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Critique on the Effects of Media and Violence to the Children in the Philippines With the notion of corruption and violence in society, the images of these two are most likely to be related to each other, if not intertwined. Where there is corruption, there is also violence and vice versa. Violence is a symptom of a corrupt mind or society, and corruption is violence against fellow human beings and society. The question is, “Are we more violent as a society today? “.
Do video games subliminally brain-wash young children’s minds as they play in online games that features virtually killing other players and take it as a form of entertainment? Do these violent games make these kids take violence and killings more lightly? Studies have shown that watching educational and socially interactive children’s shows on television have positive impacts on children, not only in learning math or science but in social behavior and several values like honesty and responsibility. On the other hand, young boys and girls who watch violence on television have increased risk of aggression.
Violence on any media adversely affect children’s lives by creating a link between violence and aggression and making it acceptable social behaviors for them hen dealing with people. According to the Philippine Star, “children need protection from sex and violence which are prevalent in todays media. ” Children learn from what they see and what they hear at home or outside. They grow up with all those experience and they become the result of what they learn, wherever those values come from. The social cognitive theory argues that media characters (models) can influence behavior simply by being depicted on the screen. Baran and Davis 195) Because of the content shown on television, the audience, especially the children and the youth, ither try to imitate or identify the characteristics or qualities of the models they see on air. Another article from the Manila Standard Today mentions that “television is a powerful teacher of young children that sometimes a modern-day hero who uses violence to get what he wants, confuses the young between real violence and the make-believe violence, thinking that criminals in the tube are powerful role models. The catharsis theory suggested that television violence had a social utility, a function which was to provide young people with a harmless outlet for their pent-up aggression and hostility. It is also the idea of that viewing violence is sufficient to purge or at least satisfy a person’s aggressive drive and therefore reduce the likelihood of aggressive behavior. (Baran and Davis 192) But instead of reducing aggressive and violent behavior, the media also has the ability to amplify those feelings.
In other words, the possibility of having such behavior because of media are likely dependent on its viewers. But the true effects of it to the younger generation will rely on whether or not the violence on television are monitored properly – this will affirm whether or not the catharsis theory or social ognitive theory demonstrate a causal link between media and behavior. Works Cited: Baran, Stanley and Dennis Davis.
Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future. Boston: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2006. Google books. web. 21 Jul. 2013. Cruz, Maricel. “Anti-violence bill for media pressed. ” Manila Standard Today 11 June 2013: n. pag. Manila Standard Today. Web. 22 July 2013. Ronda, Rainier. “Children need protection from sex, violence in media. ” The Philippine Star [Manila] 22 Nov. 2012: n. pag. The Philippine Star. Web. 22 July 2013.