Is Television Leading to Death?

At this very instant, as this article is being read by blogger critics everywhere, somewhere, thousands – maybe millions – of television sets are being turned on. Perhaps holding that remote is a senior, preparing to watch the news to learn of any new high school shootings. Maybe a 35 year old man is tuning in to spike TV to see “two champions face in the Octagon” in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Perhaps it is a teenager or a child preparing to fire up his X-box and play one of those brand new exceedingly violent video games parents hate so much. Whatever the scenario is, generally television will induce North American society on the path towards its ultimate destination: The total desensitization of violence. Even the simplest, most innocent seeming shows will often demonstrate this to a huge degree. The Three Stooges will knock each other over, hit their friends with planks of wood, and slap people – all of which could potentially be detrimental to their own health, could induce comas, or even death. Yet 10 year olds watch it. Elmer Fudd will stalk Bugs Bunny and violently attack him with his rifle. But kids laugh through it. But this is just a precursor to the more ‘adult’ form of violence: video games. Now it is cool for teens to steal cars on Grand Theft Auto, and see how many innocent civilians they can kill and not get busted for.