There are 4 choices, 7 votes for Red Death's debate

Do Scenes of Violence in the Media/Entertainment Cause Violent Acts?

This was a topic in my social studies class, I want your opinion, when we see violence on tv or in video games, just it affect the way we feel about violence? Is violence in the news and entertainment a factor in violent crimes?


  • Look, this is just how it is

    Seeing a lot of violence, and violence glorified can desensitize us to it, taking away the shock value of it. That doesn't mean it makes us think it's ok. It doesn't brainwash people. It just means you've seen so much of it, it doesn't SHOCK you. People are still responsible for their OWN ACTIONS!!! It is the desire of the public discourse to brush things under the rug, and point the finger that supports peoples saying it is the televisions fault. People must again learn to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for themselves and their actions in this culture and stop blaming everyone else for their problems.

    28%  Voted for by Dark-Scorpion, Weydon.
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  • NO

    Even if some small amount people that see these violent forms of media go on to commit crimes, it STILL doesn't mean anything. A person also witnesses a lot of meals being eaten. This doesn't mean that THEREFORE, people that commit violent acts are suffering from having this ingrained into their mind.

    28%  Voted for by Weydon, Kazrith.
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  • Indirectly, Yes.

    The more you are exposed to something, the more at ease you are with it. This is a known fact. Here's a few examples from my psychology textbook: "The balance of evidence suggests that exposure to erotic materials elevates the likelihood of overt sexual activity for a few hours immediately after the exposure (Donnerstein, Linz, & Penrod, 1987)". "Although erotic materials don't appear to incite overpowering sexual urges, the may alter ATTITUDES in ways that eventually influence sexual behavior." "Exposure to aggressive pornography may also make sexual coercion seem less ofensive and may desenitize males to the horror of sexual violence (Mullin & Linz, 1995)." Look up these studies if you don't believe me. Exposure to materials does not mean that you WILL act in a certian way, but it may DESENSITIZE to that act, increasing your CHANCES of acting that way.

    28%  Voted for by looking4realtruth, Hertha.
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  • It Can Be

    When you see something, anything, violent or not, it stays in the subconsious part of your brain. After witnessing enough violence on tv or in reality it can start of affect your thoughts and even eventually your actions in increasingly less subtle ways. According to my Social Studies teacher a person witnesses thousands of murders before they are eighteen years old, obviously most are fictional. The reality is that the majority of the people who witness this violence will never get to the point of commiting violent crimes, but some do, enough that there are hundreds of people under 18 years old serving life in jail with no chance for parole. I don't agree that violence on tv should be banned though because the majority of people are virtually unaffected by it.

    Voted for by Red Death.
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