"Children should not be prevented from watching violence on television and in the movies." I strongly disagree with this statement. Studies have proven that violence has very serious effects on the psychological and physical behaviour of children, especially between the ages of one and ten years old.
Violence on television leads to aggressive behaviour in children. Violent characters are portrayed as heroes and children look up to and admire them. Children then want to be like their role models and start to act in violent ways because they see nothing wrong with it. They fight with playmates and siblings, argue and disobey rules. This then becomes more serious and some eventually turn to real crimes, all because they don't know right from wrong. Television glorifies violence and teaches children that the easiest way of solving problems is through violence. Weapons are regarded as toys and children don't realise how dangerous they are and that they can kill. There have been cases where children have played with real weapons and killed others accidentally.
Children also become fearful of the world around them. When viewing television violence, children are lead to believe that all life is harsh, mean and dramatic and become scared of growing up and having to face the world on their own. This has a negative subconscious effect on a child's developing self-esteem and character. Children become scared of the ugly, strong villains they see on television and then believe that all villains are strong and ugly. In actual fact, a villain can be anyone, but children think that all big, ugly looking people are bad and dangerous. The villains are often of one race with also leads to discrimination in society.
Children will eventually become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others. They become numb to violent scenes and are less bothered by them in general. Children grow up not caring as much for humanity and the plight of others because they have seen so much of it on television that it becomes a normal occurrence to them.
