Today, more is allowed on television than ever before. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the average American child watches three to four hours of television per day. Studies are constantly being done linking violence on television to violence that goes on in real life. Our children today are shaping the future for tomorrow, and if kids are watching three to four hours a day, some of which may be violent or horrific, they become numb or immune to the horror of violence and begin to think it is 'OK'. Also, children and adults gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems. (ParentsTV). My final point is that as humans, we practice behavior that we are familiar with and if we are constantly exposed to violence a chain reaction starts to build, starting with children.
Some people may try to argue that it is not up to the Federal Communications Commision, who is in charge of regulating public television, to keep violence out of viewers' eyes. Many people say it is up to parents to monitor what children see on television. However, if parents are putting their child in front of a TV set for three to four hours, do they pay attention to what is on the screen? Or do they even care? Most likely not.
Also, adults are affected by watching violence on a regular basis. Small children and adolescents today are the people that will be in charge in the near future. Do we want violence and negativity instilled in their personality, or practiced daily by them? I wouldn't. It takes a very clear mind to make rational decisions and for us to be successful as an entire country, we are going to need very strong people running it now and in the future.
According to parentstv.org, television teaches viewers – especially young viewers, who have more difficulty discriminating between real life and fantasy – that violence is the accepted way we solve problems. Moreover, studies show that the more real-life the violence portrayed, the greater the likelihood that it will be learned. Many parents wonder why their children have learning disabilities and social problems at school, and most likely television and video games are to blame.
It is only normal that as humans, we practice behavior that we have learned and are familiar with. If a child watches television for 25 hours a week, more than they are engaged in any other activity besides sleep, this means by the time a child leaves elementary school he/she has witnessed 8,000 murders and over 100,000 other acts of violence. Horrific behavior and negative lessons are learned and the child becomes familiar with these acts. As that child gets older, he or she will practice more and more negative behavior because that is what he's used to.
It is impossible to change the way people parent their children, or the way people spend their times living their lives. However, it is possible to change the options people have to watch on television. If the regulations were tighter, not as many people or children would be exposed to violence and negative behavior. If adults want to watch and experience violence, they should go to the movie store and rent all the movies that they want. Again, the children today are shaping the future for tomorrow and we want a positive future. Also, children and adults gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, and the crime rate is higher now than ever before to prove it. As humans, we practice behavior that we are familiar with- and it starts from a young age building a chain reaction. Maybe one day it will be safe to sit in front of the television and enjoy what is on television without it negatively affecting our lives. Speak up- your words matter!
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Parents TV
FCC Regulations
University of Michigan Healthcare
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