Gangs

3 Pages 753 Words

Analysis of Gangs
Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today’s society. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable awn prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings’ personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is much to blame.
On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it sound glamorous. Money is also a crucial factor. A young kid is shown that he/she could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. This amount of money causes gang life to look like a gold mine. Anyone could use this kind of many, and attempt to get it. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals.
One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at in front of a television set than he/she spends in a classroom. Since their minds are still working, they take in what is on the television and “learn” from it. Unfortunately, very few hours of television watched by children are educational. Many shows on television today are extremely violent. This shows children that gang life is exciting as well as acceptable. This is taught through many shows where the “good guy” captures the “bad guy” through violence and is then being commended. A young child sees this as ...