Media violence

Media violence is notoriously hard to define and prove. Even those who agree that there is a correlation between media violence and societal violence disagree about how one affects the other. Sissela Bok states that ``even if media violence were linked to no other debilitating effects, it would remain at the center of public debate so long as the widespread belief persists that it glamorized aggressive conduct, removes inhibitions toward such conduct, around viewers and invites imitations`` ( 258). The lack of consensus in connection with the relationship between media violence and societal violence has not obstructed ongoing researches: `` It is only natural that the links of media violence to aggression should be of special concern to families and communities whereas increased fear, desensitization, and appetite for violence primarily affect the viewers`` (Bok 258). Media violence does encourage societal violence to some degree.
Television can be a powerful influence in developing values and behavior in American public. There is a growing litany of lament being squeezed out of grieving Americans about the violence in their society: `` Public concern about a possible link between media violence and societal violence has further intensified in the past decades, media coverage of violence, far from declining, has escalated since then, devoting ever more attention to celebrity homicides and copy cat crimes`` (Bok 259). Americans worry over the impact of media being poured into the television screens of their homes and into the psychological development of their children. The amount of television viewing done by children of all ages continues to expand, Allen R Jimmy the author of the essay ``Sounding the Alarm`` conducted an experiment on the concerns about the amount of television viewing : he concluded that for twenty eight hours of weekly television watching , it amounts to five thousands acts of violence a year. He added that cartoons contains even more violence and are a steady fare for children (Allen 1).
All types of major aggressive behavior, which include illegal behavior and criminal violence, demonstrate a significant effect of television violence. Most of these behaviors are known to be caused by social concerns; the lack of good parenting is one of the major effects of violence in children due to media violence. What should parents do to limit the degree of children exposure to the negative influences? Parents should select shows that model positive behavior such as Dora the Explorer, Diego and Manny the Tool Man, these shows able the child to learn how to care and be considerate of others. ``As in any epidemic, it is urgent to know what it is that makes so many capable of such violence, victimize so many others, and cause countless to live in fear`` says Bok (259).The government should have media companies regulate the shows that are aired on TV, so that they could automatically block shows that are inappropriate for children, and, at the same, permit adults with a pass code which would allow them to watched any other uncensored shows. Failure to conform to these laws should result to censorship.
Nevertheless, television and media provokes Americans thirst for adventure and danger and allow them to witness that is among them. Violence in the media is the contributing factors in violence carried out in real life. Personal responsibilities and choices are the long terms remedies for the divulgence of violence in the media.