Tia+Lendor




 * Does Violent Media = Violent Generations?**

Brady’s study was specifically related to media violence and its effects on the health of young men. The study was very detailed in what they researched by looking at the types of media given to these young men and how it affected their blood pressure and heart rates. Reading this study pointed out the fact that by focusing on young men, the study should be taking into consideration the hormone testosterone. Testosterone is said to be directly related to aggression within men. Could it be that young men with less testosterone gave different results within this study? Would the blood pressure levels have made a difference if this was a game that the young man had played before? What if the game was outdated? What Brady believes to be an effect of media violence in video games, could be related to enthusiasm. Later we will ask some citizens, who have experience with children in their own lives and are unfamiliar with Brady's study about their own opinion about how violent media content affects people.

The limitations of this study exposes the question of if watching media violence behind a screen truly affects children. Historically societies are not unfamiliar to the concept of violence for amusement purposes. In some cultures people would gather to watch gladiators or bull fights. In today’s society they instead are exposed to wrestling and the //Ultimate Fighting Championship// as well as video games and the News. Some believe that media does not make children more violent, but instead desensitized children to what they see.

The interview between: Deborah Jennings and Sandra Jennings

Deborah Jennings is the mother of the author who is currently twenty years of age. Currently her full time job is as a supervisor of Newark Public Schools’ Extended School Day Program. Prior to this position she spent 7 years in the classroom teaching students. For five years she taught 5th graders, and for two she worked as a resource teacher for students who needed extreme help in the 2nd and 3rd grades.

Sandra Jennings is a mother of two. Her first child was born in 1981 when she was 18 years old. Her second child was born ten years later. She does not have experience with children inside the classroom but has worked with children in what is considered field work for office employee’s of Newark Public Schools. She has spent time helping to develop and manage summer programs for children ranging from 7 to 14 years of age.


 * Q: Do you believe that watching a television show or video game with violence makes a child more violent?**


 * D. Jennings:** Over time extended exposure to media of that genre decreases the sensitivity level to violence. As in a child who views media violence on a day to day basis will not think of it as big of a problem as someone who was not exposed to it. But it depends on the individual. Someone who doesn’t have a firm grasp of reality may imitate what they have seen. But those that grew up in stable households with family members to instruct them on the difference between media and reality are at a less great risk than that.


 * S. Jennings:** I don’t believe that children grow more violent because of what they are watching; I believe they grow desensitized to the content that they see. As I was a young mother, I understand how being mindful of what your children watch on television is not a prominent thought. In the early ‘80’s the Richard Bay show was popular. It was watched for its shock appeal. The topics brought up socially conflicting issues, such as the gay community, to light. Watching this show, you don’t often think about how your child, who is sitting beside you, is becoming desensitized to what they’re talking about on the show.


 * Q: Do you believe that the sex of a child makes a difference?**


 * S. Jennings:** To an extent, but the way that society is progressing it seems as though girls are embracing violence as much as the men; especially in urban areas. There was a phase where Barbie dolls, and Easy Bake ovens were what girls where into. But in today’s society girls are just as likely to be violent as the boys are, and think otherwise is considered to be an old fashion view. A few months ago the FBI arrested two women that were the heads of drug rings here in Newark. It was a big deal for some because that was previously unheard of.


 * D. Jennings:** The females that are more susceptible to violence are the ones who don’t have a stable family environment that would typically dissuade them from that behavior.


 * Concluding remarks**

In our society, stories are brief descriptions of what truly has happened. Advertisements for products are often standardized to be about 30 seconds to about 60 seconds long. News briefs for ongoing events are limited to scrolling text under the anchors' talking faces. I know that I personally expect information overload every time I turn on the television. I realize that I have become desensitized to information that does not effect me on a personal level.

The difference between watching something on a screen, and watching a situation occur in real time is the experience. Comedian Katt Williams has a skit on the men who lost their lives at a zoo in San Francisco. The skit talks of how he thought it was funny that the men lost their lives to the tigers. The video is a perfect example of how people in our society has become desensitized to situations that do not affect them on a personal level.

Please be advised that this video does contain adult language. media type="youtube" key="C3_p8b2fwjk" height="405" width="500"

Brady, S., & Matthews, K. (2006). Effects of media violence on health-related outcomes among young men. //American Medical Association//, 160. Retrieved from http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/