Hot-Button Issue - Coursework Example

Hot-Button Issue Paper Media influences children and adult in many negative ways especially by showing sexual and violent content on television. Majority of the people are of the view that there is really a lot of violence and sex shown on television. Result from a study/survey shows that approximately seventy-five percent people feel that televisions now show more sexually explicit programs as compared to the earlier times. Surfing channels on television disclose plots celebrating adultery, premarital sex, and even worse, homosexuality. In media, sexual promiscuity appears to be quite high at all-time. Another adolescent study shows that when teens between the age group of twelve and seventeen, watch sex on television their urge to have sex rises to a great extent. Youths have started initiating intercourse along with other sexual and violent activities. Both children and adults who watch television are having negative effects in subtle ways. Hot-Button Issue Paper Comparison between media portrayal of sex and violence today with early ages Today, the sexual material has developed into more open or explicit as compare to earlier days. The media is targeting young kids or teenagers by ranking a PG 18 movie to lower rate, which was strictly prohibited in earlier days. They are portraying sex, in movies, music videos and even in advertisements, as something which is essential and give satisfaction and pleasure to everyone. This gives motivation and different bold ideas to youngsters to experience sex. They do not give importance that whether the person they are having sex with, is interested in this activity or they are unwillingly or forcefully participating in this activity. When something is done against their will always turns out to be unpleasant event or can be considered as violence. The kids who become victims of such conditions, experience psychological issues, they feel they are used and are worthless. This also increases the pregnancy rate which was quite low in early 80’s. (Collins, et al., 2004). Similarly, violent content, which we see now days, has increased drastically with respect to frequency and vividness. Earlier the heroes were more targeted towards fixing the problem rather than taking revenge from the villain, they used to put them in jail so that the criminal goes through proper trial that is interrogated then presented in court and then the court used to decide about their punishment. However, things are quite different now, the heroes are more interested in taking revenge, building plans to kill or to teach criminal the lesson which turns out in more violence and after that they are praised and rewarded for their action (however they are by-passing the law). The children see all this and start doing those stunts, they want to be heroes too without realizing that those cool moves and tricks are performed by stuntmen or are computerized. Today the bodies people see in movies are not real human bodies. They have been altered using software like, Photoshop and went through several advance software before presented in movies. This has somehow created a standard of an ‘ideal body’ which is creating negative effect and de-motivation in teens and children who think that they have inadequate body shape. The children and teens are under the wrong influence because of the media and they think that their appearance is their identity. The teens feel very discontented with themselves since they fail to meet up the standards. This inaccessible goal directs towards dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, feelings of failure, and shame. These feelings ultimately lead to harmful choices and unhealthy behaviors. Negative effects of sex and violence on children by Media Violence is factually everywhere in entire media, which is becoming quite hard to ignore or to avoid. Today, when there is explosion of technologies and everyone, especially kids and teens who are more prone towards technology, can access media 24/7, it is creating negative impact on our kids. Approximately 68% video games, 90% movies, and comic books even the 30% cartoons show violence. In a study it was found that since 1998 portrayals of sex and violence have increased up to 75% (Fyfe, 2007) Another study shows that kids who are around 8 years old spend almost 8 hours every day with media. This means that the time spent on media is even more than the time spent with families or at school. That’s the main reason that heavy exposure towards media showing violent stuff lead to violent behavior. Negative effects of sex and violence on Adults by Media There were times when people use to hear or read about crimes in news. Now the scenario is entirely different. Nowadays, people can clearly view violence and abuse by watching television. While it is children who are most vulnerable to be negatively affected by the violence and sexual depiction on TV, adults are equally vulnerable to have a negative effect of these programs. The incident of domestic violence, killing, shooting, mutilating can also lead to an altered and negative mindset. The violent crime rate went up 17% last year, ending a general decline in violence that began nearly 20 years ago, according to a new federal survey of crime victims. (Johnson, 2012) Some very noteworthy incidents that have taken place within past years are the incident of mass shooting by a man on the premiere of the movie Dark knight. He alleged open fire and killed more than a dozen of people near the cinema. The villain of the movie was his main motivation to kill. Another shocking crime took place in Canada where a young man mutilated his partner and