People like to place blame when something goes wrong.
It allows them to think all problems can be solved and by placing blame, maybe the problem will go away. Too many times though the blame is placed on a scapegoat and not the real source of a problem.
The most recent scapegoating is placing the blame of the recent school shootings on music, movies and video games instead of the real source of the problem – lack of good parenting, for one thing.
According to Newsweek magazine, in 1978, 43 percent of teens were left unsupervised because both parents worked. In 1988 the number rose to 55 percent and to 62 percent in 1998.
In the same Newsweek survey, 85 percent of teens say their mom cares about them “very much” and 25 percent of teens say mom is always home when they return from school. Only 58 percent say their father cares about them “very much” and only 10 percent say their father is always home when they return from school.
Parents aren’t spending enough time with their teens, so say 90 percent of Americans surveyed. Fifty-six percent say teens don’t have enough places to go to help them stay out of trouble.
When the cat is away, the mouse will play.
And what are teens doing when their parents are not around?
About 47 percent of teens are on-line, according to the Newsweek survey. Television is the choice of entertainment for 98 percent surveyed, watching an average of 11 hours a week. Listening to music is a shared interest among 96 percent of teens surveyed, followed by chores at 84 percent and studying at 59 percent. Teens surveyed say they only spend an average of 3.7 hours studying a week.
OK, enough of the statistics. What’s it all mean?
If television, movies, music and video games desensitize youth, then where are the parents to pull the plug?
There are “parental advisory” stickers on CDs. Movies are rated G, PG-13, R and NC-17. Video games even have ratings now. The most violent video games are rated M for Mature. Concerned about violence? Labels are there for parents to not allow their children to buy or play them.
But the most curious thing about video games is that parents buy nine out of 10 video games sold and they buy them for their children.
In a recent Scripps Howard News Service story, author Don Tapscott, a parent of two teen-agers himself, said a wide variety of factors, none of them video games, contribute to teen violence, including poverty, mental illness and parenting.
‘‘Youth crime has declined since 1990 (when video gaming took off). There’s no causal relationship. In fact, there’s a negative correlation,” he said.
In the same Scripps Howard News Service story, child advocate Liz Loden, director of development for the Child Welfare League of America said, ‘‘There are too many events that come together in a kid’s life (to blame one factor). It’s not helpful to blame the gaming industry.’’
Columbine High School students Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, were avid players of the hyper-violent game Quake. Some say that is evidence enough. Harris and Klebold were also supposedly influenced by Marilyn Manson and the now-defunct band KMFDM.
If Quake, Manson and KMFDM cause a normal person to shoot and bomb others, than I’d better be locked up now. I’m five to six years older than both Harris and Klebold and I’ve been watching movies, listening to music and playing videos much longer. In fact, not only should I be locked up, but everyone under 30 might as well be, too.
We’re the X-generation and we’re desensitized. (Sarcasm).
To be honest, all the media flashed at us may have a partial influence in the way we view the world. There are many other factors, though, and they are more to blame than media violence. To begin this blame game now and try to come up with legislation censoring media (a First Amendment violation) to address the problem is pure nonsense.
A child who spends more quality time with friends and family won’t be in front of the tube 11 hours a week to become “desensitized.” If the difference between right and wrong is taught by both parents, a teen will have fewer chances of committing atrocities.
And if a teen-ager is taught early on to respect differences in other teen-agers, then hopefully there can be less hostility among teen-agers. Harris and Klebold are said to have been labeled outcasts and there lies part of the problem.
People are different. It’s OK to be different in personality, dress and activities. Just because Mr. Joe Popular doesn’t like it doesn’t mean Mr. Average Joe can’t like it. Most importantly, teens need to have enough self-esteem to accept others and themselves.
If people still believe the various forms of entertainment create violent people, then don’t let your children watch movies like “Natural Born Killers.” If you hear them playing Marilyn Manson, turn it off, or don’t let them buy the CD in the first place. And if “Quake” is too disturbing for your kids, don’t be one of the nine out of 10 parents who buy it for their children.
Just don’t tell me I can’t watch, listen or play them. I’ll make the choice for myself. But don’t worry, I know right and from wrong and won’t be influenced by the images and sounds.