I don't disagree with the idea that what kids watch on television affects their behavior. I have examples from my own childhood. I remember watching TV shows with government agents carrying guns, such as 24. Afterwards, I would get riled up and excited, and I would use objects to create fake guns.
Some may argue that the effects of watching certain TV content are not good. I'm not too sure about that. I may have gotten riled up, but I do not think I would have caused harm to anybody. And even if I did as a child, it would have been better to learn back then the consequences, when I couldn't have done much harm, than now when I am capable of doing much worse.
Constantly watching content with immoral themes is not a good thing. That is why kids programs are controlled so that appropriate content is showed.
However, when people start to pick out small details that they claim are promoting immoral themes, they are going too far. You can symbol spot things by labeling them as Jesus/gospel, but you can also symbol spot and ridiculously label things as evil. For example, Reverend Jerry Falwell picked out Tinky Winky's purse and his "gay purple color" and labeled him as homosexual (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/276677.stm). He said that it was bad for children to watch that kind of show.
With Harry Potter, people can see that they use the words "spells" and "curses" and label it as teaching readers to seek devil worshipping and black magic. On the other side, people can label Dumbledore as a God-figure and the Order as his disciples, teaching people to love each other. Harry could be a God-follower who needs to be born again to triumph over evil. Neither symbol-spotting conclusion is right or true. All I know is that they are good books that have good themes.
I don't really have a solid conclusion as to what children should be able to watch/read, but it definitely is an interesting discussion.
Some may argue that the effects of watching certain TV content are not good. I'm not too sure about that. I may have gotten riled up, but I do not think I would have caused harm to anybody. And even if I did as a child, it would have been better to learn back then the consequences, when I couldn't have done much harm, than now when I am capable of doing much worse.
Constantly watching content with immoral themes is not a good thing. That is why kids programs are controlled so that appropriate content is showed.
However, when people start to pick out small details that they claim are promoting immoral themes, they are going too far. You can symbol spot things by labeling them as Jesus/gospel, but you can also symbol spot and ridiculously label things as evil. For example, Reverend Jerry Falwell picked out Tinky Winky's purse and his "gay purple color" and labeled him as homosexual (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/276677.stm). He said that it was bad for children to watch that kind of show.
With Harry Potter, people can see that they use the words "spells" and "curses" and label it as teaching readers to seek devil worshipping and black magic. On the other side, people can label Dumbledore as a God-figure and the Order as his disciples, teaching people to love each other. Harry could be a God-follower who needs to be born again to triumph over evil. Neither symbol-spotting conclusion is right or true. All I know is that they are good books that have good themes.
I don't really have a solid conclusion as to what children should be able to watch/read, but it definitely is an interesting discussion.
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