Influences of Media on Children

[Chili]

This seems to be a pretty hot topic. I like this topic. It amuses me that people blame video games and television for the actions of the young. So much so that I can't help but giggle at their ignorance. It reminds me of when I was a little kid and everytime I did something wrong I would tell my mother, "The devil made me do it!". Quite amusing right? So, what is the difference of my blaming the devil, and people blaming the media? In my opinion none. Both are not true. I mean sure, television, movies, video games, they put the ideas into childrens heads. But, who is in control? The video game? The television show? The movie? I should hope not. Hopefully children (and by children I mean little kids, preteens, and teenagers, just to clarify) are in control of themselves and can make their own decisions.

The best opinion, I believe, on this subject has to come from author/cartoonist/producer/etc. Jhonen Vasquez. In a comic written by Vasquez, his main character, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, or "Nny", is asked by a terrified man who goes door to door with a survey, the following question:
"So what do you think of the idea that violence on television and other media, have a negative effect on kids and other impressionable minds?"
Johnny's response:
"Any pile of stunted growth unaware that entertainment is just that and nothing else, deserves to doom themselves to some dark cell, somewhere, for having been so stupid!! Movies, books, T.V., music - they're all just entertainment, not guidebooks for damning yourself!" I completely agree with that. Parents blame media for the childrens misbehavior when the parents are at fault. I am sick and tired of hearing how little Jimmy took his dad's gun to school because the movie he and his friends watched glorified guns or how little Susie now does crack because her video game showed drug usage. Who's job is it to keep an eye on these kids? Who's job is it to teach them what is acceptable and what is not? The parents. Who's fault is it if Bobby jumps off a bridge with sheet tied to his back after watching XXX jump off a bridge in a car with a parachute on his back? Who's fault is it if Jackie goes off and gets herself pregnant because in her book, people had children at 13? Again, the parents. Game makers/producers/authors are not to blame because someone neglected to keep an eye on their children or teach them what they need to know.

Parents are not all to blame. If little Jimmy knows what guns can do and plays with one anyway, or little Susie has seen the affect of drug usage and snorts crack in spite of it, well it can probably be correctly inferred that the children themselves are ignorant by choice. Parents can do something about it and maybe they do, but if not, then that's their problem. Take away the T.V., PS2, DVD's for awhile until the kids can get it through their heads that entertainment does not govern their lives. If that doesn't work then hopefully the parents won't be ignorant and blame those things for the damage caused and will get their children help. All in all, media may have an affect on people but it's the ignorant, the un-informed, and the just-plain-stupid that seem to get hit the worst.

Anyway, this is mostly opinion. Anyone else have any opinions, contradictions, etc.? Feel free to prove me wrong because I'm quite sure it can be done ^ . ^!

[lazserus]

This is a brilliant start to a sociological phenomenon that's been occurring since the 1970s. I can't speak for other countries, but the US seems to be the problem child. The big question is simple: When do we take responsibility for our own actions? Or, where does responsibility lie?

In 1979 a college student went missing. After interviews from a private dick, the media reported that the student went missing after participating in a live-action version of the cult classic table-top role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. In 1982 a TV movie starring Tom Hanks was released called Mazes and Monsters, which portrayed itself as an inspirational nonfiction of what happened to James Dallas Egbert III in 1979. William Dear, the private dick that was in charge of finding Egbert released a book called The Dungeon Master in 1984 explaining the truth of what actually happened. After Dear's statements were taken by the media, they were altered and placed in fictional context. In those years many groups formed to protest again Dungeons & Dragons. The realist of the situation was that Egbert had no association to D&D with those he knew, he had a history of clinical depression, had been on medication for years, and also had made suicide attempts in the past. To put a cherry on the cake, he was homosexual, which he had to keep secret. During the 70s, it was very bad to admit that. So the media and families blamed Dungeons & Dragons for the death of Egbert, which was entirely fictional. He had a history of suicide attempts, his final attempt resulting in success in 1980 when he was found with a fatal gunshot wound to his head.

Naturally, that incident matters little to most of you. Let's leap to Columbine. Columbine is a constant topic and fear. I was an adult when the Columbine shootings happened. After the shootings, the parents and neighborhood attempted to blame the violence on music and video games. I'm sure many of you recall the media uproar of garbage, putting blame on anything other than the teens that committed the act. Hell, the criminals were dead, we MUST find someone to blame! Music companies were sued, along with game companies. What the public refused to notice is that every one of the teens was from a broken home. So broken that they were posting plans all over the room of one house and even detonating pipe bombs in the backyard while the guardian was present. Who really screwed these kids up? Heavy metal? Grand Theft Auto? No! The guardians and parents failed these kids. There were OBVIOUS signs for up to a year that any interested parent/guardian would notice if they paid attention.

