Parents vs. the Media

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Josh Savoy

3-16-01

Kevin C. Stewart

Engl.1002

Major Paper 2

Parents vs. the Media

        

Due to children’s fascinations with violence, recent massacres at schools have been linked to media influence.  Often troubled children use the news to gain attention. Many of the children committing these crimes are children that are being teased in school. Most of the children involved in school shootings have never had a past criminal record.  Psychologists believe that these troubled children are using the media merely because no one else will listen to their problems. The reoccurrence of “copycat” crimes is on the rise, and it seems at times we overestimate how much violence is really occurring.  The constant struggle between the media and those who feel it is saturated with violence continues on. However, it is difficult to determine whether there is a strong correlation between the two.  

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        Parents are uniting around the country to form groups against violence in the media. They believe that the violence in entertainment and the media is to blame for the “copycat” syndrome. Psychologists believe that children are vulnerable to feelings of psychological injury. Therefore, when children are being tormented they feel a sense of rage and worthlessness. This feeling causes them to look upon society as an enemy. For instance,  “The Trenchcoat Mafia” was a group of teenagers that formed a violent gang, and turned against killed their classmates after seeing the movie Basketball Diaries. They felt isolated from the rest ...

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