The right likes to whine on and on about 'feminizing' our society and culture; what they are complaining about is that we are becoming less violent, and penalize violence more, including in places like schools. They disapprove of teaching students not to be bullies, and teaching them other kinds of conflict resolution than throwing punches on the playgrounds.
The studies that violent entertainment leads to violent action by the consumer are far from clear. We do see recent studies showing that they lead to violent expectations - anticipations of violence, and heightened fear or anticipation of aggression. Other studies suggest that while video games are becoming more violent, the real level of violent actions has been declining. It is not clear if violent games cause more tendencies to violent behavior, or act as an outlet, a catharsis for frustrations, leaving people less violent or aggressive. The research goes both ways. More than that, it suggests that individuals react differently.
What we do know is that other countries besides our own have people who play violent video games, go to violent movies, and listen to music with offensively violent lyrics. If you watch vintage cartoons, like the old Road Runner, Popeye, etc., some of which date back to the earliest days of animation, there is incredible violence. That didn't result in children who grew up to be particularly violent - it resulted in a generation of protesters who embraced non-violence.
The right is now attacking Obama for not taking the movie and video game industries to task for making violent entertainment, which seems nothing more than a cheap dig at people they see as supporting liberals more than conservatives. It in no way reflects a disapproval on their part against violence, something they clearly embrace. These are the people who cheer the death penalty, even when it means people are executed who are wrongly convicted, and this is the party that keeps wanting to go to war unnecessarily.
So, challenging Obama for not confronting the video and movie or television industry? Seriously?
It is grasping at straws by the right - and lets face it, THEY haven't done squat about any of those forms of entertainment EITHER. What they have done is stood in lockstep with the gun manufacturers who partner with the video game industry and the movie industry to sell guns. This is just more hypocrisy, more demonstration of the total lack of values to which they give lip service, and only lip service.
The studies that violent entertainment leads to violent action by the consumer are far from clear. We do see recent studies showing that they lead to violent expectations - anticipations of violence, and heightened fear or anticipation of aggression. Other studies suggest that while video games are becoming more violent, the real level of violent actions has been declining. It is not clear if violent games cause more tendencies to violent behavior, or act as an outlet, a catharsis for frustrations, leaving people less violent or aggressive. The research goes both ways. More than that, it suggests that individuals react differently.
What we do know is that other countries besides our own have people who play violent video games, go to violent movies, and listen to music with offensively violent lyrics. If you watch vintage cartoons, like the old Road Runner, Popeye, etc., some of which date back to the earliest days of animation, there is incredible violence. That didn't result in children who grew up to be particularly violent - it resulted in a generation of protesters who embraced non-violence.
The right is now attacking Obama for not taking the movie and video game industries to task for making violent entertainment, which seems nothing more than a cheap dig at people they see as supporting liberals more than conservatives. It in no way reflects a disapproval on their part against violence, something they clearly embrace. These are the people who cheer the death penalty, even when it means people are executed who are wrongly convicted, and this is the party that keeps wanting to go to war unnecessarily.
So, challenging Obama for not confronting the video and movie or television industry? Seriously?
It is grasping at straws by the right - and lets face it, THEY haven't done squat about any of those forms of entertainment EITHER. What they have done is stood in lockstep with the gun manufacturers who partner with the video game industry and the movie industry to sell guns. This is just more hypocrisy, more demonstration of the total lack of values to which they give lip service, and only lip service.
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