Technology And Television Essay, Research Paper

Technology and Television

Adrian Dominguez

Professor Fourzan

English

November 30, 1999

Technology has created many good things for humanity such as cures for illnesses,

ways to make transportation faster and many other things. Yet technology has also done

harm to human culture, and it is easily spread to many people all over the world. This

dark side is communication, either by television or radio, violence is spread everyday. The

most affected are children because they are young, easily persuaded and their innocence

can not distinguish right and wrong. Children tend to see violence as a ?funny factor? and

practice it not only at home but also in other places like school, playgrounds and stores.

Children are more likely to be affected by cartoon violence. This is because in a

cartoon a character can easily be destroyed and revived five minutes later with no serious

injury. Not only do children think this is funny, but think it is true because no one tells

them that it is make believe. Reports say that this might cause children to commit serious

crimes because their is little or no consequence. (Official AAP website pg. 1) Violence is

what sells these days from every day cartoons like Power Rangers to Pokemon, each show

contains someone being seriously injured and in seconds being cured. Networks should

explain to children that the acts of violence are made up: in a fun and simple way that they

can understand.

Television violence leads to many problems. CYFC stated in an article that ?Just

as children learn from their family they also learn from their super heroes. (Official CYFC

Webpage pg. 1) children tend to become either fighters or victims and may encourage or

provoke fights among friends. Many schools began to ban Pokemon trading cards not

only because children did not pay attention in class, but because they would fight each

other for the cards. This type of violence is encouraged by commercials because if a child

does not have the product they are not cool or part of the group. Also the more a child

sees violent acts of crime the more they become immune to it. For example a child will

lose all emotions and will have no sympathy to the victims of crime. They might also think

that it is funny and laugh at people just as they would if they were watching

television.(Official AAp Webpage)

Violence is not only in cartoons it is also in movies like Austin Powers the Spy

Who Shagged Me. The name itself has a hidden meaning, the word shagged is not

appropriate. Their one bit in the movie that shows a woman being shot, blown up with a

bazooka, and thrown out a window. When the bit is over Austin asks her why don?t you

want to die? Another bit shows a rocket in the shape of the male genitalia and is then

described in many forms. A child may see their parents laugh and repeat these words in a

place where they should not be spoken. What if the child finds a gun in their parent?s

drawers and decides to shoot their brother or sister? No longer would it be funny and the

child may become traumatized. Parents, not only the networks, should take the time to

explain to their children that it is only make-believe. This can prevent a horrible accident

from ever occurring, because now a child knows better.

Violence is not only on television it is also on the radio and the music people like

to hear. Many songs portray women as low creatures that are beaten by their pimps or

how drugs, alcohol and guns are ?cool? and solve every problem. their are times when a

person turns on the radio and does not notice what the lyrics mean. While the music is on

a child can be listening and slowly will begin to decipher what the singer is implying. As

the Child begins to make sense of what the singer means they might end up practicing

what their role models sing. They might use drugs or commit acts of violence because the

singers do it in their songs. Before a parent even realizes what has happened their child

might have become a menace to society.

Another reason that evil and violence is spread so easily through television and

radio is because all the violence is justified. This means that all the fighting is done in the

name of justice and good in other words good vs. evil.(Official Edmontonjournal

Webpage) In the eyes of children beating up other people is all right as long as the other

child did something wrong. Though it is wrong a child feels glory and happiness because

they are doing what their violent super heroes would do.

technology has helped the world but has it done harm to the innocent minds of the

children. Many groups and studies like CYFC, say yes, and have used technology to

create object such as the V-chip to regulate the amount of violence a child sees on

television. Even though an adult can distinguish the difference between real violence and

fake violence a child can not and their innocence should not be taken for granted. Not

only are they blackening the minds of the children they might help create violent members

of society if not corrected. This does not mean that a child should go without television

radio but that a parent should be more cautious and regulate what their children watch.

Works Cited

?The Changing Face of T.V. Violence.? Journal Extra.

14 Jan. 1998. http://www.edmontonjournal.com

/archives/011498tv.html

?Media Violence and Media Literacy.? American Academy

of Pediatrics. 23 Nov 1999. http://www.aap.org

/advocacy/child healthmonth/media.htm

?T.V. Violence and what can Parents Do.? CYFC.

23 Nov 1999. http://www.cyfc.vmn.edu/Documents

/C/C/CC1016.html/

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?The Changing Face of T.V. Violence.? Journal Extra.

14 Jan. 1998. http://www.edmontonjournal.com

/archives/011498tv.html

?Media Violence and Media Literacy.? American Academy

of Pediatrics. 23 Nov 1999. http://www.aap.org

/advocacy/child healthmonth/media.htm

?T.V. Violence and what can Parents Do.? CYFC.

23 Nov 1999. http://www.cyfc.vmn.edu/Documents

/C/C/CC1016.html/