Violent Media Effects Youth, Parents, Leaders Be Proactive!

[leegeorgeson]

Sharon they play the same violent video games in Japan and Japan has a REALLY low crime rate.

[sharonafox1]

@leegeorgeson I lived in Japan. The culture in Japan is quite different from America. There is far more discipline, impulse control and respect for moral codes built into the Japanese culture.

[leegeorgeson]

@sharonafox1 Japan was a much more violent culture before videogames came along :) Especially in world war two.

I am Canadian, we play the same video games and Canada has more guns per person, we are still less violent, in fact right across Detroit, our crime rate is significantly lower :)

I would blame American violence on economics personally but don't get me wrong, I LOVE your videos :)

[sharonafox1]

@leegeorgeson So right, economics plays a giant role in violence. Also our unions trashed our educational system and corporations own the government+broadcast fear to the masses to keep their focus on defense instead of co-creating a world that works for everyone. Corporations need ignorant people to enslave to do the work they are not willing to do themselves. The rich get richer through predatory lending and the masses get angry, violent and use survival skills to survive rather than thrive.

[leegeorgeson]

@sharonafox1 What I predict will happen is that the United States will fall as a super power but will be a better place to live after they get their shit sorted out.

I would say that Great Britain, France, Spain, Russia, Italy, Portugal and Holland are better places to live now than when they were super powers, just to name a few lol. Hell even Greece with the mess they are in is a better place to live than ancient Greece...

[sharonafox1]

@leegeorgeson So right, economics plays a giant role in violence. Also our unions trashed our educational system and corporations own the government+broadcast fear to the masses to keep their focus on defense instead of co-creating a world that works for everyone. Corporations need ignorant people to enslave to do the work they are not willing to do themselves. The rich get richer through predatory lending and the masses get angry, violent and use survival skills to survive rather than thrive.

[qwexas]

Your kids will be exposed to a lot of things at some time. It's your job as parents to prepare them. Teach them to think. Ask them questions and encourage them to ask you questions. Protect them from it when they are very young, of course. Don't watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre with you 4 year old. When they get older, watch TV with them, helping them notice what they learn from TV as they learn it, so they can question it.

[JessFromMead]

You make a good Argument. I'm 16, I play M Rated games like Halo, Doom, etc (No GTA) but I can realize that a video game is not the real world

[Bozofreak]

Look lady, if you don't want to raise your kids, then you shouldn't have had them to begin with.

[sharonafox1]

My greatest joys has been raising children. I 've also had the honor of helping friends raise their children. It would indeed be a wonderful world if people who brought children into the world had the commitment, resources, love and wisdom to raise happy and healthy children. You are so right, if someone doesn't want to raise children, they certainly shouldn't have them to begin with. I totally agree with you on that one.

[TheChampionKnight]

i grew up with lots and lots of violent images (like that from the games of Doom, Wolfestein 3D, Diablo, Ect.) and sometimes of sexual nature. I have yet to think about serously killing someone, and i doubt would. I DO have issues, but im fairly normal overall.

Hell, i have practiced karate for sometime and i still have problems to punch someone and to mean it.

Also, Expect a WTF!? Episode with your name on it

(Disclaimer: i dont speak for Zushen nor i have ever had contact with him.)

[BongOfCthulu]

go to a 3rd world country and see the violence THOSE children are exposed to first hand. Not just on some T.V screen.

[FatherTime89]

It's not the government's job to step in and say what is and is not appropriate for children they have never met. Nor is it the government's job to protect children from imaes that are most likely intended for adults. Nor is it the government's job to destroy media just because it is objectionable and might (and that's a big might) have negative effects on children.

[sharonafox1]

To think that children are raised by parents alone is not dealing with the reality.

Children are influenced by their teachers, friends, neighbors, strangers and through all kinds of messages they get through the media. What I am talking about in this question....is what kind of leadership position and priority will these candidates take in motivating parents and media makers to be more responsible in terms of exposing certain images and messages to children at age appropriate levels.

[DrkJester]

Honestly, do you want Gov't parenting? good lawrd, lets just brainwash our kids eh?

LEAVE THE PARENTING TO THE PARENTS.

[sharonafox1]

What I am asking them is what kind of motivational leadership will they provide to inspire parents to shield their children from age appropriate violent messages on the screen.

And also what kind of commitment do they have to share positive and emotionally reinforcing thoughts and ideas with the nation rather than spreading constant messages of fear and terror.

Where are the messages that "EMPOWER" a nation and its people...including and most importantly its children?

[DrkJester]

The more power you give to a gov't the worse we are off as a nation. Gov't should NOT be given the task of EMPOWERING anyone. The last time that happened I belive everyone was shouting "HIEL HITLER".

Quit sticking up for lazy ass parents, who are too afraid of D.C.F.S. to punish their children, and too afraid of "emotionaly scarring" their kids to yell.

[sharonafox1]

President Kennedy inspired a nation when he posed the question, "Ask not what your country can do for you...but what you can do for your country". The man who coined that phrase was one of Kennedy's speech writers, Norman Cousins.

