Media is a dispensable element of contemporary societies. The past fifty years have witnessed a remarkable increase in different opinions regarding the impact of media violence. This term denotes the depiction of physical deeds that hurts or cause fatalities (Groves, Prot & Anderson, 2016). Media violence could prompt a person to believe that some situations warrant aggressive behaviors that yield remarkable benefits. Excessive exposure to media violence is dangerous and takes a toll on life choices unconsciously.
Violence entertainment has different forms: television shows, music videos and lyrics, movies, commercials, and video games. People of all ages, from teenagers to adults, are into violent media productions. Violence entertainment is addictive for three reasons. Firstly, this entertainment is attractive to some viewers who prefer it during free time to kill boredom. Secondly, violent media constitute themes that resonate with the audience. Thus, they enjoy watching to learn different lessons. Lastly, lovers of violent media productions may feel post-viewing pleasure from viewing themes, events, and characters in violent content.
Dangers of Media Violence
Media violence can become dangerous for three significant reasons. Firstly, media violence contributes to aggressive behavior. Good drama in entertainment platforms centers on conflict, where violence is a substantial impact on conflict. A study by Huesmann et al. (2003) in children growing up determined that violence associated with early childhood acquaintance to media violence occurs in different forms (Melki et al., 2016). For instance, children become more aggressive and lie to get their colleagues in trouble. Also, aggressive children take things of others due to anger. This anger stems from a lack of self-control where a child perceives things illogically. When children play video games, they become embedded in such games whenever they use joysticks. The joysticks, commonly called handheld controllers, stimulate aggressive feelings and experiences.
Secondly, media violence causes desensitization to violence. Excessive viewing of violent video games minimizes prosocial behavior and empathy, consistent with significant emotional sensitization. A recent example where media trained an individual to associate killing and violence delightfully happened at Umpqua Community College. 1st of October was a sad day in this Oregon-based higher learning institution due to a mass shooting that claimed nine lives and several casualties (Healy & Ian, 2015). Police officers killed the shooter, Christopher Harper-Mercer. Police investigations into his motives revealed that he was preoccupied with violent gaming that consumed most of his time. He had no time for his family, a fact reinforced by the neighbors who said that Harper-Mercer could self-isolate and only discuss guns and video games. This Oregon incident proves how constant exposure to violent video games alters a person’s perception of the world.
Media entertainment is also harmful because it makes long-term viewers grapple with unnecessary worries about being harmed. Ideally, entertainment media inflate a notion that the world is in chaos, promoting a mean-world syndrome in viewers. A perception that the world is dangerous motivates people, especially youths, to carry weapons whenever they walk and become aggressive with the notion of getting their enemies before they reach them. These feelings lead to posttraumatic stress disorders and panic attacks in other cases. Therefore, regulation of media violence is critical to saving people from unnecessary worries.
In summary, the media can influence everyday human life choices unconsciously. This essay has illustrated the dangers of media violence in three forms: increasing aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, and unnecessary worries about being harmed. Solutions to curb the violent impact of media are to minimize the viewing of violent television shows, video games, and movies. In doing so, the media won’t place any viewer in an unhealthy and specific mindset that has detrimental psychological implications.
References
Groves, C. L., Prot, S., & Anderson, C. A. (2016). Violent media effects: Theory and evidence. How Digital Technology Use Can Help or Harm: Recent Developments, Treatment Considerations and Clinical Applications. Oxford University Press
Healy, J & Ian, L. (2015). Oregon Killer Described as Man of Few Words, Except on Topic of Guns. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/03/us/chris-harper-mercer-umpqua-community-college-shooting.html.
Melki, J., Oghia, M. J., Fitzpatrick, C., & Pagani, L. S. (2016). Early childhood exposure to media violence: what parents and policymakers ought to know. South African Journal of Childhood Education.
