Media: Makes or Breaks?

Television (TV) viewing quite brings us fun, excitement, and seething anticipation of an upcoming program. Some of these programs drift our emotions, some of them make us laugh, some of them dishearten us, and some of them influence us. What I am going to talk about on this blog is the latter one, the influences of media to human life. Please take note that the term media used in the succeeding paragraphs pertains to television.

There is no such thing as smart viewing because it happens in the mind. Whatever warning you present, you cannot manipulate the viewers’ mind, the decision lies on individual’s understanding. If a kid heard that warning yet he did not understand or he really is curious why that warning has been presented, of course he opts to stick his nose on the television to watch the succeeding program.

Parents are of no use when it comes to TV viewing. Television is addictive in the side of children even for adults. None is really capable of manipulating one’s mind unless the power of satanic motivation is used, you know what I mean.

In the late 1960’s, Albert Bandura conducted a psychology experiment among children. He presented a film showing a man with violent actions against an inflatable doll. After the film, children stayed in a room with inflatable dolls around. The next scenario was unexpected, children who viewed the film manifested the same actions they saw from a film while those who did not watch the film never acted the same. This gives us the point that media greatly affects men’s doing particularly children. Children at young ages easily mind-controlled, what would surely happen when they grew up if they were continually exposed to the media?

The most abundant form of media today is television. If it is one of the best ways to getting knowledge (as they say), then why do TV stations present fatalistic shows and programs with adult content? Does it mean they are also giving idea how to become fierce against one another? Remember, TV is among us and everybody could now use it even by the younger ones. Many of the children mimic the brutal actions presented in the screens. They realize the movements they frequently see and make themselves violent and aggressive. Most of them adopt unpleasant manners from viewing extensively harsh film or video clips but even a simple drama program in the television would be a medium for them to acquire such behaviors (quarrelling, disrespectful manners, physical fighting, using deadly weapons, and sexual intercourse).

I am not making these all up. My nephews, aged 6-10 years old, love to watch wrestlers wrestling inside the ring every night using physical strength and other items as weapons. The following day, together with their other playmates, they are going to look for an open field and start wrestling each other. They often end up crying while telling that his playmate boxed him or kicked him. My nieces, on the other hand, play with others but prohibit them to borrow toys. I still remember the TV program that a young girl portrayer acted being selfish on her doll house.

Another story of my ex-classmate supports my views. His nephew mimics Sponge Bob’s behaviors such as banging his own head on a concrete wall several times and letting himself freely fall down on the ground with expected great impact against his head. If the impact is dramatically forceful, brain damages would occur.

Most of the time, these media air dramas portrayed by adults. Bear in mind that whatever a child sees to grownup ones, it is possible for him to imitate the actions because children incorrectly think the same for decent and offensive actions done by adults. TV and real-time situations are both belong to single category so beware of your undertakings in front of children who easily adapt things they have seen or heard.

Although the reason why I am telling these is to explain that TV sometimes does not help humans to mold themselves into better ones, I mean what I have posted. I am not exaggerating the effects of TV viewing, I am giving my perceptions enforced with the behaviors (of known children) usually observed after they watched a TV program.