Preview

The Effects of Multimedia Violence on Culture Are Preventable

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1078 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Effects of Multimedia Violence on Culture Are Preventable
The average child has seen 100,000 acts of violence including 8,000 murders by the time they leave elementary school, according to Daphne White, executive director of the Lion & Lamb Project, a Bethesda, Maryland, organization created in 1995 to reduce violence in the media (Blakey 1). Other researchers have found that video games and movies expose children to similar levels of violence. The internet is also being blamed, with its easy access to information; it is becoming easier to access violence. The effects of violence in American culture seem to be elevating, along with increased aggression, with recent shootings and various other acts of needless bloodshed. We seem to be desperate to lay the brunt of the blame on to something and it seems that violent media may be the scapegoat we are looking for. The effects of violence in the media are apparently negative, especially on young children; however, parents are able to prevent them.

Television has become an integral part of American culture; it is being watched more now than ever, nearly every household has a television, and the shear number of channels available is astounding, it is becoming an evermore profitable market. Television is becoming increasingly violent with representation being seen in everyday life. However, it is not fair to blame TV for everything wrong with society; parents are using the television as a baby-sitter. Children's shows may not be violent, but they leave an opening for more violent shows to take the place of them later on in life. The fact of the matter is violent TV attracts viewers, who then make money for the networks, by buying products advertised by companies who pay millions of dollars to be shown on popular television shows. It may be a fact that children are becoming more violent with the excessive amounts of TV they watch. Parents who substitute television for parenting are reducing the amount of time of real influence in their children's lives and are unable to
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Mean World
    • 1027 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Mean World

    Everyone is influenced and shaped by society. Society affects our perceptions, our consciousness, and our actions. A majority of the influence, especially on the younger demographic comes through the media; specifically through television. It is important to examine how violence in the media develops a pervasive cultural environment that cultivates a heightened state of insecurity, exaggerated perceptions of risk and danger, and a fear-driven propensity for hard-line political solutions to social problems. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the impact of television and media violence, as well as the human cost of violent media, and the overall effects on society from watching TV.…

    • 1027 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hum/114 University of Phoenix Material
    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hum/114 University of Phoenix Material

    The role of media violence in violent crime has been exaggerated is very much an issue Media violence has become a scapegoat, onto which we lay blame for a host of social problems. Sociologist Todd Gatling describes how "the indiscriminate fear of television in particular displaces justifiable fears of actual dangers—dangers of which television ... provides some disturbing glimpses." Concerns about media and violence rest on several flawed, yet taken-for-granted assumptions about both media and violence. These beliefs appear to be obvious in emotional arguments about "protecting" children. So while these are not the only problems with blaming media, this [viewpoint] will address four central assumptions: (Mass Media, 2010).…

    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gabriel Vara
    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Gabriel Vara

    Mike Males, in “Stop Blaming Kids and TV,” inscribes government officials have blamed today’s media on the acts of kids and young adults, how the impact of violence, drug, and alcohol abuse can ruin children’s lives. Parents need to notice that their own behavior has a major influence on their children’s lives and futures. He makes strong statements that the media does not influence adolescent violence, drug, and alcohol abuse. He supports his opinion with many examples including the comparison of television violence and real actual violence. Males notes, “Kids will witness at least 200,000 acts of television violence by the time her or she are completing high school.”…

    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Summary: Causal Analysis Argument About The Media
    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Summary: Causal Analysis Argument About The Media

    Children need more playtimes without the influence of TV and more from books and educational toys. A child’s brain is like a sponge and will soak up whatever is put in front of them. If all they ever get is the television with violent cartoons playing, then they more than likely become aggressive in their later years. “It is probably the whole fabric of parent-child interaction that affects the ways in which children are affected by television” (Ledingham, J, Ledingham, C., Richardson (1993) pg 9) Not all children are affected in the same way while watching television, as the research also shows. It all has to with the temperament of the child and how the parent interacts with them to teach the child the difference between what is real and what is not. The solution to the problem of violence on the television can be summed up as, parental control, education of what is available on television, and knowing what is acceptable for a child to…

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Censorship of Violence in Popular Entertainment is Unjustifiedt
    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Censorship of Violence in Popular Entertainment is Unjustifiedt

