Media Influence

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Moondance

Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 12:37 pm Click here to edit this post
Here is a new topic...
How much influence do you think the media has in our society?...
example-the violence and effects on children

Vykin

Thursday, October 12, 2000 - 07:45 am Click here to edit this post
Moon, I heard you, I'll leave my opinion today

Vykin

Friday, October 13, 2000 - 08:36 pm Click here to edit this post
moon sorry I lied said today, but ended up an extra day.
I feel media has a great influence in our society in many ways. In terms of violence and effects on children, in some cases i believe so. Especially with the onslaught of live media coverage of events such as Columbine. It seems to have a rippling effect when tragedies like that occur. In terms of the regular programing content, I'm not sure if it has a big impact or not. There seem to be valid arguments for both sides. My own experiences with violence and children have been a result of my involvement in the field of education, and having held an elected position for 9 years. In our school district, we saw an increase of forms of violence, bullying etc. More often than not, the reason was not television or music, but a lack of parental guidance in the home. Child comes home to an empty house, parents both working, or single parent. No one there to supervise whether they put their walkman's on and listen to Eminem, or Cobain, etc. They come on a computer, cuz they are lonely and talk to someone online somewhere who they have no idea of what character the person has. In afterthought, the computer , internet is another form of media.
So I guess the issue is that media may become an influence if there is no other influence or guidance in the home.
Hope this answers your question

Moondance

Friday, October 13, 2000 - 08:48 pm Click here to edit this post
Hi Vykin
Glad to see someone around....
I was asked this question by one of my clients the other day...
I feel also it is a combination of the media, parental control, and enviorment. I myself do not have children so I am happy to get the opinion of someone who does... Thanks

Vykin

Friday, October 13, 2000 - 09:45 pm Click here to edit this post
Moon its a complex issue, I based my thoughts on what we in the K-12 school system looked at. No one single thing contributes, it seems a number of occurences in the child's live combines.
If you see any of the profiles of the young people who have killed their classmates, and killed outside the schools. They all have common threads" loners at home, parents both working, etc., they turn to these other avenues or "medias" because of boredom, loneliness. If you change that with structure, guidelines from the parent, and lots and lots of "makeup" time if the parent has to work. Then the child is different.

As humans, we all have the instinct to kill, it is the animal in us. Most people don't "exercise" that option.

Moondance

Friday, October 13, 2000 - 09:55 pm Click here to edit this post
Except most animals kill to survive ... and these killings are not survival killings...JMO

My Mom is a teacher and she would agree with your assessment with these children in school. It is a very complex multilevel issue!

Vykin

Friday, October 13, 2000 - 09:58 pm Click here to edit this post
Yes, moon, i agree exactly. That's why we as humans separate ourselves from the animals.
Unfortunately some humans allow the animal instinct to take over.