Without a doubt, we learn more from and retain what we see and hear as they stay in our minds and form part of our subconscious. However, the apparent increase in violence cannot solely be attributed to what we see on TV and other media. There are so many factors contributing to the unwanted increase.
There is a particular street not too far from where I live that's notorious for being the central capital of trouble in my city. We always say that 85% of kids raised in that part are rotten from an early age. It'll take a lot of self-determination and luck for a kid to grow up in that place with a good head on his or her shoulders. This is a place where social vices are celebrated. Kids below the age of 10 have been taught the art of pilfering without getting caught.
As for the adults, it's from one problem to the other; going to prison is heralded as it gives them street credibility. Married ones beat themselves to stupor regularly. Their girls are taught how to "defend" themselves by breaking bottles and using pocket knives, every altercation is solved with a violent showdown. And for those already initiated into cult groups, they solve their problems with local guns and battle axes, '7'. Interestingly, this is the most impoverished part of the city. Some households here can't even afford TV. So, their violence isn't influenced by the media; it's influenced by their environment.
One thing I noticed about the hood is how poverty played a part in their decision-making processes. Since 98% of households in there are poor they automatically raise their kids in penury. Simply put, their kids take up violence and social vices due to hunger. And since violence is the number one enabler of social vices, they pick up the act here and there as they navigate through life at such a young age. When these kids grow, they barely get higher education or learn a craft. They result in violent and fearful ventures to get their daily needs.
However, the impact of violence in the movies we see cannot be underestimated. I could remember how that nearly ruined me at a younger age. Then, I watched a lot of American movies and didn't realize some of the things in those movies were sticking. In our culture, one of the gravest sins you can commit as a boy is to react violently when angry. Our parents made sure we never developed that silly attitude and you'd see parents spank a toddler for throwing things away in anger.
However, violent reactions were always on display in American movies. I never knew I had picked such a silly attitude until I got angry one day and nearly kicked down the door of my room. When I regained composure the reality of what just happened dawned on me. I felt ashamed for getting influenced and I clamped down on it. So, yes, the movies we watch definitely influence violence. And I don't even want to start discussing what watching WWE for years made me do.
So, how do we reduce media-induced violence?
By promoting responsible media representation and reduced exposure to violent media. I could remember there was a particular time when videos containing lewd graphics were censored. Even some websites and stores edit songs and videos where the 'f' word is used. Can't we do that for some violent-inducing videos? I know it will be hard to do that, considering the amount of money that goes into producing these violence-inciting movies. However, little drops make an ocean. The usage of the 'f' word has dropped in some places because of the measures taken. We should try that.
