Violence in Entertainment Media

I happened across a post on Digg about a debate on whether the FCC should put policies in place to attempt to curb the violence on TV. http://digg.com/television/Debate_Should_the_FCC_Curb_TV_Violence I'm not sure whether they should or shouldn't, but I did notice something about the discussion of this topic in the debate and by people who "debate" privately.

The debate seems to focus on protecting the children. That is a great goal, but I think it becomes using the children as a way to advance an agenda. What about protecting the adults. Of course, I am an adult, so I don't need as much protection as a child, but even adults are influenced and impacted by what they see and hear.

Also, I don't want fluff in the things I watch. Unfortunately I find a show I like and there ends up being fluff. By fluff I mean gratuitous sex and violence. At least one commenter on Digg talked about not needing to see Jack Bauer in 24 torture someone or be tortured to advance the story line. I have been thinking about this a lot and am considering not watching 24 next season for that very reason. I like the show, but that stuff is too much. Not because I am squeamish, but because I don't need to spend my time watching something like that week after week.

I have noticed a similar trend with Dead Zone. This last season seemed to add a lot more profanity.

Growing Up

I have had a chance to ponder some things lately as I have seen news stories and TV shows that cover topics about violence in schools. I have also had to ponder other social problems. It seems that much of the times the problems partially stem from adults that haven't grown up. Adults that perhaps don't do the follies they did in their youth, but glory in them and would do them again if they had the chance. Adults that perhaps continue to do the follies of their youth (drinking, sleeping around). Adults that don't do the follies of their youth because their spouse or social group would frown on them, but still find them enticing. Adults that think that it is ok to do the follies of their youth because they are an adult now, but kids shouldn't do that.

I'm not articulating all of the scenarios well, but I think these attitudes are edging our moral standards to a point that extremes are now catastrophic and not just out of line or extreme. The rebellion we find from our youth comes from hypocrisy that they see in us. In the lack of boundaries until it is too late and too extreme to get a hold of.

When our kids see us pursuing our selfish motives because we can get away with it and are entitled to it they see no reason not to pursue their selfish desires. If those desires happen to be destroying those that have hurt them emotionally then violence can occur. If those desires are to be close to the opposite sex then pregnancy or disease or violence can occur.