Comfort of Our Own Homes

Violence is very wide spread in society today and is growing at an alarming rate among


our children.   Everyday we seem to hear of children beating on one another, ganging up


on the elderly, invading homes, and even murdering people.   One has to question how


much   effect different sorts of media have on our children.   From the time we are very


young we can be exposed to seeing and hearing horrible acts of violence on the television


and   radio, and through video games.   Sadly, I believe this is where it all starts -   in the


comfort of our own homes.   Over and over again children watch violent programs and


play video games with the goal of killing others.   Eventually many of them find it amusing


and enjoyable to see others being hurt and killed.   Parents, in general, are not protecting


their kids from this invasion of media violence.






        Many children laugh at violence and think it’s funny to hurt others. According to


David Grossman, a former psychology professor   and author of a Pulitzer-nominated book


on the psychology of violence, the most dangerous of all media is that which teaches the


child to laugh. “ Once you get beyond the early age where kids are stunned and


mesmerized by TV and can’t tell the difference between fantasy and reality, you find they


begin to laugh at the violence”.   (Grierson, Adbusters 2)   Children who view a lot of


television become hardened to violence.   “ Media violence systematically brutalizes and


desensitizes its recruits”.(Grierson, Adbusters 1)   Children are entertained by violence so


often on television that they no longer find it offensive.   Watching programs that glorify


violence, such as “Monday Night Wrestling”, give children the impression that hurting


others is amusing.   “Even though young children have some...