Violence In The Media Essay -- essays research papers fc

 Violence in the Media It’s the ever-present question that has been asked by authorities, educational institutes and parents alike. Does violence in the media influence the behavior of society? Some say yes, others say no. Other questions posed that I will try to clarify in this essay are those to do with what, if anything is being done to control this virus. To fully comprehend these questions we must first understand what is meant by violence in the media, and whom it effects, if anyone at all. Also, did violence in the media come first, or was it derived from violence in the ‘real world’? There are arguments that can be stated from both sides. Some say that escalation of violence in society is a symptom of deteriorated value systems and poor parental instruction. Others say, and this is backed up with factual evidence, that violence that is seen on television, in the movies and in video games is directly linked to the violence in society. Either way, there is too much violence in the mass media and the outcome of this can in no way, shape or form be of a positive nature. Violence has become an ordinary way to be entertained, settle arguments, or blow off steam. Violence results when many different things come together, and we know that violence in the media is one of those things. Children spend more in a week time watching TV than doing anything else, other than sleeping. Violence, however, isn't limited to TV-it can be found in music, video games, comic books, newspapers, and magazines. Exposing children to violence can desensitise them to violence and make them more fearful of others, causing them to act more aggressively. Fortunately, most media violence can be unplugged. The term mass media can be used to describe television, cinema, video games, books, music, the Internet, newspapers or magazines. Everyday we are confronted with violence that is portrayed in the media. Everywhere billboard we go past, every movie we see, every magazine or newspaper we pick up will inevitably have violence in it. Whether it is informing us about it, or using it as entertainment, people are susceptible to this violence. The main age group that is influenced most immensely by this is young children. Since they are exposed to violence in the media from such a young age, they believe that violence is praised, even funny. They presume th... ... one night a week a family night. Plan some activities for the whole family. Don't buy products whose advertisements glorify violence. Express your concern to the manufacturer. Violence is everywhere. It is an impossibility to avoid it. Refusal to address the issue will not solve it. The parents must stop allowing TV to be the baby sitter and sole educator of their children. TV is a medium for entertainment, not instruction. The parents must seize responsibility of properly raising their children. Herein lies the solution. Do not to TV land for salvation, because it is like a mirror, it will reflect your image. Just as one cannot complain to a mirror that one is fat or ugly, one cannot blame TV for our own evils. Bibliography Kim, Timothy Young ‘Media and Violence’ Available www-edlab.cs.umass.edu/~tkim/media.html online 1998 Kopel, David B ‘The Impact of the Mass Media Revolution,’ Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy Available http://i1i.org/SuptDocs?issuPper/Irmaddag.htm Online ‘The Mass Media’ Document;  Grolier Encyclopedia 1996 VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA