Technology has created many good things for humanity such as cures for illnesses,ways to make transportation faster and many other things. Yet technology has also doneharm to human culture, and it is easily spread to many people all over the world. Thisdark side is communication, either by television or radio, violence is spread everyday.
Themost affected are children because they are young, easily persuaded and their innocencecan not distinguish right and wrong. Children tend to see violence as a funny factor andpractice it not only at home but also in other places like school, playgrounds and stores. Children are more likely to be affected by cartoon violence. This is because in acartoon a character can easily be destroyed and revived five minutes later with no seriousinjury. Not only do children think this is funny, but think it is true because no one tellsthem that it is make believe. Reports say that this might cause children to commit seriouscrimes because their is little or no consequence.
(Official AAP website pg. 1) Violence iswhat sells these days from every day cartoons like Power Rangers to Pokemon, each showcontains someone being seriously injured and in seconds being cured. Networks shouldexplain to children that the acts of violence are made up: in a fun and simple way that theyTelevision violence leads to many problems. CYFC stated in an article that Justas children learn from their family they also learn from their super heroes.
(Official CYFCWebpage pg. 1) children tend to become either fighters or victims and may encourage orprovoke fights among friends. Many schools began to ban Pokemon trading cards notonly because children did not pay attention in class, but because they would fight eachother for the cards. This type of violence is encouraged by commercials because if a childdoes not have the product they are not cool or part of the group. Also the more a childsees violent acts of crime the more they become immune to it. For example a child willlose all emotions and will have no sympathy to the victims of crime.
They might also thinkthat it is funny and laugh at people just as they would if they were watchingViolence is not only in cartoons it is also in movies like Austin Powers the SpyWho Shagged Me. The name itself has a hidden meaning, the word shagged is notappropriate. Their one bit in the movie that shows a woman being shot, blown up with abazooka, and thrown out a window. When the bit is over Austin asks her why dont youwant to die? Another bit shows a rocket in the shape of the male genitalia and is thendescribed in many forms.
A child may see their parents laugh and repeat these words in aplace where they should not be spoken. What if the child finds a gun in their parentsdrawers and decides to shoot their brother or sister? No longer would it be funny and thechild may become traumatized. Parents, not only the networks, should take the time toexplain to their children that it is only make-believe. This can prevent a horrible accidentfrom ever occurring, because now a child knows better. Violence is not only on television it is also on the radio and the music people liketo hear. Many songs portray women as low creatures that are beaten by their pimps orhow drugs, alcohol and guns are cool and solve every problem.
their are times when aperson turns on the radio and does not notice what the lyrics mean. While the music is ona child can be listening and slowly will begin to decipher what the singer is implying. Asthe Child begins to make sense of what the singer means they might end up practicingwhat their role models sing. They might use drugs or commit acts of violence because thesingers do it in their songs. Before a parent even realizes what has happened their childmight have become a menace to society. Another reason that evil and violence is spread so easily through television andradio is because all the violence is justified.
This means that all the fighting is done in thename of justice and good in other words good vs. evil. (Official EdmontonjournalWebpage) In the eyes of children beating up other people is all right as long as the otherchild did something wrong. Though it is wrong a child feels glory and happiness becausethey are doing what their violent super heroes would do. technology has helped the world but has it done harm to the innocent minds of thechildren. Many groups and studies like CYFC, say yes, and have used technology tocreate object such as the V-chip to regulate the amount of violence a child sees ontelevision.
Even though an adult can distinguish the difference between real violence andfake violence a child can not and their innocence should not be taken for granted. Notonly are they blackening the minds of the children they might help create violent membersof society if not corrected. This does not mean that a child should go without televisionradio but that a parent should be more cautious and regulate what their children watch. The Changing Face of T. V. Violence.
Journal Extra. 14 Jan. 1998. http://www. edmontonjournal.
comMedia Violence and Media Literacy. American Academyof Pediatrics. 23 Nov 1999. http://www. aap.
org/advocacy/child healthmonth/media. htmT. V. Violence and what can Parents Do.
CYFC. 23 Nov 1999. http://www. cyfc. vmn. edu/DocumentsBibliography:The Changing Face of T.
V. Violence. Journal Extra. 14 Jan. 1998. http://www.
edmontonjournal. com/archives/011498tv. htmlMedia Violence and Media Literacy. American Academyof Pediatrics. 23 Nov 1999.
http://www. aap. org/advocacy/child healthmonth/media. htmT. V.
Violence and what can Parents Do. CYFC. 23 Nov 1999. http://www.cyfc.vmn.edu/Documents/C/C/CC1016.html/