Video games are in constant prosecution due to certain content. The ESRB labels video games so that they should only be sold to appropriate ages. A common retail worker (say a 16 yr old) can get fired for selling a 13 year old a game rated Mature. The gaming industry takes the proper precautions. The problems lie locally. We start at the retailer. If they follow policy, then who's left? THE PARENTS.

Parents should be held accountable in some extent for how their children act. Movies, music, games, or comics do NOT make or encourage children to commit violent acts. Parents or Guardians should share some liability, in my opinion.

It has been statistically proved in many forms of media that children who execute violent or unlawful acts are typically those neglected by parental figures. New studies actually show that video games HELP children learn, not the opposite. Granted, that doesn't mean ALL games.

[Assassin X]

Games don't kill people, people kill people.

Seriously though being a gamer were always talking about subjects like this. Yeah there are cases where games do effect the psycho kid that went on a killing spree but 99% of the time games have nothing to do with it....well, ok sort of.

I say everything we see, heard...etc effects us as we grow up. If you watched nothing but slasher movies growing up you'd probably be a little warped. Now there might be some factors that come into play like how well were you raised? Were you a violent kid? Were religious? Were you...etc.

We visited a family in West Virginia last year and their son was 10 I believe. Well he didn't go to school but ALL day (no really) he watched all the Chucky movies over and over and over. He knew every line, every slash, everything. Yet he was scared to sleep by himself. The kid tortured his younger brother and the cat (threw bricks at it). The whole time we were there the kid was pretty psycho.

The last day we were leaving I was outside with the kids keeping them busy and he was running at this brother with a brick in his hand. Well I stopped him and he tripped and fell. I picked him up and apologized and he swore at me and got his parents. His parents didn't believe it was an accident, THEN he said and I quote "I HATE YOU, I'm gonna get daddies gun and blow your f***ing head off. You won't hurt me ***hole!" The psycho came out with a REAL pistol and his dad grabbed it away from him and joked about it. WHAT THE HELL?!?!?

Media and what they see and hear does have alot to do with what they will do. But when it comes down to it parents need to make sure they control their kids and what those kids are doing or else you got 10 year olds with guns that don't understand my HEAD doesn't come back.

[Sheyra]

The psycho came out with a REAL pistol and his dad grabbed it away from him and joked about it. WHAT THE HELL?!?!?

and this kid is only 10?!?!?! the parents need to get him into some therapy or at least take his chucky movies away and have him watch boobahs or teletubbies or something all day!! OMG! i dont have kids yet but if something like that ever came out of my 10 yr olds mouth id spank him, wash his mouth out with soap like they used to do, and ground his ass. not just laugh it off!!! "haha little johnny just tried to blow billy's head off! isnt that cuuuuute?" WTF!!! and the gun shouldnt be anywhere reachable for a 10 yr old.... it should be locked up somewhere .. especially with kids in the house. crazy stuff man ..... glad you still have your head!

as far as media playing a role in teenage violence.. i think the families use the media and music and games as a scapegoat to keep the blame off of themselves. its the old nature vs nurture argument.... more than likely its a combination of both. i've watched scary movies, the scarier, bloodier, the better and im not a mass murderer or have violent tendencies or suicidal thoughts. i listened to marilyn manson and didnt go on a killing spree. and if someone becomes obsessed with the violence portrayed in movies, games, music,etc... to the point of becoming violent themselves, it means that they are probably lacking in other aspects of their lives... either family lives, emotionally, etc or possibly even a chemical imbalance or biological problem. music or movies could possibly influence someone who is already unstable for whatever reason... but thats not the artists fault.

