Table of Contents

Inception

This is an introduction to a new concept or idea. We are beginning to explore and understand the implications of this topic.

No Limits to Our Choices

Watching violence on TV can have negative effects

The Human Cost of Violence on Television

How the video affects me

This is an introductory presentation.

In order to analyze media violence’s effects on American society, I am going to use The Mean World Syndrome : Media Violence and Cultivation Of Fear. As I explain, socialization affects our decisions because it is how we learn to internalize and grow up. Then I will analyze how violence on television affects Americans, making them more fearful and more judgemental. In the end, I will explain how the video affected me personally.

Limits of Our Choices Socialization is defined in our text as “the social experience throughout life that allows people to grow and learn” (Macionis. P.84). Due to the way we learn culture and internalize it as we grow, we have limited choices. Our society is restricted because we have agents of socialization such as the family, school or peers. Each person is raised in a particular culture and the socialization agents are used differently within each culture. We internalize our culture and then we know how to behave in that culture. Families are the primary agents of socialization. Every person has a unique background. Each family is different in terms of racial and financial status, and each child is raised differently. It can affect how children see and treat others. Macionis argues that a loving environment is the best way to raise a child who will be happy and adjusted (Macionis, page 94). A person’s family influences how they see and treat others. School is the second agent that affects children’s treatment of people from different backgrounds. Children learn how to relate to people from different backgrounds as they begin school. Children are limited in their ability to learn how to relate with other people. Thirdly, peer groups also have an impact on the socialization of a young child. In the company of peers, a child learns about himself as an individual and his personal desires and interests. Children’s peers can affect how they interact with other people and get along. Mass media also has a major impact on a culture’s socialization. Mass media has a huge impact on American culture. We are influenced by what we see. This essay’s main agent is mass-media; how it affects American society is most evident. Mass media is a major factor in limiting America’s culture. Americans wouldn’t be so violent if it weren’t for mass media.

Violence in mass-media has sparked fear in American culture. Americans are increasingly fearful of real-life violence due to increased coverage on local television news, as well as in violent movies and TV series. While most Americans believe violent crimes have increased in recent years, they have actually dropped by 43%. Gun sales, on the other hand, have steadily increased (Video). The media does not report the steady decrease in violent crime. They only focus on violent crimes. This is how Americans are conditioned to view violence. George Gerbner defines cultivation as “a system of images and messages that shaped the way we think about ourselves, our society, and how we see the world” (Video). Violence in the media, including movies, TV shows and news broadcasts is part of a “stable message and image system”. This “system” has “shaped Americans’ conception of life and society”. The violence in the media can influence how people act, but it is media that shapes how people see the world. This gives Americans an distorted perspective of the real world. Gerbner created the “Mean World Syndrome,” which means the media is cultivating a culture where people are mean, because there’s too much anger and fear in the world.

Human Costs to Watching Television Violence The violence that is shown on TV has not only caused fear in society but also a greater level of judgment between people and groups. Latinos may be one of America’s fastest growing groups, but their characters are often underrepresented on television. They are usually portrayed as criminals in television and movies. The result is that Americans have a negative attitude towards Latinos. Muslims and Arabs are also portrayed in movies as criminals–especially terrorists and extremists. Americans are now incredibly fearful of these people. A quarter of Americans are so afraid that they don’t want a Muslim neighbor. Media portrays African Americans either as wealthy, successful people or criminals. It has led to confusion in American culture, as people think the Civil Rights Movement doesn’t exist anymore due to the positive portrayal. However, they also believe they are unappreciative when they commit crime. Media has distorted Americans’ perceptions of certain ethnic groups, which creates tension between them.

The video changed my perception of media’s impact on society. Prior to watching the movie, I was convinced that media violence caused an increase in violence within the United States. In contrast, violent media creates fear within society and causes a wedge to be created between individuals. This video helped me understand the impact media has on people’s thinking. This video helped me understand how the media distorts reality to make us think that something is happening when it’s not.