Many people are upset about the fact that so much that's on TV here in America is inappropriate for children, such as murder, robbery, and violence in general. And I don't blame them. However, violence on TV isn't just bad for youths. It also has a negative influence for some impressionable adults who are troubled. I'm not going to lie. I also watch violence on TV from time to time. But less of this junk on TV would benefit not only our children, but everyone.
This subject comes up from time to time, often in regard to video games as well as television. My thought is that reasonably well-adjusted people (kids, too) have no problem differentiating between real and pretend violence, and I question if we want to self-censor our entertainment to suit the 'troubled' who might not be able to process the difference.
There's been a lot of research based on the logical assumption that increase in exposure to violent media (like videos, games, movies, news) explains increase in violence across the society that we observed in recent years. Here's a good summary by people who did their own studies as well as analysed existing evidence. The link to the whole article is here, and this is the gist of it:
I play violent video games, I watch violent films, I read books in which violence is often the theme. Never once have I actually wanted to recreate any violence I've see, I can tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Some people, however, cannot. There might not be a known connection between seeing violence and replicating it, but I suspect that often, easily influenced people are going to be violent regardless of the medium that inspires it. However, if someone wants to limit what access I have to culture, before I have the choice of deciding for myself, they can kiss my ass.
I found this interesting but it's more about tv and children in general not just specifically about violence - http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm I think it's all about choice and you have to make your own and stick to it - especially in this world when their are so many choices. As someone who has known a lot of damaged people, violent media didn't help their behavior, but I often found that the effect didn't really show up in the expected way. Namely it didn't make them more violent. If anything they just became apathetic. ( These are only my observations not actual study ) Now apathy doesn't sound too bad until you realize it's harder to address and expose than violence. Violence is out there. Apathy is more subtle. I actually found the apathy more creepy than violence. But my brother has played violent video games and watched violent movies - has it effected him? I have no idea. I haven't noticed a change in his behavior. He's still a likable, friendly, easy going guy. I think if he knew it effected him, he'd back off. And that to me is everyone's choice and responsibility - make choices you can live with and don't make yourself intolerable to others.
