Violence In Children's Cartoon example essay topic

The influence of violence can lead to an increase in violent behavior in youth. Youth violence is a serious issue, and there are many things that contribute to youth violence. The saying, "monkey see, monkey do" is well-known in today's modern, media warped society. Children are very impressionable and imitate what they see and hear. Children are exposed to far too much violence every day on the television, mainly because parents see the television as a convenient babysitter.

Shocking episodes of youth violence in America, such as the Columbine Shooting, unfolds in many communities. How do young people from seemingly good homes and average backgrounds commit such brutal deeds? Video games, television shows, movies, and music that celebrate violence are suspected to be the reasons. There are many ways to prevent the media from causing aggressive behaviors to youth. "I killed Kenny" is a popular saying from the cartoon South Park, where the main characters swear almost every line and at least one person dies each episode. Children will spend about two to four hours a day watching cartoons.

Some of these cartoons contain more than eighty violent acts per hour. "On average, by age eighteen, a young person will see over 18,000 murders on television and will witness 80,000 murders and over 500,000 hostile acts in a lifetime of television viewing" (Berger 63). The media is teaching children about violence and stereotypes then useful information. Cartoons are the most violent of all programming. .".. since the 1990's, however, networks have been careful to limit the violence in children's cartoon" (Torr 17).

There are various types of violent cartoons. First, there are the comedic cartoons. An example would be The Looney Tunes. The characters are frequently attacked with what would be, in real life, extremely harmful violence. Children are aware that this type of violence is fake. Second types of violent cartoons are those battling between the forces of good and evil.

An example of this would be Spiderman. The enemies perform most of the violence as they are trying to stop the superhero. Children's aggressive behavior toward violence on the television can be reversed if the acts are committed by bad guys who are later punished. "Many of [preschoolers] are aggressive and use their "super legs" or "super arms" to strike other children" (Berger 67). Third types of violent cartoons contains plot only about violence. Fighting is the main attraction and purpose of this type of cartoon.

Most of these cartoons include hand to hand combats with weapons. Problems are solved with fighting. Children at a young age, first learn of violence through cartoons. Cartoons should be entertaining for them, not a source to lead them to become aggressive. Movies have their fair share to the problem of violence in society. Television shows and especially movies can trigger copycat violence.

The 1994 movie, Natural Born Killer, raises many incidents of murder. One incident would be a boy, Nathan Martinez, from Salt Lake City who shot and killed his stepmother and sister. Martinez. ".. shaved his head and started wearing round tinted sunglasses similar to the Mickey Knox character... ". (Patten). It is also hard to believe that movies like the Terminator which showed countless killings have their own line of children's action figures even though the movie is rated R. Most children rely on movies as a solution to their problems.

Millions of children, mostly boys, play video games in which they walk around various levels picking up weapons and killing brutally their opponent. "We have mass murder simulators that can truly teach you how to commit a mass murder even before you put your hands on a gun" (Torr 68). Video games teach children to enjoy fighting and killing. Many children play long hours that they get hooked in these violent video games. Today's hit music for youngster has lyrics dealing with hate and killing. One type is known as Gangsta Rap with lyrics of street violence and crime.

"Several students verified that the theme and message of this music is that killing and being on death row are cool" (Grapes 11). Another would be satanic rock. Marilyn Manson would be an example of this type of music. Marilyn Manson's lyrics carry heavy doses of violent, sexual, anti-Christian, and drug-related phrases. One of his music, The Death Song, has the lyrics", 'We sing the death song kids, because we " ve got no future / And we want to be just like you, we want to be just like you / Let's sing the death song kids' " (Manson). Many children, as well as adult, listen to music for comfort.

If a child who is depress, listen to lyrics of Marilyn Manson, then that child may do something dreadful. Is censorship the answer to the problem of violent entertainment? We cannot tell people what they can or cannot read or watch. The First Amendment clearly states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievance".

The censorship of entertainment by the government has long been the topic of discussion among social and political circles. Some forms of censorship such as warning labels for parents can be helpful. The Motion Picture Association of America "worked out the details for a rating system that defined a film's suitability for children" (Berger 82). This plan went to effect on November 1, 1968. Children who watch violent episodes are more likely to see violence as a way to solve conflicts. Episodes of violence in entertainment media send the perception that the world is a violent place, which can increase a child's fear of becoming a victim of violence.

The more violence children watch on TV, the more likely they are to behave in aggressive or harmful ways toward others. In 1997, two boys went on a mad rage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. They killed thirteen students, including a teacher. They then turn the gun to themselves. The killings became the focal point of a Senate committee hearing on violent media. The suspects, Eric Harris and Dylan Kle bold were fans of satanic music and the video game Doom, in which the player kills everything that gets in the way.

In December 1997, a 14-year-old boy opened fire on a group of high school students who were participating in a prayer session at their school in McCracken County, Kentucky. His favorite movie was The Basketball Diaries, in which a student shoots classmates with a shotgun. We need to take action to prevent children to commit violent acts due to the violence they see and hear. One way is to install a device called the V-Chip. The V-Chip block the display of television programming based upon its rating. The V-Chip reads information encoded in the rated program and blocks programs from the set based upon the rating selected by the parent.

By the year 2000, all televisions manufactured in the United States would include the V-Chip. This is not the best prevention, since today's children are more knowledgeable with technology than their parents. Another way to prevent children to commit violent acts is for parents to talk to their children. Parents should make a greater effort to better develop their children's media literacy skills. They need to help children to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

This education can be done simply by watching television with children and discussing the violent acts and images that are portrayed. They should ask children to think about what would happen in real life if the same type of violent act were committed. Would the violence solve problems or create them? The easiest and most simple way to keep children away from excessive media violence is to teach them alternatives to violence. They should interest their children with something much more productive and exciting to do. Preventing children on what they listen to is difficult.

Music on the radio edits the swearing in the songs, but the message of violent is still being heard. We are bombarded continually with images of violence". 'Television is the greatest and most powerful medium the world has ever seen... its misuse has been criminal, for which society is now paying an increasing price' " (Lang one 57). We learn in the early years of our life that violence is wrong. It is important for this education to continue with each passing generation. Mass media can have a very negative effect on children, but with the support of parents, the television can be turned into a beneficial tool rather than negative impact.