As you will have seen on the whole, café Lumiere does not focus on what is going wrong that much. On this occasion we feel compelled to say something about the state of the environment we expose our children to.
Currently, society has an unacceptably hypocritical attitude towards the effects of television and other media sources upon children. On the one hand, many television bosses say that showing violence on television has no effect. On the other, these same media bosses tell companies behaviour can be changed from an advertisement of as little as 10 seconds. Where is the sense here?
The outcome is that children today are more accustomed to violence than ever before, since they see it so much more often. Video games that encourage aggression also have pass on a message that children pick up all too easily. If you want a sobering thought, do you know what many soldiers are given in order to become used to killing in an instant, yes video games. Some children are even given toys in the shape of guns and encouraged to dress up as soldiers. Then, we wonder why young people today seem so accepting of violence.
So what’s the solution? Surely, we must radically change what we tolerate on our televisions and what we expose our children too. Instead of denying that what children see has an effect on their world view, change what we expose them to. Where many advertisements extol the virtues of games that involve killing, ban advertisements of these games altogether and promote games with the values we want as a society. These would include, I expect, more images of cooperation and unity within our communities. This does not mean television need be boring. One of the most moving scences of war I know, the end of Black Adder 4 does not even feature a dead body. I would also hold up the Shaw Shank Redemption and Shooting fish as excellent films which has very little violence in them. Comedy programmes often avoid violence eg. The Diary of a Nobody on Radio 4 at the moment Dead Ringers and ‘allo ‘allo to name but a few. The message is clear more fun, less violence would be better for all, and it need n’t be at the cost of a good night’s entertainment.
Currently, society has an unacceptably hypocritical attitude towards the effects of television and other media sources upon children. On the one hand, many television bosses say that showing violence on television has no effect. On the other, these same media bosses tell companies behaviour can be changed from an advertisement of as little as 10 seconds. Where is the sense here?
The outcome is that children today are more accustomed to violence than ever before, since they see it so much more often. Video games that encourage aggression also have pass on a message that children pick up all too easily. If you want a sobering thought, do you know what many soldiers are given in order to become used to killing in an instant, yes video games. Some children are even given toys in the shape of guns and encouraged to dress up as soldiers. Then, we wonder why young people today seem so accepting of violence.
So what’s the solution? Surely, we must radically change what we tolerate on our televisions and what we expose our children too. Instead of denying that what children see has an effect on their world view, change what we expose them to. Where many advertisements extol the virtues of games that involve killing, ban advertisements of these games altogether and promote games with the values we want as a society. These would include, I expect, more images of cooperation and unity within our communities. This does not mean television need be boring. One of the most moving scences of war I know, the end of Black Adder 4 does not even feature a dead body. I would also hold up the Shaw Shank Redemption and Shooting fish as excellent films which has very little violence in them. Comedy programmes often avoid violence eg. The Diary of a Nobody on Radio 4 at the moment Dead Ringers and ‘allo ‘allo to name but a few. The message is clear more fun, less violence would be better for all, and it need n’t be at the cost of a good night’s entertainment.
It is encouraging that a first step has been taken in Britain at least, with the banning of advertising of unhealthy food products to young children.
My thanks to the website http://www.musicbulletinboards.net/boards/cooperation.htm for the lovely picture.
3 comments:
Dear Moto,
I can't really comment on television, as I have no real interest in such things. However, I feel that I really should comment on what you say about video games.
In a way I agree with you - children shouldn't be exposed to things that encourage violence. However, there is actually a ratings system in place for video games (PEGI), which, although being voluntary and not legally enforced, is at least something. Quite often parents will buy their children a game despite it clearly being rated 18+, such as any of the more recent Grand Theft Auto titles.
From what I've observed, part of the problem is that parents these days are all too willing to leave their children in the company of a television or game. Without someone there to make sure that the child keeps reality and fantasy separate, it's all too easy to learn behaviour that isn't acceptable in the real world. Video games can be a very good way to escape from pressures of the real world when more traditional forms of escape are unavailable. My parents think of going abroad as a way to get a change of scenery - I find immersive games to be a perfectly adaquate way to escape from my life for a while. I'm not sure where I'm going with this post, but in the real world, at any rate, I have to go up to Tescos... I hope I managed to get some point across and not just waffle at you >_<
AB
Dear Autumn Blake,
The ratings system is a good thing, but I can't help but think it is a case of bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted. The problem, to my of thinking, is not so much that children try to watch and play things designed for an older age group.
The problem is the ready availability of so much violent material in the first place. Currently, society has created a vicious circle, whereby games producers advertise the latest violent game, which then sells, and encourages the producers to make ever more violent games.
Such is the ready availability of these games that children who do have access to these games may be considered 'uncool' or 'pathetic'.
The solution must be to make killing less cool. Part of this process would be accomplished by limiting the number of minutes of violence that can be shown in new films and video games. This will then encourage game manufacturers to seek more appropriate games.
Society has a real challenge of course. In some countries, it is even taught that it is acceptable to kill a person to teach them not to kill a person. Where is the good common sense there? Given that kind of mentality in some, it is important we take back common sense as soon as possible with less violence in society at large.
10/10 for going abroad by the way. A nice way of increasing tolerance and broadening the mind! I like it...
From my point of view, not even adults should be exposed to things that encourage violence. Pretending to kill people should not be a normal form of entertainment. These games should not exist.
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