The influence that the media has on people’s lives is more present than many appear to notice.
By: Shaylin Bogart
Since the spread of widely used television in the 1950’s kids have enjoyed entertainment from TV shows and movies on the screen of the television, but we must take into account whether or not the influence TV has is positive or negative.
Movies and TV shows are often a core part of childhood, making them nostalgic to the majority of those who watched them.
Mikeal Avila, ’27, said, “I know one that I used to watch almost every morning when I was in elementary school was Adventure Time.”
Max Maryano, ’28, said that he used to watch the Wild Kratts a lot when he was a kid, and it made him ask more questions and become more curious about adventuring the world around him.
For some people, the ideas from Movies and TV shows don’t stick as much or the memory is far back enough to be forgotten about.
But generally speaking when people watch something often enough as children, the ideals or the morals within the show or movie more or less tend to stick with us.
Because the brain of a child is like a sponge, which is why it is so important that kids are shown the right representation to not create the wrong ideas in young impressionable minds.
According to The DePaula, “when these representations aren’t accurate and these perceptions start to form, they can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to the marginalization of certain communities. Film, television and media influence how we see different identities, often challenging or reinforcing existing stereotypes.”
The influence of television entertainment can send the wrong message to kids if not done in a tasteful and sensical fashion.
Such as perpetuating hateful and possibly bigoted notions onto the developing and ever changing mind of a child.
Avila said, “So, for example, I would say like Forrest Gump, which is a good movie, in my opinion, and it features in the most basic sense, a [intellectually disabled]. He had issues growing up and it kind of taught us to realize that there are good things in people, but if that same character was put in one that mocks him, that would be like, horrible for kids growing up.”
The tone of a movie can be changed entirely by the attitude of those who created the movie, the same character can be used to send entirely different messages about how to respond to others in our lives.
Mr. Eric Fuller, a Civics and Economics teacher at Redwood, said, “I showed Jurassic Park, you know, [and] people get eaten, and now my daughter’s in college for Paleontology.”
Children’s shows are more influential and important due to this fact, and possibly even influence the career paths they might go down in the future.
Avila said that he learned the importance of morality from Adventure Time, and despite someone’s flaws and faults, and however many times they do a terrible thing, there is still a redemption to at least some degree.
Shaylin Bogart
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