Mike's Musings: BLAME HOLLYWOOD!

After the Aurora shootings, I was hoping that instead of blaming guns or politics people would focus on the real issue: mental illness.  Sadly, it took another shooting, the Newtown shootings, for people to get the picture.  Still, there's a lot of talk about gun control and while banning certain dangerous weapons and making it more difficult for the mentally unbalanced to get firearms can't hurt, that's not the issue.  That being said, I suppose it was inevitable that loudmouths would blame violence in Hollywood.

The theory that violence in the media causes people to become violent is not new.  It's been around pretty much forever.  Even Plato expressed his concerns over it affecting the children.  Still, whenever a violent incident happens, someone is bound to blame the movies.  And given my frequent criticisms of the MPAA due to their lax views on violence, one might assume that I subscribe to this view.

Actually, I don't.

Personally, I think it's bullshit.  There are a lot of kids who watch action movies and play violent video games that wouldn't hurt a fly.  The research backs this up as well.  While there are some who claim that there is a connection, the evidence is weak and the research is seriously open to question.

What really makes me mad is that after shootings like the one at Newtown there are talking heads spouting this crap to people who for the most part don't know any better.  Then we get into this pointless discussion instead of tackling what really matters and what can really change things.  Even if Adam Lanza was just an evil sociopath who killed 27 people including 20 kids, it doesn't change the fact that the mental health system in this country is abysmal.  Some states don't even have one.  People who need help aren't getting it, and until we find a way to stop squabbling over politics and actually do something, we will keep having more events like this.

So why do I give a shit about the MPAA's hypocrisy?  Because seeing a guy get ripped in half ("Clash of the Titans" remake) is incredibly disturbing for a little kid.  I got panic attacks after seeing a man's arm blown off when I saw "The Jackal" in theaters.  Granted that was rated R, but so was "True Lies," which should have gotten a PG-13 rating.  The inconsistency causes so much confusion that many people have given up, and even more simply don't care.  What is the point of having a ratings system if all you're doing is screwing everyone over?

On a final note, I find the gossip magazines' attention to the tragedy vile and reprehensible.  While some bottom feeders may want to "know" the kids, pestering grieving parents about it is awful.

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 11, 2013 at 5:09 PM

    Actually, there isn't really a link between mental illness and violence. Saying there is only perpetuates stigmas surrounding those who are mentally ill.

    http://depts.washington.edu/mhreport/facts_violence.php

    ReplyDelete

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