    In Roberts Peters’ article “Censorship of Violence in Popular Entertainment Is Justified”, he writes about his personal concerns and his personal solutions to combat obscenity and uphold decency standards in the media. He believes that due to the many graphic and violent depictions in TV, films, music/RAP, video and computer games, the children in present society are easily influenced into acting out the media violence and turning it into real life violence. He believes that there are four main problems with media violence. The first problem is that is too much of it. The glut of media violence desensitizes viewers and contributes to the “mean world syndrome.” A second problem with media violence is that it can be easily imitated. He believes that the characters being depicted in the media are mostly glorified, youth characters who are troublemakers and engaged in behavior kids can readily imitate. A third in media violence is the manner in which it is depicted. He believes that the media does not show the purpose of the horror of violence, but rather the media portrays it as an exciting, pleasurable and effective way to handle problems. The fourth problem with media violence is Hollywood’s infatuation with guns, in which I quote, “Why should we be surprised to discover that kids want a gun? If Hollywood stopped glorifying possession and use of handguns, there would be fewer crimes committed by youth with handguns.” Peters wants us to know that whatever minor flaws there may be in enforcement of gun laws permitting crazy people to buy them, the real problem is that our media is saturated with violence. Although Peters’ tries to make valid points about the corruption of youth through media violence, he misses many opportunities to use prime examples as if he hasn’t done much research into the subject himself. I believe that his arguments are ineffective due to his lack of statistical evidence, such as crime rates statistics, to support his statements.…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Summary of Dudley Erskine Devlin’s Article ‘’Children and Violence in America’’
    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A Summary of Dudley Erskine Devlin’s Article ‘’Children and Violence in America’’

    Dudley Erskine Devlin was born in Syracuse, New York and he teaches English at Colorado and writes articles regarding important issues that concerns the community, his essay ‘’Children and Violence in America’’ talks about the rising violence among children and points out that children are more and more often "both the victims and perpetrators" of violence. Devlin begins his article with various examples of kids shooting each other and killing themselves in acts of desperation. Then he questions the audience as to what is the underlying cause of this type of violence among children. He argues two main causes that either the cause underlies in violent TV programs that teach kids violent situations or the instability and economic issues in the kids’ families. Devlin suggest another third cause to the violence that kids are exposed too, the liberal media. Newspapers and network TV shows launch all sort of wild statics about children and teenage violence that argue that children confuse the violent images seen on TV and associate them with what can be done in real life. Going back his other argument that suggest that this type of violent behavior is associated with drug abuse, economic problems and instability within the household, Devlin argues that the best evidence for this argument is that the children and teenagers are already exposed to violence in their schools. Devlin goes back and states that there is truth in both of arguments, that TV and movies add violence to the American culture and that it is true that there is a place for violence in schools, but then again he suggests that newspaper media and network news explode dramatically y every kind of news that involves children and teenage violence. Devlin then argues that at the same time there are some un-harmful movies that do not get as much publicity as other harmful movies like Robocop or Terminator. Devlin finishes his essay by saying that the next time we read in our newspaper about a kid shot at a zoo…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Bobo Doll Experiment
    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Bobo Doll Experiment

    In this century, the mass media have come to rival with parents, school, and religion as the most influential institution in individual 's lives. There has always been contemplation on whether media is the spark that ignites violence in individuals. Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the society and feel less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. This essay will analyze the effects of violent media on the minds of individuals. While it focuses on media vastly, other contributing factors like emotional processing factors or exposure to violence might be reasons too.…

    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Critical Argument Analysis
    • 1043 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Critical Argument Analysis

    Written from a scientific approach, this article by Barbara J. Wilson takes a close look at how media violence affects children. She comes to the conclusion that it is the type of violence children see, rather than how much time they spend watching it. In the article, Ms. Wilson offers ways for parents to mold their children’s impressions of the violent acts seen on television, in movies, and in video games.…

    • 1043 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Violent Media's Call to Duty
    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Violent Media's Call to Duty

