| For those who wonder at the incidence of violence | | | | If all kids are exposed to the same media, why do |
| among school-age children, consider the following idea: | | | | some kids become violent and others not? |
| Kids learn by example and by repetition. | | | | A fair question. |
| The abundant violence depicted in television | | | | Some reasoning leads us to the idea that some kids |
| programming, movies, music, and video games | | | | are predisposed to violence more so than others. In |
| provides values and behaviors for kids to model and | | | | general, males, more than females, are predisposed |
| practice. More than that, they offer opportunities for | | | | to physically violent behavior, as evident in the games |
| kids to witness or practice (via video games) violent | | | | they adopt, most of which involve dominance or |
| behavior without consequences. | | | | some form of violent behavior. Among males, some |
| Frequent exposure to portrayals of violence | | | | are more irritable, more aggressive, less |
| desensitizes kids to the impact of violence. Violence | | | | self-controlled, and less sensitive to the |
| then become acceptable, perhaps even expected | | | | consequences of their actions -- whether because of |
| and "cool". | | | | temperament, family and social experience, |
| Oddly, examples of compassionate behavior, wisdom, | | | | immaturity, or poor health. They act out -- and they |
| and intelligence are far rarer in the entertainment | | | | don't feel much. The casual cruelty of which children |
| media than those of violence, foolishness, and | | | | and adolescents are capable is well-recognized, isn't |
| stupidity. | | | | it? |
| Thus, examples of violence predominate, and the | | | | Many adults value this imbalance between the impulse |
| coincident trends are evident in our news. | | | | to take action and the capacity to experience the |
| Those who would beg off the implications of such | | | | results. It is a necessity for a soldier -- and also the |
| simple observations by citing the absence of scientific | | | | soldier's sacrifice. For society in general, it is a state |
| studies have failed to exercise their intelligence or | | | | of disease. In that state, individuals need violence and |
| powers of observation. They are excuse-makers. | | | | extremes of sensation to feel much of anything. |
| Like the tobacco industry, they deny or disavow | | | | Many also drink alcohol to avoid feeling. In an actual |
| what observation and reason reveal. | | | | sense, they are split personalities -- the product of a |
| Where did such excuse-makers learn to rely upon | | | | split-personality culture. |
| external authority in place of their own powers of | | | | Nonetheless, without examples as to how to act out, |
| observation and exercise of intelligence? -- | | | | kids would not choose the extremes of violence |
| indoctrination or cultivation of self-responsibility? Such | | | | about which we hear in the news; they wouldn't as |
| persons think of discipline in terms of punishment, | | | | likely think of them -- and if they thought of them, |
| rather of cultivation of desired attributes. "Violence is | | | | they would be less likely to find extremes of violence |
| just human nature and can only be controlled by | | | | satisfying, rather than saddening or horrifying. |
| punishment." Others simply assert their right to | | | | Violence is trivialized in the entertainment media -- TV |
| business-as-usual because it brings them profits: "Not | | | | and movie entertainment, music, and video-games. |
| my responsibility." "First-Amendment Rights!" They | | | | Even news has ceased to be rigorously newsworthy |
| ought to remember that the success of a | | | | and has been reduced to the level of entertainment. |
| democracy depends upon the wisdom of the | | | | (Of what value is it to the broadcast audience to |
| populace. A third group is simply intellectually lazy or | | | | know details about traffic accidents and crimes? Is |
| undeveloped; they promote the standard slogans: | | | | this actionable information? Never mind the public's |
| "Fight poverty." "Fight AIDS." "Fight family violence." | | | | oft-proclaimed "right "to know; does the public need |
| Fight this, fight that. By speaking figuratively, this | | | | to know? Do we want to know? Do we benefit |
| way, they reinforce the standards of violence in our | | | | from knowing?) |
| society -- and perhaps they have failed to recognize | | | | Violence in the mass-media is the "tobacco" of |
| the necessary difference between fighting conditions | | | | entertainment. It should be regulated, and more |
| and establishing desirable conditions. | | | | healthful options should be promoted. |