Essay/Term paper: Media violence

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Domestic Abuse

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.