“The Prime Minister does well to voice rising public concern. He condemns- ‘the relentless diet of violence on TV’- John Major is a decent man, here tuned in to the worries of decent families.”
This I think is the author’s expressed opinion made to look like fact. A further example is seen when the statement:
“Their fathers may abandon them but the box never does”
is given. It provides you with an image of these poor children being left on their own with nothing to do but to watch TV. It makes you feel sorry for them. I believe this is evidence of emotional blackmail. It is important to point out that the following was also mentioned in the article:
“Nobody denies that parents have a duty; that they can, and should, do more to stop their children viewing unsuitable programmes”.
I am convinced that this is the crux of the matter. We need to remember that well balanced adults and teenagers should be able to cope with viewing violence on TV. Therefore it is the responsibility of the parents to make sure their children don’t watch inappropriate programs.
It is very easy to project problems in our society on to everyone else. I think that TV has become a victim of this as it is much easier to blame TV then it is to blame ourselves. We control what we watch as do our parents. So, in my opinion if people go out and are violent because of what they have seen on television, they must be too young to have watched those programs or too emotionally immature. I do appreciate that this is only my opinion. It is also important to remember that people often become aware of certain things by first seeing it on TV. I think the need for this awareness of the problem is the main area for concern. Although I do know that some violence on TV is excessive, I also know that much of it mirrors reality. If we know about the problems around us, and know about how to react to it in our own minds, then we shouldn’t be affected by what we see on TV.
In conclusion, I think it is important for me to stress that violence is all around us, but we need to look inside ourselves, before we start blaming other people for the problems in our society. Maybe if we did this, then we might witness a decrease in the levels of violence as well. TV, whether it is good, bad or funny is just showing a mirrored view of the world around us. It cannot be blamed for people’s personal interpretations and reactions.
By Kirsty-Anne Luke
