Television Violence

11 Pages 2793 Words

“Unless and until there is unmistakable proof to the contrary, the
presumption must be that television is and will be a main factor in
influencing the values and moral standards of our society…”
(Television 1).
It often seems like everywhere one looks, violence rears its ugly head.
We see it in the streets, back alleys, school, and even at home. In many
peoples' living rooms there sits an outlet for violence that often goes
unnoticed. It is the television, and the children who view it are often pulled
into its realistic world of violence scenes with sometimes devastating results.
Television represents a major medium for socialization and education
for children, teens and adults. Virtually all children in industrialized parts of
the world are exposed to television from birth. They pay attention to it quite
early in life. Television ca be a powerful influence in developing value
systems and shaping behaviors. By the time that an American child reaches
the age of 18, they would have spent more time watching television than any
other activity except for sleeping.
Much research has gone into showing why children are so mesmerized
by this big glowing box and the action that takes place within it. Research
shows that it is definitely a major source of violent behavior in children. The
research proves time and time again that aggression and television viewing do
go hand in hand. Violence in the media affects people by making children
more aggressive and fearful, and less sensitive; and by causing teens and
adults to have trouble with the law and to be more aggressive as well.
Television is a main source of entertainment for many people. As
young children they are able to interpret the images that they see. In contrast
to popular beliefs, they really do understand what is going on. Although
children may not always be able to explain what they have seen verbally, they
are able to recognize what they have se...