made video of him. He was inspired by a serial killer’s movie. There are countless crimes committed due to negative media. Scientists have conducted numerous researches to find the relationship between violence, sexual depiction and their effect on adults. Most of the researchers have identified that behind majority of crimes, media has played a major role. Violent shows on TV serve as a catalyst probing people to commit crime. Aggressive sexual depiction can lead adults to do the same thing. TV shows showing techniques how to plot a murder, and to get away with it can motivate adults to adopt those techniques and do the same. Recommendations to minimize the problems caused by media portrayal of sex and violence Parents and/or teachers are powerful influence of children. They can guide their children to give importance to themselves and their values rather than focusing on their looks. Boys need to be educated so that they can value or respect girls as their sisters, friends, or girlfriends, rather than looking for pleasure from them by considering them as sex object. Parents need to start discussing media and their effect with the children. They must ask them relevant questions like, why media pressurize girls to look this way. Is there equal representation of boys and girls on media? They must try to pay more attention towards their response. This will make children think about what actually is happening around us. Parents should always communicate their likes and dislikes to their children, may be not in a harsh tone and not all the time but it needs to be transferred to their children. This can be done while watching a TV show which is explicit in nature, or may be a vulgar advertisement or commercial, a pair of jeans or a shirt or anything which is offensive; it must be communicated to teens in a normal tone but with assertiveness. There should always be a proper conversation between a child and a parent because it is more effective rather than giving final orders or just imposing anything on them (American Psychological Association). Parents must try to understand the position of children. They are usually under pressure to watch TV shows which is gaining popularity, or listening to a music which is popular among their friend circle. They must make them understand that they have better options and they can choose wisely so that they can accomplish more productive goals rather than wasting their time in winning the race of fashion. Parents must always encourage a child or teen to take part in extracurricular activities such as athletics and/or theater which emphasize on talents, abilities and rather than focusing on physical appearance. Supporting children especially daughters to follow their interests and involving in some sports and other activities will lessen the chances of a child going in a wrong direction which involves sex and violence. Changes caused by communication on societal perspectives on immediacy and intimacy Communication has advanced immensely within the past decade. As communication had advanced, there has also been a change in the societal perspectives on intimacy and immediacy. Modern communication has given birth to independence and individuality. The modern world is a world full of chances and options (for people). Never before in history, so many choices could and had to be made by the individuals (humans)( Conflict Resolution in the Modern World). This change has not only brought confidence in people but has also infused a greater chance of isolation and conflict. Nowadays, distance and independence are preferred over intimacy and immediacy. People feel that their relationship is as normal as before. Social media sites are now the medium of interaction. All this has brought people together but it has also eliminated the social and cultural bonding among each other. Children are raised in single unit families and have no idea of how to behave when they enter real world. No more they are taught the norms of society. This has also led to detachment from religious, cultural and ethical values. The isolation and independence can cause anxiety, lack of confidence and frustration in people when exposed to large audience. Interaction via social networks with friends and relatives is considered suffice. Though they have surely helped in maintaining relationship with distant member of our social circle, but it has also created distances among not so distant people. Reading a friend’s status on face book, is regarded as an interaction rather than meeting in a public place or arranging a private event or get together. This idea has also eliminated the social presence component from people lives. In short, modern communication has both pros and cons, and it is entirely up to the people to utilize it in a proper manner. References Conflict Resolution in the Modern World (n.d.). Peace-Foundation. Retrieved from http://peace-foundation.net.7host.com/file/Conflict%20Resolution%20in%20the%20modern%20World%20-%20draft%202%20.pdf Collins, R. L., Elliott, M. N., Berry, S. H., Kanouse, D. E., Kunkel, D., Hunter, S. B., & Miu, A. (January 01, 2004). Watching sex on television predicts adolescent initiation of sexual behavior. Pediatrics, 114, 3, 280-9. Fyfe, K. (2007, January 11). More Violence, More Sex, More Troubled Kids | Media Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.mrc.org/node/27935 Johnson, K. (2012, October 17). Report: Violent crime rises sharply, reversing trend. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/17/victims-report-violent-crime/1638895/ American Psychological Association (n.d.). Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report.aspx?item=3 Read More