Who’S To Blame?

Mon., July 17, 2000

Riley Palmer Cheney

The debate over whether media violence causes youth violence has waged for decades, intensifying after each tragedy such as the Columbine killings or the recent shooting of the English teacher in Florida.

In today’s paper, two Our Generation writers give their thoughts on how what we see and hear affects us.

I want to say one thing right away: I don’t think that watching a violent movie or hearing violent music lyrics will make you a psychotic killer or a bad person. Instead, I believe that media violence influences how a person thinks.

Consider “Ransom,” an R-rated movie starring Mel Gibson, where Gibson’s child is kidnapped by people who want big dollars for the boy’s safe return. The movie did a great job of making me hate the bad guy. In fact, I was thinking some pretty nasty thoughts about how that man should meet his end. During the final scene, I found myself screaming at Gibson about the urgency and importance of mutilating the guy.

Soon after the movie ended, I felt foolish that I had been swept into such rage by an imaginary character in a movie. Did the movie’s violence affect my behavior? Absolutely. There’s no question in my mind.

After you saw the movie “Jaws,” did you want to go jump into the ocean for a swim? I doubt it. I could hardly go swimming in our local lake for fear a creature living in the depths might eat me.

After you see an action-packed thriller or listen to rowdy music, do you want to go sit in a corner and peacefully sip tea? I doubt it. I find myself looking for the nearest teddy bear to try out some new karate moves.

This brings me to my final point. Some people can’t sift reality from what they see and hear, and these people constantly are exposed to violent movies and music lyrics. This alone rarely causes someone to be violent. But mix that exposure with other factors, such as dysfunctional families, abusive relationships, or suicidal thoughts, and you have a potentially hazardous combination.

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