Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

1889 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Watching television has an adverse effect on children

Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

Everyone’s seen the classic cartoons. Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner around a bend, only the Roadrunner turns, but our comedic--and usually stupid--villain doesn’t. So, he falls from a height of what looks like about 500,000 feet, only to become a small puff of smoke at the bottom of the canyon. After all, if what happens to you when you fall from that height were to have happened to Mr. Coyote, that would have been a very short lived cartoon series. Maybe this example is an exaggeration, but the idea is the same: violence comes streaming into our homes every single day through our TVs not to be viewed, but to be devoured. It’s been proven that sex and violence sell. For those of us who can tell the difference between reality and fantasy, the effect of TV violence is miniscule. But for our children--who think when the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers come to the local shopping mall, that it’s the biggest event since Bert told Ernie he snores too loud--the violence seen on TV seems like a logical reaction to life’s problems. And that’s a problem within itself. The impact of televised violence on children is only a slice of the pie that is the problem with the endless stream of violent acts on TV.

The controversy over whether or not violence portrayed on television actually affects children or not has been playing itself out for nearly three decades. When some of the first results came out in the 60s and 70s that made the first connections between aggressive behavior and viewing televised violence, the TV and movie industries denied that there was a connection. When studies found the same thing in the 80s, the FCC opposed any regulation (Hepburn). A writer for Direct Ma...

... middle of paper ...

.... Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1999.

Hepburn, Mary A. "TV Violence! A Medium’s Effects Under Scrutiny." Social Education. Sept 1997: pp244-249. SIRS Researcher. Available <http://researcher.sirs.com/>

Leo, John. "The Amount of Violence on Television Has Been Exaggerated." Media Violence: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1999.

Levy, Steven. "Loitering on the Dark Side." Newsweek. 3 May 1999: p39

McLeod, Michael. Does TV Kill?. Production of Oregon Public Broadcasting for "Frontline". Videorecording. PBS Video, 1997.

Posch, Robert. "What You do Emerges From Who You Are". Direct Marketing. July 1993: p43. EBSCO Host. Available <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>

Schroeder, Ken. "TV Teaches Violence". Education Digest. Sept 1998: p74. EBSCO Host. Available <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>

Show More
Related

  • Dolan's Cadillac, by Stephen King and The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allen Poe

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...han "The Cask of Amontillado". Thus making Stephen King a better author than Edgar Allen Poe. Both writers,through the use of imagery, attempt to transport their readers to a blazing desert ("Dolan's Cadilac") and dark, damp catacombs of europe. While both Poe and King do manage that to some extent, as already discussed King's use of imagery exceeded that of Poe's. Equally important is King's development of his character, it is King and not Poe who give a back story and motive making the act seem less horrific. However one cannot help but notice the stark similarities between the two stories. Both have a theme revolving around the idea of how cruel a seemingly normal human can be, and how the reader can find themselves anticipating for the "fly to reach the web". On the whole King and Poe, while similar in style, each has their own key elements that make them great.

    Read More

  • Plato's Apology Analysis

    929 Words  | 2 Pages

    He set out to “go to all those who had any reputation for knowledge to examine its meaning. And by the dog, men of Athens – for I must tell you the truth – I experienced something like this: In my investigation in the service of the god I found that those who had the highest reputation were nearly the most deficient, while those who were thought to be inferior were more knowledgeable”(22a). This conclusion of his investigation helps his appeal to the audience men who are less reputable than others, but provokes those of highest reputation such at Meletus, Anytus and Lycon. Socrates is aware that speaking out in this form makes him “unpopular”, but he continues to say it regardless. He is convinced that he is not going to hold back his thoughts and speak the truth to the jury. The issue with these statements is that ultimately the people of greater power and more authority are the people that he is insulting by calling them less wise that the rest of the citizens. Since he acknowledges that what he is doing makes him unpopular then, he knows he in aggravating those who are listening to him but he continues to do regardless. This is worse because now his audience knows it is intentional and he is willingly choosing to behave in this manner. This is clearly unethical because if Socrates is aware that he is aggravating those around him then why would he

    Read More

  • No Clear Link Between TV Violence and Aggression

    2067 Words  | 5 Pages

    Friedrich-Cofer, L. & Huston, A.C. (1986).  Television violence and aggression: The debate continues.  Psychological Bulletin, 100, 364- 371.

    Read More

  • Masculinity In Mainstream Media

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mainstream media often portrays the idea of masculinity in a very linear way, to be a man you have to display certain characteristics and if you don’t have show these socially constructed masculine traits you can be ostracized because of it. Some of these traits “include a cultural ideal that emphasizes dominance, strength, accumulation of material goods, aggression, risk-taking, and adventurousness” (Connell, 1995). These traits are often negative and stereotype young men into these crafted categories that not everyone is going to fit into. Thus forcing men to go in a certain direction with their gender identity based off old ideas instead of letting them find their own identities and come to terms with who they truly are as a person. So as a man who consumes this mainstream media I would like to see less of this generalized gender identity being pushed on men. I

    Read More

  • Why Does Athen's Use Of Socrates Duty

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    Socrates is an Athenian stone cutter in his late seventies with three children that is convicted of series crimes. The rationale that he considers to be wisdom is seen by the rest of society as rebellion and disrespect which is why he was managed to be the person of blame at the loss of a war. Socrates responds to the allocated charges in the court of law of Athens quite uniquely but the real reason for the charges placed was his use of wisdom.