I worked on a number of projects with Norman.

Why are leaders inspiring fear, terror and conflict rather than hope and resolution?

[DrkJester]

People Die. People get hurt. As much as i will not deny that kennedy did well for this country, I will still say that some things should not be in the hands of our gov't. Let's strive to be better familys ON OUR OWN. Not every person is the same. I grew up on violent video games, scince around age 8. Love 'em. still do. And haven't been convicted of crimes. I havent been a violent person. I obviously could handle it. Why would i want the Gov't to decide whats good and bad for my child?

[sharonafox1]

Hitler didn't empower anyone...he disempowered people to the point where they were no longer thinking for themselves.

I don't stick up for lazy parents...See my Lindsay Lohan video where I portray her mother.

[Mike42j]

As just about everyone else had said, the common sense answer is to be the parent and take responsibility for your own offspring. Take care of your kids or don't have them.

[skrunch]

I thought it was the parent's responsibility to keep their kids safe from these explicit images, not the president's.

[Konman72]

I didn't think it was the President's job to decide what your, and other people's kids are watching/playing. Is it not your job as a parent to decide for yourself what is appropriate for your individual child? Sounds crazy, I know, but perhaps if parents actually parented then we would not even have to discuss this.

[happykorn]

Yes what will you do president to remove pictures of war and death from our television screens, that our own government have funded for and support to the fullist? What will you do to create peace in our own nation before you even try to make it in 3rd world countries?

[leper73]

Violent media can also have some beneficial effects for kids. It helps them to navigate the feelings of helplessness and fear they often carry around, and allow them a fantasy self that is strong and brave. The video game "Doom" helped me maintain a sense of power and courage in the wake of 9/11. I was 18 at the time; imagine how much more intense the impact would be on someone half that age, and the need for them to develop a sense of power and control.

[leper73]

The studies that supposedly prove negative effects have many flaws: they show a correlation, not cause and effect; they are conducted in a laboratory setting and do not reflect any sort of real-life situation; and they are subject to demand characteristics, the phenomenon that research participants will behave in a manner to prove the researcher's hypothesis correct.

[leper73]

As for you said about the level of violence increasing since the 60's, the crime rate in this country is now at a 30-year low.

[sharonafox1]

I did not say the level of violence has increased since the 60's. I said the amount of violent images available to children has increased a hundred fold since the 60's.

[leper73]

But can you prove negative effects of the increase in violent images? You keep making these vague mentions of "harmful effects" of such images, but do not say what that entails-are they more prone to commit violent acts, or is it more esoteric?

[facelesscoward]

The question of what is and isn't appropriate for our children isn't in the domain of politics and government. If you feel strongly that too many children are being exposed to violent media, you should work with consumer groups to inform parents about what's out there and try to convince independent establishments such as businesses to establish their own policies. Violence in the media may be a problem, government involvement in speech is much, much worse.

[sharonafox1]

And I am giving candidates the opportunity to tell us what kind of priority they will give to taking a leadership position to either work with these groups our inspire parents to be more mindful of their roles as guardians and or to possibly encourage them to work with those groups.

Your point is well taken.

[TK925]

Hmm. So if you can ignore free speech to keep games you don't like out of the hands of people everywhere, can we ignore free speech to silence fools like you?

[mchief190]

A little role playing...

"Kids today are exposed to such violence thanks to the media, i see them all the time, their fragile young minds cannot understand the difference between reality and things on a TV"

"While i just sit there, doing nothing as a parent...i demand that President coming to my home just to turn off my TV!!"

"Thank You"

[FatherTime89]

I think kids can handle 'explicit images' themselves. Really it's not that hard to know the difference between reality and a video game. Oh and I question your firsthand experience as to their effects. How can you be certain that the 'detrimental effects' were caused solely by video games? How do you know that other factors might not have come into effect? I realise it would be a waste of time to say how in your video though. A response wold be appreciated.

[Erandir03]

If you dont want your children to watch violent films and play violent video games, don't let them. But leave the rest of us to our rights, will you?

[sharonafox1]

I would never take away your rights to watch what you wish. The question refers to violent images readily available to vulnerable minds (age appropriate).

[Erandir03]

Of course, but that is the reason why we have age ratings on games and movies, to stop young children being able to see violent or sexual material. The real problem (if one is worried about violence etc) is the parents who let their children watch that sort of thing, and no matter how much legislation is passed, there will still be parents who let minors watch "inapropriate" media.

By the way I realise that my original comment might have come across as a bit rude. My apologies.

[sharonafox1]

Apology accepted ...I genuinely appreciate all of your comments. Thanks for contributing to the dialogue. It sure would be nice if parents were aware enough to to their job well.

