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Date: | Tue, 5 Aug 1997 14:48:09 GMT |
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Jennifer Taylor writes:
>I think children should be kept from watching certain shows. Violence on
>TV directly causes violent behavior.
Since justification for this claim comes purely from anecdotal evidence (as is
usual in these
cases), let me reply with my own story:
Between the ages of 9 and 12 me and my friends used to watch (unbeknown to our
parents) a
number of extremely gory and sadistic horror videos (many of which were later
banned - so
much for the good old days). A show such as The Incredible Hulk would have been
far too dull
for our tastes. Strangely enough, neither myself nor any of my friends turned to
violence, felt the
urge to dismember our next-door neighboors, or developed any other personality
disorder. All of
us have subsequently turned into respectable and averagely mild-mannered
citizens, some of us
active in anti-violence and peace initiatives.
Of course, as with Jennifer Taylor's example of her younger brother, this
anecdote doesn't prove
anything. Jennifer Taylor might nostalgically yearn for a time when the father
was still the
undisputed head of the household, mother was slaving all day over a hot stove,
everyone being
happy in a rural idyll, well-behaved children talking, reading, bonding etc etc.
(maybe some form
of selective cultural memory here?)
Jennifer Taylor is perfectly entitled to hold her views, and to monitor her
household and her
children's viewing habits as she finds appropriate.What I object to is the
universalising tone of
her remarks. There are quite a substantial number of people out there who don't
want their TV
being restricted to a non-stop rerun of The Waltons.
Tim Bergfelder
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