    Read More

  • Violence in Television

    1911 Words  | 4 Pages

    addition the average American child will witness over 200,000 acts of violence on television including 16,000 murders before the age of 18 (DuRant, 445). Polls show that three-quarters of the public find television entertainment too violent. When asked to select measures that would reduce violent crime “a lot”, Americans chose restrictions on television violence more often than gun control. Media shows too much violence that is corrupting the minds children, future leaders of our society. In a study of population data for various countries sh...

    Read More

  • Media Violence

    1852 Words  | 4 Pages

    Television with its far reaching influence spreads across the globe. Its most important role is that of reporting the news and maintaining communication between people around the world. Television's most influential, yet most serious aspect is its shows for entertainment. Violent children's shows like Mighty Morphing Power Rangers and adult shows like NYPD Blue and Homicide almost always fail to show human beings being able to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner; instead they show a reckless attitude that promotes violent action first with reflection on the consequences later. Contemporary television creates a seemingly insatiable appetite for amusement of all kinds without regard for social or moral benefits (Schultze 41). Findings over the past twenty years by three Surgeon Generals, the Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence, the American Medical Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other medical authorities indicate that televised violence is harmful to all of us, but particularly to the mental health of children (Medved 70-71).

    Read More

  • Texting While Driving

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    The invention of the cellular phone has thrived to be the most used utility in the world. Although cell phones were invented to wirelessly communicate with another peer, texting has evolved into the most habitually practiced hobby in today’s society. There is a habit in today’s society of texting while driving and it has begun to be one of the most common reasons for automotive accidents in the United States. Texting while driving should be banned because of the risks and dangers it runs not only in that person’s life but, those connected to that person.

    Read More

  • Texting While Driving

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    Banning cell phones while driving will reduce the number of fatalities. 11 people are killed every day because of texting and driving. During daylight hours, at any given time, 660,000 drivers in the United States, use cell phones. A text message can wait until the car is parked. If the message is about something important, then pull over on the side of the road. Doing so will benefit the driver and traffic. By texting and driving, many

    Read More

  • Texting while driving

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, it’s illegal to texting while driving and it’s also dangerous. While driving, adults and teenagers cannot resist the urge to pick up their cell phone and send a text or respond to one. Car crashes are four times more common to take place while the driver is on their mobile device over any other causes. Most people don’t seem to understand how careless they can be while driving a car. When they are reading a message it’s impossible for them to look in both directions so therefore all their attention goes to the text message. Why do they have a law that bans texting while driving if they’re not going to enforce it? Look around you most people are dying from this matter.

    Read More

  • Having Regulations On Reality T.V.

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thompson, Robert J. “Tv Violence and Self Regulation”. britannica.com. 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 7 Jan.

    Read More

  • The Power of Media

    1839 Words  | 4 Pages

    Concerns about media violence have grown as television has acquired a global audience. While TV violence is not the only cause of aggressive or violent behavior, it is clearly a significant factor. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today's television programs include violent images! The impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the child's behavior or may surface years later. Media is responsible for inciting violence.

    Read More

  • Television Violence

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    Violence is one of the most primary and controversial issues in today’s society. And true that violence is on the rise. A major concern for many parents is the violence within television shows and movies, and the effect on children’s aggression. I particularly do not believe that violence in television affects children’s aggression, but who am I to say such a thing, for I am not a qualified psychologist. But I have many reasons for my accusation and references to back it up. Now television plays a major role in today’s society, and it occupies almost every home in the United States. Parents have such a big concern for the children watching television, but children throughout the U.S watch an average of twenty hours of television. So I posed the first question. Who allows these children to watch so much television? Obvious question answered with the complainers.

    Read More

  • Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    Furthermore, television violence causes aggressive behavior in children. Many people believe that children who watch violent television programs exhibit more aggressive behavior than that exhibited by children who do not (Kinnear 23). According to the results of many studies and reports, violence on television can lead to aggressive behavior in children (Langone 50). Also, when television was introduced into a community of children for the first time, researchers observed a rise in the level of physical and verbal aggression among these children (Langone 51). The more television violence viewed by a child, the more aggressive the child is (“Children” 1).

    Read More

  • The Media And Violence

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    The debate regarding the media's relationship to violence in society has been a hot issue for most of the past century. From the beginning of the wide use of mass media, from films to radio to television, researchers have tried to explain any association or correlation between media effects and violence. Of particular interest and concern has been the issue of violence in the media and the impact that this has on children. Although important research efforts have increased our understanding of the topic there is still a great that needs to be done in terms of the application and implementation of the findings to policies and television programming.

    Read More

More about Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

Open Document