Media Violence Is Killing Our Children
Media Violence is Killing Our Children
When parents turn on the television they often don't think about how it could be affecting their children. By the average age of 18, the average American child will have viewed about 200,000 acts of violence on television alone. (Media Violence, June 1995.) It is a sad fact that there is more violence shown on Saturday morning cartoons than during prime time. In this paper, the discussion will include how media violence affects children by increasing aggressiveness and making children less sensitive to violence, increasing their appetite for more violence in entertainment and in real life, and increasing their fear of becoming victims of violence.
First of all, media violence is increasing aggressiveness and making children less sensitive to violence. Over 1,000 studies confirm this. (Media Violence, June 1995.) Children under the age of 8 have difficulty distinguishing real life and fantasy. Children think it is alright to throw their friend on the floor and bang their heads and bodies with chairs because they see this on wrestling; and if the wrestlers can get right back up, they believe they can too. They oftentimes don't even realize the damage they are causing.
Next, media violence is increasing their appetite for more violence in entertainment and in real life. Media violence often fails to show the consequences of violent acts. As a result, children learn that there are few if any repercussion for committing violent acts. (Media Violence, June 1995.) Children today, love to be entertained by violent video games, live wrestling and boxing. On Saturday morning cartoons there are 20 to 25 violent acts per hour. (Media Violence, June 1995.) An example of a violent cartoon is Pokemon. Parents say Pokemon is evil. They claim that the animals look like devils because they are constantly killing each other in battles. Others say that there is nothing violent about Pokemon, and that the cartoon...
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