I am sure most of you are aware of Albert Bandura's social learning theory and the results of his research. The Bobo doll experiment clearly proved that children exposed to filmed violence are likely to imitate what they see.Yet the mass media is filled with sex and violence-right from TV,radio,video games the internet,you name it. The problem is that these children grow up to be adults. As much as we would like to say everyone recovers from that childish mindset and moves on to better things, the evidence is overwhelming. Look at the number of violent crimes,rape cases,teenage pregnancies or divorces related to extra marital affairs and domestic violence in America today to find your answer. This does not mean that TV is the only factor but it is certainly a key contributor. Let us look at a few case examples:
1. Dec 7,1981 Olivia N. v. NBC Olivia sued NBC for damages and injuries suffered after a group of minors artificially raped her with a bottle. Olivia N. alleged that her attackers had viewed and discussed the artificial rape scene in a broadcast of the movie Born Innocent and that led them to commit the crime.
2.In December of 2007, 16-year-old Daniel Petric shot his parents, killing his mother,because they would not let him play a violent video game called Halo 3
3. In 1999, Lionel Tate killed his 6-year-old cousin with whom he was practicing professional wrestling moves that he had seen on TV.
Just how much violence do kids see on TV? According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the average american child witnesses 200,000 violent acts on television by the age of 18.
Similarly,children who watched a lot of TV with sexual content are about twice as likely to start having intercourse during the subsequent years as those with little exposure to televised sex. This constant exposure leads to desensitization to both violence and sex. It is the good guys that our kids are taught to emulate. So, despite all the lectures from mum and dad about how wrong it is to hit others,TV says it is okay if you are the good guy. It is okay if you are wonder woman, batman or superman.
When we watch TV, there are no discussions of whether premarital sex is right or wrong, it is just portrayed as something that is done. TV sex rarely shows the negative effects of irresponsible sex, instead it is portrayed as something that everyone is doing. And if everyone is doing it, then it must be right!Despite what research on harmful effects of TV has proven, very few parents are able to restrict what their children watch. Yes, there are parents who do their job right by using parental control. These are the ones who make enemies of their children. But, what about the ones who grew up in the same setting of sex and violence and see nothing wrong with it? What about the technologically challenged who have no idea what parental control is, or don't know how to use it?
For adults what kind of values do shows like A Real Chance at Love, Rock of Love and the Bachelor promote? Adultery and promiscuity over marital intimacy,profanity, and irresponsibility are certainly a few of them. Our moral standards are degrading by the second through the content we let into our minds. If we don't want to become immune or numb to the horror of violence, if we don't want to become a society that accepts violence as a way to solve problems, if we don't want to see our children pregnant at age 16 or even 9, we should urge the government to enact stricter regulations on sex and violence, not just on TV but on all mass media outlets.
"Our moral standards are degrading by the second through the content we let into our minds" ...who holds the monopoly on morality? I think that you are basing morality on sets of principles you grew up with and thus discrediting what others do that doesn't conform with your beliefs as been immoral. I try to stay away from critiquing human social behaviors because Men only do what we're capable of doing, and everything we're capable of doing is an ability given to us by the creator. I find myself more accepting of others when I don't see everything through the lens of my religion or culture...even though I use the teachings of Christ as guidance in most of the things I do, I do not use that same lessons as a way to see differences or draw divisions on people that see the world or act differently.
ReplyDeleteThere are some things that are common knowledge. Killing is wrong, raping is wrong, stealing is wrong. Who holds monopoly over these definitions? We the people. It is an innate response to the world we live in. All laws written will condemn these behaviors. Imagine a world where everything is accepted because "humans are only do what they are capable of doing". It would be a world where all crimes are accepted. And since we do not live in that world,clearly there is a moral standard set. Not by me, unfortunately or fortunately it existed way before ...and religion was not the only contributing factor to a societies set of morals.
ReplyDeleteHow very elitist of you to assume that most of us are aware of anything. Just kidding! TV can definitely be bad for children, but parents really need to step up and monitor them. In our society, the television is often used as a surrogate parent or babysitter for children. In today's economy both parents usually have to work and are busy and often too tired to monitor what their children are watching, and I empathize with that, but they always have the option of not having a television or using the V-chip.
ReplyDeleteWe have laws that tell us what we can and cannot do. Our legislature makes the laws and although we elect them, we essentially have little control over them. Originally, our laws were natural laws that basically just meant you can't harm the freedom, rights, and property of others. Today they have expanded quite a bit and it begs the question: When will this expansion on our rights stop?