Danielle Bozarth
Period #1
“Once, television’s ‘window on the world’ mirrored solid family ties, heroes drawn in bright primary colors, and a society of permanence and belonging. Now … it’s clear that our TV shows are showing quite a different picture. In fact, it’s arguable that television is no longer a mere window on our world but the value-setter itself.” (Another View of the Window, Triangle Publications, n.d., p. 3.) The traditions and values that used to make up our society are now referred to as “old fashioned.” little do they care to pay attention to the changes that have occurred since these values have been shoved aside. Each year, each season the new shows seem to get worse, “pushing the envelope of what the public will accept.”(M. Russell Ballard) Your personal values will determine what you watch. The same goes, if your values lack it will set your values. Is that what we are going for? Is that What we want our future to be?
Numerous studies During the past decade have been conducted to determine the consequences of the many lessons of television. The main conclusion----TV has more of an amazing influence on viewers then most of us realize. Victor B. Cline said, “I am convinced by a vast amount of research that the images, fantasies, and models which we are repeatedly exposed to in advertisements, entertainment, novels, motion pictures, and other works of art can and do … affect the self-image and, later, the behavior of nearly all young people and adults too.” (Address at Tidewater Assembly on Family Life, Norfolk, Virginia.) On another occasion, Dr. Cline said that the mental diet is as important as the nutritional diet. “The amount of violence a child sees at 7 predicts how violent he will be at 17, 27, and 37. … Children’s minds are like banks—whatever you put in, you get back 10 years later with interest.” The children learn through violent television , “how to commit violent acts, and it desensitizes them to the horror of such behavior and to the feelings of victims.” Dr. Cline said that America is suffering from “an explosion of interpersonal violence like we have never seen before. … The violence is because of violence in our entertainment.” (See “Therapist says children who view TV violence tend to become violent,” Deseret News, 24 Mar. 1989, p. 2B.)
In a talk given by M. Russell Ballard he listed the facts discovered trough the years 1980 to 1989 from research studies conducted on the effects of television when watched over two hours a day without the careful selection of programs.
“1. Before television, children played together more often, played outdoors more, spent more time being creative and inventive, and read more. Parents and children spent more time together, talked together more, shared more joint projects and chores, and ate more meals together. (See Ellen B. De Franco, TV On–Off: Better Family Use of Television, Santa Monica, Calif., Goodyear Publishing Co., 1980, pp. 5–6.)
2. Television is psychologically addictive. (Ibid., p. 4.)
3. Television is a physically passive activity and generally discourages creative play. It can encourage a certain kind of passivity which leads to a “show me or entertain me” orientation by children. (See Television and Behavior, Rockville, Md.: National Institute of Mental Health, 1987, pp. 45–46.)
4. Television tends to overpower and desensitize a child’s sense of sympathy for suffering. (See Kate Moody, Growing Up on Television: The TV Effect—A Report to Parents, New York: Times Books, 1980, pp. 91–92.)
5. Some children lose the ability to learn from reality because life’s experiences are more complicated than those seen on the screen. Teachers and parents, therefore, suffer by comparison when they cannot solve problems in thirty to sixty minutes. (See Ben Logan and Kate Moody, eds., Television Awareness Training: The Viewer’s Guide for Family and Community, Nashville: Abingdon, 1979, p. 43.)”
Volumes of research data show the detrimental effects of television, but I just say that television and videocassette viewing by youngsters has a significant impact on their behavior.
When we refer to this violence do we conceder it violence in disagreements, in families, or in everything. That is the answer its everywhere! In streets, in schools, even in home. Spousal abuse, child abuse, the effects have even been seen in sibling rivalry! The children as well as the parents are leaning for the standards set by the television. Seeing it on television makes it common. The television is welcome in the home but so are the images portrayed there.
Gender Roles and sexism that is displayed on T.V. are some times the first examples some of us see. They discredit individualism. There they are back attacking our self esteem. Not only do they tell us what we should do or act but also what we should look like! Who we should be and if we are not we are not as good! These bull-crap standards are unrealistic. Even the examples have been technologically mastered. I know the effects of low self esteem, depression. Leading to bad development in every single situation in our lives. Raising kids, being married, making any choice what so ever has the reflection of our self image.
Then there is the focus on addictive substances such alcohol and drugs whose advertisements are seen about once a minute on television. They trick us into becoming hooked on something that disables us from making choices as much as low self esteem and harming our bodies as much as violence in war.
There is something more destructive then even that. Something that tears at the souls of every viewer. Disgustingly, racism remains around the world. Our future is being taught that differences should be criticized, mocked, even scorn. Being taught this not only leads to hate and war against others but also against ones self. Looking down upon others differences only makes us look down upon ourselves. We soon not only care about what we think about others but also what others think about us. Low self esteem and insecurity lead right back to that violence, hate and war.
How can we understand the hopes and dreams of an individual without recognizing the impact of the communities in they learned, grew up, and live? Is they not how we all became who we are? Ignorance will do nothing but tear apart society. Differences being either described in appearance or culture need to be studied, understood otherwise how can we expect others to understand our own? The world is growing worse and worse in acceptance but is growing more and more in minorities. Its Has been given that within 50 years our predecessors and us will be living in a in a society were everyone is in classified in a minority group. With this in mind and with our television portraying that differences are bad, what will our children think of themselves.
Mariah Carrey said, “In a perfect world human beings would co-exist harmoniously. Like a multitude of colors. Each layer vibrant and clearly by itself, but in unison…. Boundless, breathtaking, celestial……” This is what we need to strive for! To portray in our media. To show the future Generations how to love each other as well as them selves!
This can only be accomplished through respect, understanding, acceptance, and appreciation for others and the admirable qualities they personally as well as their societies possess! Respecting others in turn will help them to respect us. This forms a commitment, a bond, to one another and our differences! Because even as we try we can not separate from each other. We are all human beings with similar interest and strong relationships. John Dane said,
“No man is an Island, entire of it self; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee” (The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 4th ed. [1996], 253).
There are many examples of how imagery on television effects our society. There are also many drawbacks to the images our society is portraying to us know. If only we could recognize these persistent problems we might have hope.
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