Written Assignment 9

Ryan Chesgreen
11/24/14
Written Assignment 9: Writing a Thesis/Support Paper

If we have the freedom of speech, then we should also have the freedom to watch what we want on TV. Should sex and violence on television be restricted? As an adult you are able to make your own decisions on what you watch and you are in charge of how you let what you watch affect you. If it makes you act in a negative way, you are the one controlling those actions, not the networks that put shows like CSI, COPS, or Sex and the City on TV.

Television has been around since the late 1800's in some form. The human race has been around much longer than this and violence has been a part of human society ever since then. We have known many different kinds of violence from punching a kid on the playground to flying a plane into a building and killing thousands. To limit the violence that exists in our lives would be very difficult. We see violence everywhere we go, showing it on television isn't the only outlet for violence. Some point in life a kid will face the topic of sex. It may be discussed in school, at home, or with friends, kids will experience it. In todays world its hard for kids to go without seeing images of violence or talking about sex because its everywhere. The knowledge kids learn about topics like sex can come from TV and can help them in life. Some shows involve discussing sex in order to teach about safe sex, the results from unsafe sex, and some basic knowledge on how to make good choices for you and your body. Removing shows on television about sex can risk kids growing up not knowing about it. Eventually these kids will become adults and they won’t have someone to guide them in the “real” world. They will need to make decisions that will affect them forever, and learning to make the right decisions when they're young will help them throughout life. If there is such a problem with seeing sex and violence on TV, then what about seeing it in magazines, books, ads, music, movies, or the internet? Today, there are so many ways for the media to advertise. There are many ways to catch people's attention and by appealing to their senses, they are able to capture the attention of a specific audience. Violence is very appealing to teens and by using violence in ads or commercials, audiences are influenced by it. Whether these ads or commercials are on TV or on the Internet, viewers see violence. So for those who have a problem with these subjects on TV, this scenario makes it clear that it occurs everywhere else as well, and trying to rid all of these is simply impossible.

Over the past few years, there have been new ways to "block" certain shows at certain times of the day. Cable providers offer parental controls to prevent certain TV shows from showing. Another way is the V-chip, a small chip that is installed on a TV to prevent subjects like sex and violence from appearing. But it is someone's personal choice to watch they want on TV. If it offends you, why continue to watch it? I understand children shouldn't be watching these shows because it does not give them a good source of judgment, but what if you are a single adult living by yourself without kids, you should get a choice whether a show with violence or sex plays in your home. It should not be up to the government what plays on the television in your household, it should be the decision of the homeowner. If the homeowner is a parent with young children, it’s their responsibility to keep their children from watching shows that portray adult-like images or subjects. For the most part, shows that include sex or violence are broadcast at night when children should be in bed and not watching TV. If kids are staying up to watch these shows because they think it's "cool" or catches their attention, it is not the networks that are airing those shows fault. The parents are responsible for making sure their kids are in bed and not watching shows that are not for their age group. While there are many things that can be negative about sex and violence on TV, one of the largest beliefs is that what you see on TV affects your behavior in real life. I believe you act is a direct reflection of the choices you make. If you make poor choices, that's only your own fault, and you are to blame.

Today's television is very different from what people knew fifty years ago. The shows are about different topics, use a different style of language, show a different style of clothing, and are shown to a wide range of ages. The growing numbers of shows with violence and sex show the change in society. Change is inevitable and having shows with sex and violence is a change that society should accept. If these shows are shown at certain times, parents are responsible for what their children watch, and people make good choices after viewing, then sex and violence should be allowed on TV. People make their own decisions when it comes to TV, what's yours?