Television and Media - TV Violence is Ruining Children

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Recommended: The effect of television violence on children

TV Violence is Ruining Children

A young child sits in front of a television watching cartoons while his mother runs around the house doing various chores. The mother passes the room the child is in and glances at the television each time she passes. The child is watching "Sesame Street." Then, a half an hour later, "Mr. Rogers" is on. The mother walks into the room a half an hour later and stops in horror at what is on the television. Her young son is watching the same station as before, but now a different cartoon is on. It is not one of the educational, "cute" cartoons, but one filled with violence and destruction.

Parents finding children watching violent and unwholesome cartoons is occurring more often. Television is becoming more violent. And, the violence shown on television and the destruction portrayed there, has lasting negative effects on those young children who view it.

There have been countless wars recorded, murders, assaults of every nature committed, and many violent acts too horrible to picture. These violent acts are recorded in ages throughout the history of the earth. Violence has existed since the beginning of time and it existed long before television was invented. However, the fact that it has existed for centuries does not mean that it won't get worse, or that it cannot be slowed down. So, why does violence still exist? Of course it is in the human nature to be violent, but a recent discovery has found that media, namely the television, has become a main cause of violence. Yet, it must be made clear that television is not the only cause of violence, but that it is one cause that is progressively becoming more common as time passes.

According to the National Television V...

... middle of paper ...

... boy was only doing what he had seen done on television and what he assumed to be appropriate behavior.

The statistics revealing occurrences like this are too high. Children are witnessing too many acts of violence on television and are not seeing the results of violence. They do not understand that violence causes pain and even death to those it is inflicted upon and they do not understand that violence is a crime. Violence in television affects children in a negative and lasting way and it has become a threat to society and to the future.

References:

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001 http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/media.htm

The Learning Network, 2000-2001 http://familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,3-2376,00.html

Facts About Media Violence and Effects on the American Family, 1997 http://www.babybag.com/articles/amaviol.html

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