Questions: What makes a good story? What makes a television or show entertaining? Why do we love a hero? Historically Speaking:
Between 2000 B.C. and 44 A.D., the ancient Egyptians entertained themselves with plays re-enacting the murder of their god Osiris -- and the spectacle, history tells us, led to a number of copycat killings. The ancient Romans were given to lethal spectator sports as well, and in 380 B.C. Saint Augustine lamented that his society was addicted to gladiator games and "drunk with the fascination of bloodshed."
Violence has always played a role in entertainment.
But there's a growing consensus that, in recent years, something about media violence has changed.
For one thing, there's more of it.
TV shows in 2001 averaged 40 acts of violence per hour.
In 2001, only a quarter of the most violent television shows, and two-fifths of the most violent movies, were rated R.
The majority were rated PG or PG-13.
(Source: Center for Media and Public Affairs, 2001)
Leverage Season 3 Finale
Consequences?
In reality, what consequences might this hero face?
Would this person be admired?
When is violence justified?
The Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA), which has studied violence in television, movies and music videos for a decade, reports that nearly half of all violence is committed by the "good guys." Less than 10 per cent of the TV shows, movies and music videos that were analyzed contextualized the violence or explored its human consequences. The violence was simply presented as justifiable, natural and inevitable -- the most obvious way to solve the problem.
FACT: 88 per cent of the children surveyed could identify the Arnold Schwarzenegger character from the film Terminator. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) reported that the Terminator (character) seems to represent the characteristics that children think are necessary to cope with difficult situations."
What makes a good story?
What makes a television or show entertaining?
Why do we love a hero?
Historically Speaking:
Between 2000 B.C. and 44 A.D., the ancient Egyptians entertained themselves with plays re-enacting the murder of their god Osiris -- and the spectacle, history tells us, led to a number of copycat killings. The ancient Romans were given to lethal spectator sports as well, and in 380 B.C. Saint Augustine lamented that his society was addicted to gladiator games and "drunk with the fascination of bloodshed."
Violence has always played a role in entertainment.
But there's a growing consensus that, in recent years, something about media violence has changed.
For one thing, there's more of it.
TV shows in 2001 averaged 40 acts of violence per hour.
In 2001, only a quarter of the most violent television shows, and two-fifths of the most violent movies, were rated R.
The majority were rated PG or PG-13.
(Source: Center for Media and Public Affairs, 2001)
Leverage Season 3 Finale
Consequences?
In reality, what consequences might this hero face?
Would this person be admired?
When is violence justified?
The Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA), which has studied violence in television, movies and music videos for a decade, reports that nearly half of all violence is committed by the "good guys." Less than 10 per cent of the TV shows, movies and music videos that were analyzed contextualized the violence or explored its human consequences. The violence was simply presented as justifiable, natural and inevitable -- the most obvious way to solve the problem.
FACT: 88 per cent of the children surveyed could identify the Arnold Schwarzenegger character from the film Terminator. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) reported that the Terminator (character) seems to represent the characteristics that children think are necessary to cope with difficult situations."
Top Grossing Films of 2010
Toy Story 3 Garbage Incinerator
Video Games
America's Weekly Chart
While some games have educational content, many of the most popular games emphasize negative themes and promote:
To Do: In small groups, generate a list of your top 10 list of their favorite video games.
As a whole group, pick one of the most popular games on the list and deconstruct it.
To be possibly added: song/lyrics--violence--deconstruct.
Response and Evaluation: Though we like to be entertained, what do we need to remember when we engage with more violent media?