Does Media Violence Cause Violent Behaviour? Essay Example
Does media violence cause violent behaviour?
Looking around at what we choose to surround ourselves with today, this writer finds it hard to put a finger on exactly where we the society stand on this so-called debate on whether media violence causes violent behaviour. I refer to two contrasting articles by esteemed writers in their field and seek to discover exactly what the big issue is.
On the one hand, there are psychologists, psychiatrists, politicians, parents, teachers and many others deeply concerned with the effects of violent media on young, impressionable minds and the future of society . On the other, there are media specialists and other academics who are in opposition to claims of negative influence of the media .
The ultimate question to be asked in this socio-psychological debate is a philosophical one - does life imitate art, or does art imitate life? It is my contention, first and foremost, that the so-called debate should be abandoned - the media may be a factor, though clearly and obviously not the sole cause of violent behaviour, and fair, unbiased and non-propagandist research should be conducted into the true relationship between the media and the embodiment of its effects on individuals in society .
The claims stating that violent media is dangerous to the well-being of society as a whole are ill-founded and far-fetched - each individual deals with experiences differently, each see through their own eyes, and there is an entire plethora of other factors and variables to be taken into account when analyzing the allegedly negative effects of media. Those who seek to slander the movies, music, and even the celebrities themselves and such of advocating negative behaviour - violence in particular - are simply mindlessly attempting to place the blame on the most obvious and widespread influence in our day and age . This is all in order to avoid the effort of actually digging through the messy ruins of this society and finding
Looking around at what we choose to surround ourselves with today, this writer finds it hard to put a finger on exactly where we the society stand on this so-called debate on whether media violence causes violent behaviour. I refer to two contrasting articles by esteemed writers in their field and seek to discover exactly what the big issue is.
On the one hand, there are psychologists, psychiatrists, politicians, parents, teachers and many others deeply concerned with the effects of violent media on young, impressionable minds and the future of society . On the other, there are media specialists and other academics who are in opposition to claims of negative influence of the media .
The ultimate question to be asked in this socio-psychological debate is a philosophical one - does life imitate art, or does art imitate life? It is my contention, first and foremost, that the so-called debate should be abandoned - the media may be a factor, though clearly and obviously not the sole cause of violent behaviour, and fair, unbiased and non-propagandist research should be conducted into the true relationship between the media and the embodiment of its effects on individuals in society .
The claims stating that violent media is dangerous to the well-being of society as a whole are ill-founded and far-fetched - each individual deals with experiences differently, each see through their own eyes, and there is an entire plethora of other factors and variables to be taken into account when analyzing the allegedly negative effects of media. Those who seek to slander the movies, music, and even the celebrities themselves and such of advocating negative behaviour - violence in particular - are simply mindlessly attempting to place the blame on the most obvious and widespread influence in our day and age . This is all in order to avoid the effort of actually digging through the messy ruins of this society and finding