Does watching violence promote violence?

[ElisabethWhispers]

Thanks to a blog post that I just read, another great one by Maggie McNeill, the topic of the effects of television/movies, etc. towards violent behavior was discussed.

http://maggiemcneill.wordpress.com/2...n-heal-thyself

I have found portrayals of sex workers on television/movies usually is nothing close to the truth, which of course, we could all debate that.

But seeing violence towards sex workers, and others, does it promote the idea that violence is acceptable towards some?

I know that this is a philosophical debate. I do believe that if escorts were portrayed as most of the "silent majority"* actually are, women trying to raise a family and get by the best that she can, it would really help the cause or more acceptance (or better, decriminalization) overall.

Choppy topic but I feel that it could make a good discussion. I LIKE watching movies with a lot of testosterone and violence. Not sure why. It doesn't make me wish to go out and get in a fight or kill someone. There is a release of some sort, though, when I see James Bond fight or watch bouts of ultra-violence (I loved Clockwork Orange which is referenced in the blog post above).

I generally do not think that watching violence promotes it in ones personal life but on the other hand, it's been proven that some will view something and then go out and do it. Thoughts? I'm mainly thinking of this in regard to prostitutes and violence towards them. But a discussion could be more general.

Elisabeth


*Silent majority is a term used to describe (and I have no idea who coined it) the vast majority of sex workers in the US. Women who are doing this full or part time who are average, often otherwise law abiding, women who are either making money to help maintain a lifestyle, raise children and/or just average women of varying ages.

[jbravo_123]

I'm not certain that watching it promotes going out and doing violence, but I believe it desensitizes us to it so that we have less of a problem with it when it happens around us.

[London Rayne]

It depends on the mindset of those continually watching it. I do believe what goes in your eyes and ears, gets in your heart and soul, at least a little bit because if I sit there all day and watch Joel Osteen, I am suddenly happy and at peace, so I would imagine the same to be true for watching crap all day. Same thing with watching porn when you're trying NOT to cheat. It actually does not HELP, but makes you want to fk the real thing even more.

I don't like violence in the traditional sense, but I do have a thing for movies having to do with Possession. Still, I can't sleep without a light on for weeks after watching the crap, and at times I find myself watching doors to make sure they don't slam shut lol.

[shorty]

No, I don't think watching violent shows affect most people, except for kids. I do think violent video games do harm kids mind set. Parents these days are looking for forms of entertainment and video games is a big part of a kids life. If you get your kiddo tuned into video games, then you got them occupied and out of your hair. Of course some of the most popular video games are the one's that are violent.

[Mr MojoRisin]

I don't know what the affects are of watching violence, but Iam sure it can give you some pretty good ideas.


Jim

[shorty]

Originally Posted by London Rayne

Same thing with watching porn when you're trying NOT to cheat. It actually does not HELP, but makes you want to fk the real thing even more.

What's wrong with wanting to fk 3-4 times a week and BJ's in between!?

[MrThom]

I think that it does promote violence. I remember watching 6 year old boys watching the GI Joe cartoons, and than being super hyped up and jumping, wrestling fighting, ect...
I grew up watching the war in Vietnam on tv,and found, in later years, pictures that I drew of planes bombing villages... frankly I dont know how many murders that I have watched on tv.
When I was young... we had fistfights. now we have gunfights.
Its gotten to the point that I dont go to movies any more, used to love James Bond, but havent seen any of the new ones, as I just dont like all the explicit violance any more.
Batman, Mission Impossable... great movies, but when you start adding numerals to a movie tital, its probable to cover for weak plot with LOTS of violance taking the place of action.

[London Rayne]

Granted, but saying the movie MADE you go out and kill someone is a bit weak. People who have no self control should just live in a bubble. The Media can't make you kill someone, just like naked women can't MAKE you cheat.

[ICU 812]

I don't think that watching violence makes someone behave violently.

However: Watching violence will de-sensatize someone to the results of violent actions, AND; someone who is goofy enough will find it easier to act out their impulses to harm others.

[jsparrow]

Of course not. We all like to be titillated...Doesn't mean we'd really hurt somebody.

[bojulay]

I don't necessarily think it promotes violence in a person
but rather can give them a convoluted perspective about violence.

As usual the hollywood version is different than the real thing.

[awl4knot]

I think the social scientists pretty much agree that children who are repeatedly exposed to violence tend to be more violent in their actions, and this continues into adulthood. So I won't dwell on this.

The second and more focused question was whether media depicted violence increased or caused violence towards escorts and my guess is that the answer is yes, but there is much more to it. My guess is that what is more important is a widely held view that it's ok to batter and abuse women in general, whether they are SO's or prostitutes. Then you add to the mix the disdain that a lot of men have towards escorts ("dirty c**ts") and you have the recipe for abuse.

Maybe you can't detect in the more national forums but if you read some of the local forums you'll clearly find the expressions of disdain and anger that foretell abuse. My guess, again, is that watching TV or movie violence is fairly common with these guys, but then there is so much violent content out there, so who knows?

In sum, two different but related topics.

[AuburnTiger]

Why don't people smoke on TV anymore?

[B.Wayne]

I think you have to teach kids from an early age that T.V. and games is not real. It may not be the end all be all way to go about it but when I was growing up my parents taught me that things that happend on T.V. werent real. And the video games were a given to not be real. It mostly had to do with scary movies for me. I can recall when I played football, I would watch a football movie to get me hyped up before a game. But its weird to explain, I knew it was just a movie but the play scenes got me fired up. I think its a combination of people making excuses for doing stupid shit and not taking responsiblity for themselves, and something else.

On the topic of if violence on tv affects women. I dont think I would look at it as its ok to be violent towards a woman that does this for a living. But im not everyone. There is just some bad people that will do bad things no matter what, and will look for any excuse to do it, or rationalize it however they can. I think the underlying issue is how women that do this are portrayed and societies views on that. In some ways it might be viewed as accurate, and in others it wont be portrayed accurately at all. But regardless its just how you look at it. I love women and try to respect them. It just depends on the person not the social status. But I have an odd sense of humor too. For example one joke that makes me laugh is one that goes like this: "Ive been looking for my gilrfriends killer for two years now. And I still cant find anyone that will do it."- Get it? hahaha



On another note, in our nature I think we feel the need to have closure, and maby some of us need to see a movie have a happy ending. Some movies that dont do well are movies that people dont like the way they ended. One example is a movie with Adam Sandler. I think it's called 'Happy People' I thought it ended how things in life happen so I enjoyed it. Everybody else I know that watched it didnt like it at all and said it was depressing. People want to be entertained with movies and T.V. to escape reality in a sense and have an experience. Its a very complex topic that I dont think can be summed up especially since things like you describe have been used in the past to try to influence things such as what we buy, and how we measure success, and what is acceptable to have and own. One last note to think about is if you watch or hear something non violent, like lets say religious does it make you go out and want to be religious? No? why not? yes? why? its kind of the same concept.

AuburnTiger: Watch the show called "MadMen" they smoke ALOT.

[B.Wayne]

One thing I forgot to mention is that it kind of falls on society and what is acceptable to the individual person along with the percieved importance of social standing. If someone punched the queen of England in the eye and ran away, they would probably have the U.N. and british S.A.S. after the guy. But if it was just an everyday woman then theyd tell them to file a police report, if it was a homeless person some people might actually care some may pretend to care but the majority wont give it a second thought.