    Violent video games have become increasingly popular. Not only are adults enjoying the new fad, but young children are too. Many studies have been conducted in order to determine how the newest violent media has been affecting the children of today. It is a common misconception that the children who play these violent games, watch movies and television shows grow into a violent adult, while the children who more sheltered from this media become model citizens. In the article, “Whodunit—The Media?” Maggie Cutler addresses the controversy that follows the notion that violent media has a negative effect on children and asserts her opinion that instead of exploiting the media violence as harming this latest generation, working with the media will prove beneficial to the safety and sanity of the children.…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Boring
    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Boring

    Brett, Brown, and Bzostek examine the violence in children lives. Question them if media is really the cause of violence or do they come from homes that are violent. The article discusses that half of the reports where were from their own homes. For example, “In 2001, 903,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported to and substantiated by child welfare authorities” (4). Half of the other reports state the article were not reported, which some cases it’s mostly common. Violence in homes can sometimes be learned by children and then later used in school. For example, “In 2001, one-third of all high school students reported being in a physical fight within the last year” (7). The article question if media was the cause for the violence the writers report that the violence occurred when they watch TV, or play violent video games. What could really be the cause the violence in children in today’s world?…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Persuasive Essay
    • 888 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Persuasive Essay

    Many movies, television shows, music songs, and video games are filled with violence: murder scenes, nonstop profanity, rape and torture scenarios. By placing scenes like these in the movies for the children and teenagers to see, the media is causing them to become more violent than it already is. What has our society come to these days? Everywhere we look, violence is present; in the streets, back alleys, schools, and even at home. Even if one might be a pacifist, violence will keep its way into our homes through the television. Many parents these days are busy with their work, and sometimes it is hard to keep track what their children do. They are working singles or couples who must rely on others for the parenting and raising their children. Even baby sitters use television as the easiest source of entertainment for the children. Since every family has televisions and the children play video games almost every day, truly the media affects the children. The average hours of American youth watching television is about four hours, which means children spend more time watching television than in any other activity, except sleep, after school. So, parents should control the television that children watch. They need to be aware that media violence affects in the real world.…

    • 888 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Media Violence vs. Societal Violence
    • 1483 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Media Violence vs. Societal Violence

    By age 18 an American child will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence (United States 2). Over the last thirty years more than a thousand studies, by major medical and public health groups, have concluded that media violence does have an impact on children (Steyer 72). An increase in today 's media violence comes from movies and television, music, and video games. Violence in the media can result in school shootings, having an aggressive attitude, and no consequences for violent actions. It has been proven that violent media can cause some kids to act violently and aggressively toward others, which causes an increased amount of violence in out society.…

    • 1483 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Violence In The Media
    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Violence In The Media

    The research evidence about media and violence establishes a clear concern when discussing real-life crimes. Media violence is dangerous and makes people more venerable to the violence. Although the violence does not influence everyone negatively, there are some who are affected and it is a reflection of the violence in the US now. It is the cause of further violent attacks, school shootings, and copycat murders. America needs to explore more conceivable policies to reduce and improve harmful effects of media violence on the…

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Effect of Watching Too Much Tv
    • 890 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Effect of Watching Too Much Tv

    Television and cable and satellite are great inventions, but humans tend to misuse them. On TV, there is barely any restriction on what can be diffused. As a matter of fact, violence, crime and nudity are the most frequent themes shown on TV. An average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18, said the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Children imitate the violence they see on TV. Children under age eight cannot tell the difference between reality and fantasy, making them more vulnerable to learning from and adopting as reality the violence they see on TV(American Academy of Pediatrics). Indeed these enormous amount of hours watching TV when at home leads to changes not only in eating habits and health, but also on one’s psychology and eventually the impact on the social life.…

    • 890 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Tv Violence Essay Example
    • 2164 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Tv Violence Essay Example

    The world is changing rapidly today. TV has become the leading source on entertainment and time consuming for many people. Parents are too busy trying to provide for their children and keep a roof over their head. Some parents can do all these things and still keep a close watch on their children, but others cannot. After a hard day’s work, from one job to another, it is very easy for parents to turn on the television and let the kids watch whatever while they take a nap or relax. Sometimes, parents just want to have some alone time and not be bothered by their children. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping children’s behavior; unfortunately, the violence on TV today is causing a lack of impulse control, and aggressive behavior in children and this is why I think TV ratings should be reevaluated.…

    • 2164 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics