The Media, and Its Affect on the World

[L]

The media, it's been under fire for years, they've been blamed for many things happening all over the world, of course most of it being negative. Aggressive behavior being linked to television, suicide being linked to music, and school shootings being pinned on video games.

Do you think these things are enough to influence people to go so over the edge? Or do you think that there's a different cause?

I actually need some ideas for a speech I'm doing. So I'll go off what I see in this thread.

[Exodi]

It's odd.
Odd because I had a question like this on the AP English exam that I took this morning. Can't actually say what the question was, though. It's against the rules or something.

I definitely think tv, music, and video games have something to do with it, but aren't, of course, the only reason. You have to add daily life and other people and other stuff to the equation.

[enolex]

nope i think its all the parents fault. a child should learn that killing things in video games is ok and is not real life. same with how the hell can a song make you kill yourself (unless it was so bad that...) and same with violence on tv. a parent should tell the child that tv is freaking tv not real life (most of the time).
but i do agree that the beauty tv shows off doesn't help a girls mental problems of her physical image

[L]

Exactly that's what I said, parents could even sit down with their children and make sure that they know that these things are fake or are taken out of context. Or if it's real, help them understand the topic.

[enolex]

exactly. even if the parent is too bored to tell them, then put on parent control or something

[L]

Yeah, the V chip, and cable makes it even easier, I don't know why they just don't do that instead?

And what of the video games? Minors can't buy rated M games, the parents do that for them!

[enolex]

exactly. so when there child does something stupid, the parent blames the tv company or the video game company, when its really their own damn fault!

[L]

So in short, parents should learn how to raise their children the right way?

[enolex]

or atleast put some effort into it. even if there childhood was bad, shouldn't they try and make their child's a good one

[L]

It's not that they're not putting effort into raising their child, most of these kids live in nice houses and are provided nice things. The thing is, these parents either spoiled their children or just neglected them because they were "too tired" or something, either way that's no excuse.

It's a common problem in western life, parents just don't want to raise their children or deal with their problems.

[Alister]

I think that terrorist acts (car bombs and stuff in Iraq, for example) are made a lot more effective by the media showing them all over the world, thus there is more incentive to do such things, but... beyond that, no.

Videogames, music, TV... parents often leave these things to raise their children. As you guys said, the parent is the one carelessly buying an M-rated game for little Timmy.

Anyone who is affected by media in a way such that they feel that violence, etc is more acceptable is not in a good frame of mind to begin with, and that is not at all the fault of media, but rather the fault of the person' upbringing/life experiences.

[gakekuroi]

well I agree but disagree about the parents part yes , they should help there kids understand the difference between reality and just some movie or video game. Consider the kids/persons mental abilities as well some people dont have the ablitiy to establish reality from not or right from wrong, then theres other factors to consider besides media that can affect a person as exodi said other people can cause some one to lash out badly or daily life. media also shows how to treat people right as well, but to put it simple media can affect more then your behavior, but your dressing style, attitude, look opun life.

[CK]

I truly dont think the media has a effect on kids 9 and up, i mean i could show you a room of kids that have seen the matrix when i was 9, and in no way it affected them, i knew kids from 5th grade and up that had grand theft auto and they were no different mentaly than me,( i was never aloud to have it) umm i think it might affect the little kids, over all i think pop culture has more of a effect on the children, cause of how we see "real life" a kid will take more from "MtVs the real world" than any video game. Cause on pop culture tv, we see gayness, Drinking, Smoking, Sex, Cussing, Catfights, breakups, i mean we see all the stuff that wouldnt be aloud in a T rated video game on a show thats rated 14+. I think we should worry more about reality tv, then media as a whole.

[SoulProphet]

Okay, first off, the kids are influenced by the media because the media can do all of that in one form or another. The kids who see this wants to be cool and blow up stuff just like a character in the movies or games. These kids have serious problems already affecting them before they had a chance to get influenced by the media. A "smart" kid would be able to differentiate between the real world and fake world.

I still remembered the time Pokemon got introduced and several kids died. I forgot how they died, but the parents blamed it on Pokemon. Grand Theft Auto was introduced into the gaming world to let you do what you want in a virtual world. If it intices you to kill then so be it, just don't blame it. Doom is just a game allowing the player to have a great time killing aliens. Games are there for one reason, to entertain one's mind.

[Ereos]

well i find the media affects kids especially
how kids are so young they basically absorb anything they see into their minds
especially in the music industry like eg: 50cent
the gangsta thug lifestyle and all that made a huge impact down east london especially it can be said it made an impact on increasing crimes and methods of killing from movies and so...
violence acts upon it too

[Sharingan]

dude if media showed naked pics of britany im deffo purchasing that maga:D

[Ereos]

lol who wouldnt mind that

[gakekuroi]

you still have to remember the parents are partly responsible for not helping their kides understand differences etc

[Ereos]

well parents are the role models of chrildren but nowadays many work and dont have time to teach and so
so media places a big impact onto them

[L]

well parents are the role models of chrildren but nowadays many work and dont have time to teach and so
so media places a big impact onto them

I never thought of my parents as role models so much as well, ah I don't know.

[L]

But rich parents can't find the in-between, go figure.