntyre states that plenty of research has been done to prove that the media
Cited: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “Violent Television Programming and Its Impact on Children.” Pearson Longman. Rpt. in Discovering Popular Culture. (2007): 95-101. Print. Coyne , Sarah. "Does Media Violence Cause Violent Crime?." European Journal on Criminal Policy & Research. 13.3/4 (2007): n. page. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. McIntyre, Jeff. “APA Congressional Testimony on Media Violence and Children: Testimony of Jeff J. McIntyre on Behalf of the American Psychological Association.” Pearson Longman. Rpt. in Discovering Popular Culture. (2007): 92-95. Print. Miller , Craig. "Does Violence in the Media Cause Violent Behavior?." Harvard Mental Health Letter. 18.3 (2001): 5. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.