Violence The world today has a variety of problems. Violence is around the top of the list. Everywhere you go that is all you here. It is seen on the front page of the newspaper and as the headlines in the news.
Unfortunately it is widely used for entertainment purposes. In the New York Times a 1998 article by Faye Fiore stated: “On average last year, one act of serious brutality was found for every four minutes of entertainment. ” Today, violence is a major part of video games, television, and popular movies. Violence becomes such an everyday scene for us that it makes us numb to the real world.
I think that some of the violence in the entertainment business should be not necessarily abolished but “toned down. ” Almost every video game out has a violent theme. For example, Mortal Kombat, Wrestling, and even Star Wars. What ever happened to Mario and Luigi or simple sports games? Now it all has to be blood, guts, and gore to sell. Some of the top psychologists related these games to some of the teenagers’ rage. One game was even said to influence the two students who were responsible for the Columbine School shooting.
Television shows like Cops, WWF, Jerry Springer, and even cartoons flood the ;must see; hours. Violent acts are constantly being used for a main source of entertainment. The study’s researchers, however, contended that in most of the films, shows and videos they examined, violence was often portrayed as harmless or without consequence, but this does not make it okay to kill someone as long as they are a “villain”. Violent acts like this are seen so much that we become less and less affected by it when it becomes reality. Little kids especially portray anything they see on TV unknowing of the true consequences. Little kids are getting a hold of guns and shooting their friends accidentally because they are unaware of reality.
Most of the movies that are released are no longer action but just plain violent. The so-called “action” in these films grabs our attention and keeps us interested. Love stories and comedies do not bring in as much money as action films. Pulp Fiction, for one, is full of drugs, guns and blood. Sadly, when we see these gruesome acts we laugh it off. TV shows us how to dress, act, what to buy, etc.
Our values are based on what is shown to us and no longer earned from our parents or peers. I, particularly, do not think that violent movies or shows necessarily make us go out and commit these crimes, but I do think that they reflect negative behavior. Most of all, though, I think it desensitizes us when it comes to the real thing. No absolute conclusion can be reached from surveys or top psychologists.
However, the issues are important. Not only because television violence is a reality and aggression is a fact of life, but because the two put together serve as a model for behavior. Understanding the relationship between television and behavior may help not only to reduce aggression, but also actually enable us to increase desirable effects instead.Social Issues .