[Chili]

My grandmother has a great solution to this all. Take the kid, put him over your knee, and give him a good smacking. I was spanked with a belt when I misbehaved. I called kids idiots, I kicked other kids, I talked back to teachers, etc. When my mom caught wind of it she took out the belt. That is actually a pretty crazy punishment because you don't know when it's coming. Only problem was she would make it really unusual and make me count off how many times she hit me :/ Anyway, it did nothing for me except make me hide my belt and swear to never hit my children if I ever have any BUT I'm quite sure if more parents gave their kids' backsides a swat once in awhile it would do something. If it doesn't then take their things away, ground them, etc. There are things parents can do to keep their kids in line but it seems they are too lazy to do it or think their kids are the sweetest things ever. I know a few kids who obviously didn't get bent over their parent's knee on my block and sometimes I'm ready to beat their kids for them. But, I don't because I'm not violent or any of that. I've seen my share of violent movies, heard tons of swearing, seen lots of drug use, gun use, etc. I'm not violent, I do swear but I keep it to a minimum, I've never done drugs and I don't plan on it, I do have guns but I don't use them unless I have permission and then I only use them on cardboard boxes and such. I pretty much had to raise myself. If a 16 year old who had to raise himself can exercise self control, why can't kids who have parents do it? What is the big problem? I play Grand Theft Auto, The Matrix, Jaws: Unleashed, all kinds of bloody, gory, violent, games and I've played some of them for years. Why do parents seem to have such a big problem letting their kids have access to these things? Why can't they understand that media is not at fault, their bad parenting is? They are adults and can't seem to put their pride on the shelf long enough to admit they were wrong take care of their children. It's particularly sad. My dad has been court-ordered to take a parenting class because he'll be getting custody of me soon. He shouldn't have to. He's an awesome dad, he does what he can for me, and he provides me with everything I need. These parents that blame video games for the problems their kids are having are the ones that obviously need this parenting class as, again, they are obviously not providing their children with correct life teaching and a decent amount of some sort of discipline.

[Beatnik Bob]

Who\'s fault is it if Jackie goes off and gets herself pregnant because in her book, people had children at 13? Again, the parents.

Then the parents are obviously at fault, which means it is the fault of the media and video games, because the parents aren\'t being parents, thus the world of technology becomes the \"substisute parent\" in the childs life.
And it\'s a never ending cycle of wrong, because how can we expect these children to be good parents to THEIR children when they are of age.
Thus humanity is breeding an entire era of humans raised through games, media, and TV.

You only illustrate that the media is partially to blame for much of the stuff going on.

[Sammy56]

This sort of relates to what Chili was saying earlier.

About the media, I agree with what everyone has said. It's lack of parenting, not TV or video. I've played hundreds of "violent" video games, but I know the difference between fantasy and reality.

[Beatnik Bob]

I know the difference between fantasy and reality.

What about everyone else?



Especially younger kids, who tend to live in a fantasy world to begin with...

[Assassin X]

I was just going to post about "Spanking". They just had a thing about "People caught on camera BREAKING the rules and spanking their kids!"

F**K that. F**k the rules. There are no "rules". Its called being a parent. My kid decides to swear or throw a hammer threw a window I am spanking him/her. Obviously theres a line between what people do to punish. I would never go past spanking then its hitting and obviously its abuse. But theres nothig wrong with spanking.

And shows like Super Nanny f**k up "spanking" because she doesn't believe in it. Well telling your kid "no" and making them stay in their room doesn't work all the time. This is a screwed up world when you can't raise your own kid but yet if you don't raise them right (because your not allowed) then you get blamed. CRAZY.

[loganosborne]

Well my opinion on this subject is that I think that parents use the use of the media as an excuse for there bad parenting skills. I have watched movies where people commit murders and that has not made me go out on a mass murder spree or commit other dangerous crimes. Also I think if kids do that sort of stuff and say that they did because they wanted to be a character on a game or a TV character it also shows a lack of parenting skills because surely the parents should tell their kids over and over again that they should not copy those characters as what they do is wrong.

I do understand that a young kid can find the difference between the real world and fantasy difficult but that is where the parents should help teach the kid the difference between the two.

Media and what they see and hear does have alot to do with what they will do. But when it comes down to it parents need to make sure they control their kids and what those kids are doing or else you got 10 year olds with guns that don't understand my HEAD doesn't come back.

I couldn't agree more with you here. The media does have an effect on what a kid does but it is up to the parent to teach the kid what’s on the programme is wrong and you shouldn't do this. Also the parent can control how much television the kid watches.

Who\'s fault is it if Jackie goes off and gets herself pregnant because in her book, people had children at 13? Again, the parents.

In my opinion this certainly is the parents fault. The parents should teach the kid that it is wrong to get pregnant at the age of 13. To me this seems quite basic parenting skills.

