The Destructive Power of Mass Media .
Mass media is one of the main causes of teenage violence in the United States because violent movies promote destructive behavior, video games in store shelves are so violent the contain warning labels, and contemporary music encourages rape, robbery, murder, assault, or the use of weapons to settle disputes. .
The latest massacre of 12 students and one teacher by fellow Columbine High School students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold added urgency to the search for answers. The Littleton, Colorado teenagers reportedly immersed themselves in the same media described above. They even produced and starred in their own murderous video before gunning down their classmates and apparently taking their own lives. The irreverence for life among America's youth has been a result of numerous hours of senseless violence television and movies feed into their brains everyday. .
Video games are another form of media that have taken the blame for an increase in violence. Many games include real life scenarios with existing weaponry that were created to be as close to the real thing as possible. If a child who has no interest or knowledge in guns and weaponry begins to play ashoot-em-up? video game, .
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the child could become interested in guns and move onto something more realistic such as pellet and paint ball guns. Video games are a dangerous learning tool for children at any age. .
Music is by far one of the most dangerous forms of media. One problem with violent lyrics in music is that it is a relatively new phenomenon. Three decades ago very few popular songs encouraged rape, robbery, or murder. Because it is such a new phenomenon, no one knows the results of raising a generation on this type of musical diet. .
Even though the media encourages violence, it serves an important role in our society. News reporting is a great example of using the media to benefit the public.