[chadachada123]

To continue on my last comment, many times laws have been struck down that have tried to ban M-rated games or R-rated movies from minors, every single time they are struck down. It is, however, your job as a parent to keep those out of minors hands, as retailers already don't sell M games to minors

[chadachada123]

While, yes, it is true that YOUNG (keyword, young) children should not be exposed to violent content and inappropriate things, it would be unconstitutional to make any legal laws enforcing that. It is up to the ESRB to rate games, and retailers to decide what ages they allow their games to be sold to. It is a purely Parental responsibility to keep violence out of children's' hands. Are YOU doing your part in keeping violence out of your child(ren)'s hands and the hands of other minors?

[BlindJustice15]

Sharon, all I ask is that you consider your sources before you do anything else to damage your credibility. To me, as a gamer, this video qualifies as hate speech.

[facelesscoward]

Well, you, as a gmaer, are wrong. Hate speech must display disdain for a group of people. This video is not hate speech.

[WholeDarnShow]

I'll 2nd that, calling hate speech because you disagree is disgraceful. Politicians already have a healthy scapegoat to avoid real issues with in us gamers without you adding to their spin by exploiting the oppressed in my & all gamers name.

[WholeDarnShow]

BTW Sharon, I'd like to make clear that I did notice you didn't refer to Video Games explicitly, it's just the softball politicians prefer right now because the games industry hasn't organised against such criticism same as their equivalent industries have (good for you, bad for me ;) ) I'll not tell you how to raise your own children but if you're concerned about other parents children I would suggest that you will have to take up the problem with them & not the entirety of the arts.

[sharonafox1]

Dear WholeDarnShow, I love your comments. No I did not mention Video games in my question. I am interested in what kind of personal commitment a candidate might have in motivating parents and the media to take more responsibility in providing age appropriate images and messages for children.

[sharonafox1]

Dear WholeDarShow..Plus the government has spent so much of its time scaring children with messages far beyond their young minds' ability to put process the information in a healthy way. Are they going to continue to scare or uplift and inspire children with their own speech?

I really like your voice of reason.

Thank you for your wonderful comments!

[WholeDarnShow]

Thank you very much for your kind words, you clearly have a much better understanding of the issues concerning you than you get across in your video & that's a shame, because IMO, almost all politicians make a living giving the answer they think their questioner wants to hear without having to later contradict that answer with a similarly disingenuous response to a different questioner. So with your question as is (a fairly general swipe at the irresponsibility of the media) I'd expect no...

[WholeDarnShow]

... more substance than a canned "protect the children" speech that each candidate hopes sounds less disingenuous than the last one rather than the deeper/more specific answers I get the impression you're looking for. For what it's worth, I'm supporting Ron Paul. I've never heard him on this issue but if you liked my previous thoughts, I'd speculate that you would be as inspired as I am by his consistency in genuinely sticking to his well read answers to even the most controversial of issues.

[WholeDarnShow]

Well consarnit, after seeing your praise for me, I had to check some more of your vids, but unfortunately I decided to make that response FIRST!!! I've now watched some of your vids (& subscribed. & fallen in love with you. watching the rest now) & am sure you know enough about the candidate to decide for yourself who to get behind. Keep up the great vids, hope at least one of your questions makes the debate.

[sk8inandy87]

My suggestion on how the government can help the kids is by taking them away from parents like yourself. When used as a verb the word parent means to raise and nurture. Can't get any more straight forward than that. People should need to apply to be a parent just like any other job.

[Optimusstab]

Violence in media such as movies, TV, books, and games definitely have a detrimental effect on impressionable minds like those of young children, the mentally handicapped, and the mentally unstable. However, mature people with a grip on reality aren't affected at all. It's up to a child's parent or guardian to use the ratings systems that are available, not up to the government to censor the products for everyone.

[TheBSG]

I'm probably beating a dead horse here, but the rest of these posters make an excellent point. America has freedom of speech laws, and while you might think you know what an explicit image is, it is going to very greatly from my opinion of explicit. Instead of leaving this censorship up to the government, who will no doubt sensor as much as possible: It is your duty as a parent to decide what is suitable for your home, not your lawmaker. That's why we're in a free state.

[Raito123]

Sharon, as cruel as this is going to sound. Presidents don't necessarily have teats to suck on, so they can't nuture a child for you, it is up to the mother and father that brought them into the world to take care of them.

Realisticly, you claim you have seen first hand what detrimental effects, but this is a baseless claim similar to how people say they've seen "bigfoot", first hand!

The FCC controls the airwaves in a strict manner.

[djlowballer]

Umm please move away. America DNE Nanny state. Learn to parent

[edavis0780]

I didn't know it was the president's responsibility to nurture our children. That sounds like a parent's job.

Why are we targeting video games and movies only? There are plenty of violent books out there. Let's ban them too! I definitely don't want my kids reading The "Turner Diaries" anytime soon.

[Sonic21541]

"What are some of the solutions to this violence overload?"

Be a parent...

[HentaiJeff]

You mahm are a horrible parent. Turn the TV off and pay attention to the games your kids play, the ESRB is your friend, pay attention to the ratings.

[Niliav]

Why are you asking the president to do your job for you? Parents can...oh I don't know... turn off the TV!

[Hesei]

Amen