Many people argue that violent scenes on TV and video games can have a negative impact on society, whereas others believe that it is a form of entertainment without any harm. This essay will elaborate on two perspectives and explain why I favour the former.
On the one hand, those who believe that watching and playing violence on screen is a harmless relaxation point out that it can be an effective way to alleviate an individual sense of anger. For instance, when someone feels annoyed towards another person, playing fighting games can allow them to release their pent-up feelings without lingering frustration and aggression. As a result, individuals can feel more relieved, promoting a more emotional balance.
On the other hand, there are various reasons why repeated exposure to violent content on television and computer games could take a heavy toll on the community. Firstly, it can have detrimental impact on a child’s cognitive development. In fact, children are more susceptible to imitating violent acts on screen because it is hard for them to distinguish between reality and fiction. For example, excessive exposure to games involving bullying can normalize such behaviors, increasing the possibility of resorting to violence in reality. Furthermore, frequent engagement in violence scenes can lead to a decline in compassion. By repeatedly witnessing and taking part in virtual violence, feelings for the pain and suffering of others might become less intense, causing individuals to develop a diminished sense of empathy.
In conclusion, while violence on TV and video games can enable individuals to relieve adverse emotions to some extent, I still believe that it can pose significant risks to the cognitive development of a child and reduce the level of compassion. Therefore, it is of great necessity to censor and limit the amount of violence on screen and computer games to ensure a more civilized community.