[Beatnik Bob]

I was just going to post about \"Spanking\". They just had a thing about \"People caught on camera BREAKING the rules and spanking their kids!\"

F**K that. F**k the rules. There are no \"rules\". Its called being a parent. My kid decides to swear or throw a hammer threw a window I am spanking him/her. Obviously theres a line between what people do to punish. I would never go past spanking then its hitting and obviously its abuse. But theres nothig wrong with spanking.

And shows like Super Nanny f**k up \"spanking\" because she doesn\'t believe in it. Well telling your kid \"no\" and making them stay in their room doesn\'t work all the time. This is a screwed up world when you can\'t raise your own kid but yet if you don\'t raise them right (because your not allowed) then you get blamed. CRAZY.

I cannot emphasize enough just how morally ironic this post is.
You would spank your kid for swearing, and you swear in every other sentence.

What kind of hope does the next generation have with parents like you? Who probably cuss around their kids, then tell them it\'s bad to cuss...and whip them...

And you spell like one of the kids you claim to spank. If your kid throws a hammer \"threw\" a window?

[uki]

I cannot emphasize enough just how morally ironic this post is.
You would spank your kid for swearing, and you swear in every other sentence.

What kind of hope does the next generation have with parents like you? Who probably cuss around their kids, then tell them it\'s bad to cuss...and whip them...

And you spell like one of the kids you claim to spank. If your kid throws a hammer \"threw\" a window?

i think it's funny when my 2 year old daughter say's something along the lines as... i lost my ******* shoe!!" LOL... the apples don't fall far from the tree.

[donniedarko]

Since everyone seems to agree at this point, I will hazard to take the counterpoint.

Media has a large influence on opinion and how we think. Ask any psychologist or sociologist. To ignore this fact is to ignore and entire facet of the problem. These boards are a perfect example of how media can manipulate what people believe and how they think. Look at the Conspiracy threads and try and count how many times people accuse others of being "manipulated by the media". It happens and only with experience and maturity to detect this manipulation and only with the ability to experience other sources of information, how will you learn what is the true nature of any given thing?

Children ARE impressionable, and the fact is that the media (yes that means video games and television and all the rest) DO bear a responsibility for the outcome of what they choose to reveal publicly. Attack the parents all you will, it is quite clear that we all agree that there is a fundamental failing of the parents HOWEVER as a society we have a responsibility to these youth. We have a responsibility to make up for the shortcomings of their guardians. Why are there social services and youth help lines?

The constant presence of violent or subversive media throughout publicly accessible space DOES affect children and will lead them to believe falsehoods. As an example, Gangsta rap DOES glorify gang violence, and this will influence children who are exposed to such. You claim this a failing of the parents, I suggest that it is also a failing of the society as a whole.

you may now proceed to tear apart the above.

regards,

dd

[loganosborne]

I agree with the points you have raised DD and there are two sides to the story but I still feel the actual parents of the kid should hold more responsibility than society.

Children ARE impressionable, and the fact is that the media (yes that means video games and television and all the rest) DO bear a responsibility for the outcome of what they choose to reveal publicly.

I agree children are impressionable and the media should be partly responsible as they are the ones that show the violent television shows or video games but to me basic parenting skills in my opinion is to teach there children that violence is wrong and they shouldn't copy violent scences of the television. If the parent doesn't teach that, then in my opinion this is bad parenting.

Attack the parents all you will, it is quite clear that we all agree that there is a fundamental failing of the parents HOWEVER as a society we have a responsibility to these youth.

I agree as a society we do have a responsibility to are youth however I think the parents have a much bigger responsibility to there children though than society does.

[uki]

this is how we deal with this situation. no television. with this i mean no cable or satellite. just a tv and a dvd player or vcr. the television in our house is on only a few times per week for the duration of one movie at night. i have lived a televison free life for nearly 10 years. it's awesome. that's my 32 cents.

[evilwill]

I've always thought it was a pretty poor excuse. If someone is so easily influenced by media and such then they have problems in the first place. I've played plenty of violent games/watched movies and have yet to immitate such actions.

It's an excuse that should not be accepted as it simply avoids the true source of the problem.

[Beatnik Bob]

Yes, but when your parents aren\'t being parents, something must take their place, as parent.

And that something may very well be video games and the media.

[Assassin X]

I find it funny that we always blame video games, which I think has some effect on kids, and do things like now ENFORCE M rated games to ONLY be bought by 18+ year old people. Yet when you play M rated games online you'll still play with little kids sometimes.

