Media Violence and Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media Violence and Children - Essay Example Its negative impact is beyond the scope of simple parenting skills. The situation requires vigilant engagement and extra effort on the part of parents so that this issue is effectively addressed. Parents must be involved in choosing the kind of media that their children are exposed to. Increased activism also becomes imperative. Parents should call for a mechanism of control and even some censorship, in addition to a standardized filtering system from policymakers. Media is an omnipresent factor in the lives of many people. It can be accessed easily by the public at any time and on their terms. The question becomes is society conscious of what is being delivered to them through these media sources. For example, individuals tend to turn on television for background noise during everyday chores. This is when adolescent may begin watching negative content unintentionally. Consequently, it is important to evaluate media content daily and discover if there is true value to what is seen or heard. Even cartoons, typically stereotyped as being innocent in nature, illustrate overly animated characters freely engaging in violence with no concern for consequences. In the classic cartoon, Tom and Jerry, the mouse plots various schemes of violence to stop a cat from catching him. Unrealistically and comically, this show encourages adolescents to devise vengeful tactics. Additionally, it portrays violence to be humorous and acceptable. If peer pressure were a factor in the lives of adolescents, they would be inclined to try a drug since in many movies and television shows drugs are practically advertised. In the show Weeds, the normalcy factor is not eliminated when the mother herself is a drug dealer who uses her children as a means of dispensary. There are many television shows that portray different scenarios, all in which we must caution ourselves in the sense that adolescents are immature. Sex and drugs are also prominent fixtures in violent media. In the

Do we think for ourselves or does society determine what we think (the Essay - 1

Do we think for ourselves or does society determine what we think (the social construction of reality) - Essay Example Society determines us; the life of an individual and how he/she thinks is determined and moulded by the society the individual lives in: this form the thesis of my paper. An analysis of different stereotypes and concepts will be carried out to help prove this statement. A critical society is one with individuals who value critical thinking as well as value those who are practicing it.   Its most distinguishing feature is that it stresses on thinking as central to the emancipation of mind, to the development and preservation of the species and to the establishment of just practices. Unfortunately, no critical society exists in the world.   The concept represents an ideal that is yet to be achieved and actualized.   However, there are some professions and culture on earth in which critical thought is the characteristic of everyday social and personal life. The world is occupied by superficiality, bias, prejudice, distortions, manipulation, lies, deception, short sightedness, hypocrisy, close-mindedness, righteousness, on and on, in each culture in every part across the world.   These problems in our thinking occasion untold negative implications such as fear, sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, suffering, pain, injustices of every thinkable kind. People have an incredible capacity for reasonability and rationality.   The history of our accomplishments, achievements and contributions, initiated and shaped by our society well documents this fact.   Nonetheless, for the better part, this capacity should be actively developed by the mind.   It is our second nature determined by our society. What is more natural to our mind, whatever comes first concerning human tendencies, and habitually takes priority, is an orientation emphasized on self-gratification, self-protection and self-interest.   This perspective is inborn, and most people would say it`s necessary for survival. To visualize that our societies are critical