Some people choose to blame individual factors for today's violent society. However I believe that not separately, but in concert, the media, availability of weapons, and parental supervision contribute to the extent of society's ills.
I believe I've written a similar notice before on this page. However, given the public's insistence on being mired in ignorance, I feel my message bears repeating. Time to pick on my favourite baby:
Why be angry at The Media?
On various bulletin boards, I've read pleas to stop blaming the media for society's violence. I admit, I am not comfortable with the principle of absolute culpability. However, I find it foolish to question the notion that certain people use the media as a socialisation tool. I have both studied and observed firsthand the notion that people learn behaviours through two variations of a single method: observation. Someone is either instructed in how to commit a specific action on a one-to-one basis, or they mimic an unwitting instructor--someone else who is acting without any didactic intent. Either way, people ingest what they see others do, and interpret it according to their own circumstances. The instructor's connection to the student makes no difference. If one individual sees another carrying out any action successfully, then he or she knows that said action is humanly possible. If the action appeals to the observer, then he or she will likely try to duplicate said behaviour.
Why, then, is it difficult for certain people to believe that members of the public can be influenced by the media? Perhaps some believe that because the media's images are delivered through specialised mediums--on glossy pages, or through the captivating visuals depicted on a screen--we need not take these images seriously. Moreover, some might argue that the media is comparable to any other artistic medium: it innocently presents images for the public to interpret. Yet I assert that for many, the media's mediums only serves to enhance the impact of portrayed images. Their appeal is enhanced because of their special packaging: you have to pay admission or purchase equipment to enjoy a media image.
If even it is on a subliminal level, the fact that something is given a special space or requires a special fee in order to be enjoyed elevates its status in the mind of many individuals. This state of elevation begets an admired status. People strive to imitate admired images, in a quest to vicariously experience the thrill of being one with those they admire. Often those obsessed with acquiring an admired status fail to consider the ramifications of what they feel they must do to be heralded. Thus, if "cool" means carrying a gun, those who want to be "cool" will do what they think is necessary. And they do this regardless of who they may offend or endanger.
To some, the ideology I present may seem disconcerting, yet nevertheless, it's the truth. Thousands--if not millions--of us already know that there are people who are naïve, inconsiderate, and evil enough to believe in every flawed tenet I have just described. I implore you not to turn away from this fact. Instead, I ask that you remain intelligent and vigilant.
© Claire, May 28, 1999