Just goes to show bad parenting.

Which reminds me.
A few years ago there was a game called "The Suffering", it was a violent, gorey, packed with swearing game. I loved it! Anywho it was rated M and there was a story, mostly not heard because of other things, of a mom who bought the game for her 12 year old son and was shocked when she walked in and seen a "brutal" seen of a man being electrecuted and his head chopped off. She tried suing the company and almost won too.

Anywho. Heres the front and back cover and of the game. Mind you this is all I could find on the net and its not in English and missing the "M" rating icon:




Now tell me.....if your in the store and you see this game and look at both sides do you say:

"Gee, this game my son wants looks perfect for him!"
or
"HOLY CRAP! Theres no way in hell hes getting this garbage!"

Once again a sign of bad parenting and we people are to quick to blame games instead of themselves.

[loganosborne]

Yes, but when your parents aren\'t being parents, something must take their place, as parent.

And that something may very well be video games and the media.

Exactly, It's both the media and parents fault but more blame must go on the parents though for not being parents.

[Stabby Joe]

Its funny, I've been reading this thread for a while, I'm not usually in the mood to post such long posts as these but after reading all those posts my first words are simple:

OOOOOO BURNED!

Even though so much has been said (good for you guys to quickly add) its simply not the media because if it was EVERYONE would be as screwed up as people fear it might.

Plus with kids not doing what they're told... parents, theres a reason why... *points finger back at them*

[Defiant Noquisi]

Plus with kids not doing what they're told... parents, theres a reason why... *points finger back at them*

So, clue me in on why...

[Sammy56]

Plus with kids not doing what they're told... parents, theres a reason why... *points finger back at them*

I agree with your argument up to a certain point. It holds true for younger kids. The parents are responsible for their behavior. But as the kids get older and become teenagers, they must begin to take some of the responsibility for their own behavior. While it's possible that teenagers are irresponsible because their parents were, that isn't always the case. Some people can have the best and most responsible parents in the world and still turn out to be assholes.

[Defiant Noquisi]

While it's possible that teenagers are irresponsible because their parents were, that isn't always the case. Some people can have the best and most responsible parents in the world and still turn out to be assholes.

Thank you for that post Sammy. I can honestly say that despite all the problems between my son and I, he did not turn out to be a complete asshole. He has not helped the situation at all by not being personally accountable for his actions, but at least when he was with me he wasn't drunk or shooting up dope either.

I'm hopeful that things will change and change soon but if they don't I may give up completely. I'm tired of trying.

[TheAvatar]

Parents need to step up to the proverbial plate here. To often TV and games are becomming baby sitters and parents aren't involved anymore. When I was growing up there were no video games and only 3 TV channels. We actually had to interact with our parents all the time. How much do you interact with your kids.....DAILY. Being a parent isn't 9-5 and it dang sure isn't for your convenience. Did my parents spank me, dang right they did, and I didn't end up being a physco killer. Until I was twenty-five I addressed every elder as Sir or Ma'me. Never called my adult neighbors by their first names. I interacted with my parents and they RAISED me.
If you don't tell your kids that a movie is just a movie, they have to try to figure it out on their own, and their youngs minds aren't always right. Kids take guns to school, my first question is where is the parental control. There were guns all over my house growing up, and that was before locked gun cabinets. But my parents taught me about them, taught me respect and responsibility with them. I have guns in my house, plenty of them. I have sat with my kids, taught them about guns, gun safety, took them to the range with me. My kids wouldn't even think about touching a gun without me around, why, because I'm a parent and I'm involved. Yes, kids are gonna grow up on their own, they're gonna form their own ideals and values, but you, the parent are the number one influence on that. Everything you say and do, all the time, every time. So yes, the media does have an influence n kids, but you as the parent have a greater one. Watch TV with them, play their video games with them.
Parenting is tiring, nerve racking and sometimes futile, but guess what.... suck it up, you're the parent, be the parent and be the influence on your kids.

[Sir_Galahad]

Can I post an uneducated, uncited, unblahblahblah-ed opinion?

People are retarded, irrepresible, often-in-denial, morons.

Basically, it doesn't matter what facts you show them, they'll think what's most comfortable for them to think. And most people get through their entire lives just doing that. Maybe the truth scares them.

Maybe they'd rather think violent video games are to blame for all their social problems than a fault in their parenting, a fault in their children, or worst of all, just a fault in humanity.

After all, attacking a scapegoat gives them a sense of control, right?