The Mean World Syndrome - Teaser - Available on DVD

Buy DVD at http://www.mediaed.org

For years, debates have raged among scholars, politicians, and concerned parents about the effects of media violence on viewers. Too often these debates have fallen into simplistic battles between those who claim that media images directly cause violence and those who argue that activists exaggerate the impact of media exposure. Based on interviews conducted with George Gerbner before his death in 2005, the film urges us to think about media effects in more nuanced ways. In contrast to behaviorist models that see media violence as causing real-world violence, and limited effects models that question the impact of media altogether, Gerbner encourages us to move outside the frame of this debate to consider how the repetitive stories media tell constitute a pervasive cultural environment - a landscape of ritualized, often violent images that have the power to cultivate how we see and understand the world. An accessible and provocative introduction to Gerbner's thought and the subject of media influence and media violence.

The Mean World Syndrome
George Gerbner on Media & Violence

Category:

Education

Tags:

• MEF
• Sut
• Jhally
• George
• Gerbner
• Michael
• Morgan

[crobinhilton]

What you seem to be missing, Eceoes, is that parents can't compete with the media. You believe that parents can compete with a billion dollar industry that has the ability to infiltrate the lives of children? Children learn by observation, and guess what, they aren't watching their parents. I'm not suggesting that people become violent by watching television. However, they do have to negotiate what they see. I'm sure that you believe some things that are false because you watch television.

[WitlessSod]

This is patent nonsense. I clearly remember emulating episodes of TV and film violence as a kid. Not only that, but if TV had zero effect on a child's mentality, then much of advertising and other forms of indoctrination would be utterly pointless.

And no one said this world is all milk and honey. But to opt to portray one aspect of the world at the expense of others does create a distorted view of it.

[Clariccy]

@Eceoes It impacts m a n y minds ....

[Neofcon]

@crobinhilton This is what all gamers should read everytime "video game violence" crops up. I swear to god.

[Deno14567]

Interesting how its a boy who watches this, but the clips show both men and women shooting and stabing.

[Eceoes]

You can also say that the media displays a "mean world" through the eyes of the western world. Ok, but a fully mature mind can tell the difference between what is really right and wrong. People are not stupid.

As for kids, again thats why there are ratting systems, and PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY. Its up to the parent to shape the child's mind, not the media.

[Eceoes]

Again that is false and mostly all hype. Advertisements are not evil messages that tell people to be violent and bulimic.

Advertisements for the most part are harmless and just help promote business.

You can say how the media protrays only one side of the world, mainly through the eyes of the western world. But again it doesn't impact a mature mind.

[Eceoes]

Ok so you imitated a few scenes as a kid. That's normal, that's what KIDS do. If its anything that bad, then your PARENTS are responsible for the behavior because they have to watch over THEIR OWN KIDS.

This is also why there are ratting systems. Self regulation in the media DOES WORK. It just requires consumer responsibility.

As for advertisements, the Media Education Foundation will shove the idea down your throat that advertisements change the way people act and feel.

[Eceoes]

George Gerbner croaked off a few years ago but tragically his bullshit still seems to spread.

The idea of Mean World Syndrome is bullshit and all hype.

For starters this world is not all milk and honey.

The Media, let alone Media violence has ZERO effect on a child's mentality. Children grow up to be violent but the REAL environment around themselves, not unreal events showed on TV.