The Harmful Effect of Television on Children and Teen-agers

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The entertainment that television is now portraying is not exactly what the younger society of America needs to be exposed to, but unfortunately in today's economy that is the only kind of entertainment that sells. There is so much unnecessary exposure to violence, aggressive behavior, and sexual acts now being broadcasted daily on television, movies, music, and even the news. The broadcasting systems are now targeting younger children and teens. The crime rates have skyrocketed due to delinquent juvenile behavior over the past ten years. The whole viewing society is now becoming very tolerant and at ease with sex and violence. Youth and children are picking up on these behaviors daily. Studies have shown that by the age of 18, the average American teen will have viewed around 200,000 acts of violence on television. The violence and sexual content that television and music are now portraying has negatively influenced younger children and teens to commit murder, exhibit aggressive behavior, and become tolerant of violence and sex.

The negative influence television has begun to have on children is unreal. Americans seem to ask themselves what brings on such things as the Columbine shootings, eleven-year-olds murdering toddlers, and an increase in teen rapes. Then, these same people allow their children and teenagers to watch movies like Saw, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Frailty. Irving Kristol is part of the American Enterprise Institute and in 1994 wrote an essay pointing out proof of these influences on teens and children. He used a report done in the United Kingdom on what they called "video nasties" (Kristol) and gave evidence of negative behavior in children who had watched such vulgar and violent shows. He again...

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...ry. If the violence and sex are forced to become under control, our society will be a much better place to live and raise our children in.

Works Cited

Grossman, David, and Mary Cagney. "Trained to Kill." Christianity Today Aug. 1998.

08 May 2005 <www.christianitytoday.com>.

Jacoby, Jeff. "A Desensitized Society Drenched in Sleaze." Elements of Argument. Ed. Annette T. Rottenberg. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003. 626-628.

Kristol, Irving. "Sex, Violence, and Videotape." Elements of Argument. Ed. Annette T.

Rottenberg. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003. 610-613.

Palumbo, Frank. "The Social Impact of Music Violence." American Academy of

Pediatrics. 06 Nov. 1997. American Academy of Pediatrics. 09 May. 2005

<www.aap.org/advocacy>.

Schroeder, Ken. "Education News in Brief." The Education Digest Sept. 1998: 74-75.

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