Media Violence Violence is worldwide and in every country.
However, the youth violence in the United States is increasing. Some believe that we as a country have made this possible by the media we let our children experience. We sell violent video games with warlike scenery and lifelike bloodshed; also, we create television shows and movies with gangster and mobster stories. Some people enjoy this type or entertainment. Consequently, for children it influences their development. They begin to take in messages about different lifestyles and behavior.
But should we have to stop the sale of this entertainment because some children can‘t distinguish between reality and fantasy? The way to protect children from seeing this type of behavior is to reduce exposure to media violence, talk to them about violent images and to monitor what they watch by using tools like the v-chip. It is not the entertainment industries’ fault that children are seeing such images; instead, it’s the responsibility of the parents to monitor and explain violent images in the media. Entertainment violence is not new; in fact, it goes all the way back to ancient Rome when people gathered to watch gladiators. This usually involved two men fighting each other in front of a cheering crowd, which resulted in death or serious injuries. However, some violence was meant to teach a lesson.
For example, many gladiators were criminals, so their violent death was a warning to future criminals. To the present day, people still enjoy watching violence because it can teach lessons about reality. Regardless if violence does teach some ethical lessons, kids may still be negatively affected. Children may begin to accept violence as a way to solve problems, imitate what they observe on television and identify with certain characters. However, children with emotional and behavioral problems are more likely to be influenced by this violence.
Instead of spending time with our children and teaching them right.
