The Matrix and Glamorized Violence

The Matrix is full of special effects and plenty of shooting and explosions, but the problem is the fact that all these effects are causing children and the watching viewers to become accustomed to different types of violence which causes people to imitate what they are watching in the film turning everyone into killers or aggressive human beings. And the problem is not so much the effects of this movie only, a lot of other media sources also take blame into this violence problem we sometimes run into. With war video games hot on the market and everyone is playing screaming at their televisions because they can’t kill each other, calling each other names, and responding in a very strong manner it makes a person ok with violence and killing which is something that we shouldn’t be enforcing. Most of us do tend to be mature enough to maintain reason and know that these things are just for fun and to kill time or hang out with friends, but there are many people that take these games way too seriously so then that is when it starts becoming a problem. In New Jersey, Three teens were arrested for allegedly plotting to kill three of their peers, and then embark on a random shooting spree. When the teens were caught in a Philadelphia suburb, after following a failed carjacking attempt, they were in possession of guns, swords, and 2,000 rounds of ammunition. The eldest of the group, 18-year-old Matthew Lovett, was said to be a troubled teen with an obsession on the science-fiction movie “The Matrix”. Classmates said that he often dressed up as a character from the movie and even referred to himself by the character's name. Given Lovett's interest in “The Matrix”, some began to wonder how much violent movies influence the young people that get involved in violent acts. So the question arose, can movies trigger violent acts? Experts have emphasized that violent movies combined with a troubled past have a significant effect on youths and their actions. If movies like “The Matrix can have this much of an impact on regular students what is to say the same will not happen to someone else’s son or my future son? We really aren’t aware of the possibilities and control the media can have over our minds. While teenagers are infamous for being moody and difficult, an adolescent who talks about killing is sending a warning sign. Now of course this is more a problem aimed at the children and adolescences that are still in a point of learning and growing as to where an adult is already mature enough to go see these movies and come out and enjoyed a fictional film and he knows it is nothing but fiction, not real life, as to where the child or teen is easily influenced and will believe anything they are told.
A typical American child sees more than 200,000 violent acts on the television before he turns 18 years old, including 16,000 murders. Many of the violent acts depicted in the media glamorize violence, depicting violent behavior as a means to solve problems. The violence rarely has any consequences associated with it, sending a clear signal to the children that it is an accepted behavior. As they turn 18 they start applying everything they have “learned”, beginning from math and science, to real life situations. The only thing they have been exposed to has been violence after more violence so the only solution in a real life situation is for the person to act violently and attack or “apply” what he has learned in the movies. Now though, not every child that is exposed to media violence will become aggressive. There are other several contributing risk factors associated with the development of aggression and violent behavior including child abuse, poverty, substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. Younger children, particularly those under the age of 8, are unable to distinguish between reality and the violence that they see in the media. Programs aimed at younger children frequently depict heroes that defeat the villains, often in violent and aggressive ways, become role models for the children who may look to imitate the violence in real life anytime they feel victimized or see others in trouble. Other Children exposed to violence in the media become fearful of everyone and everything, especially those between the ages of 8 and 12 years old. They worry that they may become the next victims of violence, whether at the hands of another person or through a natural disaster. The impact of the media is much greater and the fear is much stronger for this age group when the violence depicted is real, such as that seen on television news programs or a popular film. These have the same impact on children under the age of 8, as they are not mature enough to distinguish between reality and fiction so they are at the point in age where they will believe anything they see or hear. Concern on the part of the public and Congress about the harmful influence of media violence on children dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, and remains strong today. The legitimacy of that concern is proved by extensive scientific research that has accumulated over the past 40 years. Therefore, in reviewing the total evidence regarding the impact of media violence, the conclusion to the exposure to violent graphics and the media poses a risk of harmful effects on children has been reached by the U.S. Surgeon General, the National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a host of other scientific and public health agencies and organizations.
Songs incorporate violence as well like pop song lyrics and music videos seem to be depicting relationship violence as glamorous and exciting. They portray domestic/dating abuse as a game, something that keeps a relationship interesting and passionate. Rihanna claims that whips and chains “excite” her. Bruno Mars is ready to “catch a grenade” and “throw his hand on a blade” for someone who “beats me ‘til I’m numb”. And, Eminem threatens to tie his girlfriend to the bed & set the house on fire if she ever tries to leave again. What does it say about our society today, that pop songs glamorizing relationship abuse are hitting the top of the charts and becoming #1 hit singles? Are we still blind to the reality of this issue? Or, is domestic violence an issue that our society is simply willing to tolerate? As I listen to these songs, I can’t help but wonder what they are teaching us and our young people about what we deserve in our relationships with others. I wonder when this glamorization of violence will end and when our society will recognize the realities of domestic abuse. In conclusion, I believe that this type of media should be a little more careful at the audience they are trying to reach and have a little more moral value to recognize that the messages that they are portraying to the public is a bit more offensive that we think because not only do mature audiences listen but as well as the young ones that rebel and the young ones that are still learning, they are influenced very easily by the slightest of media forms. Most TV shows portray the protagonist at some point doing something cool with a gun or a knife or a car, and sometimes even a rocket launcher. This is just the act of doing something above the human norm; thinking better, acting faster, talking with a poetic ring. We all wish we were more powerful, and so this appeals to everyone in some way or format that we don’t even realize it and so soon enough it reaches the eyes and ears of the little ones, and inspires adolescents to do criminal things like rob a bank or join the military to shoot people. I know it's not a coincidence that while Hip-Hop was flourishing in the mid 80's and early 90's and Media and Entertainment companies were making investments in Hip-Hop Culture and other music genres, that the number of violence crimes rose over that period of time. I honestly believe until the citizens of this nation vow to put an end to the promotion and distribution of violent images and lyrics of Hip-Hop culture or violent rap music, or shooting each other for blood and gore and experience points, we will continue to witness these types of staggering statistics among the American society and perhaps all over the world.