BLAH BLAH CARTOON VIOLENCE IS BAD
03.09.09
Researchers at Iowa State have determined that cartoon violence makes children more aggressive. And it’s probably only a matter of time until liberal douchebag parents make this the next crusade (once they finish getting rid of scoring in sports and grades in school, because competing makes the weak children sad).
“There is ample evidence that animated, sanitised and fantasy violence has an effect on children,” the study’s authors were quoted as saying in the Daily Mail.
“Research on the effects of violent video games, which are all animated, indicates that they have the same effects on children’s aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviours that violent TV shows have demonstrated.
“In fact, even cartoonish children’s games increase aggression. Labelling certain types of media violence as ‘fantasy’ violence is misleading and may actually serve to increase children’s access to harmful violent content by reducing parental concern.”
What a load of BS. I watched Tom and Jerry and Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner beat the tar out of each other on loop for years, and it didn’t make me any more aggressive. I mean, sure, I joined the Marines and requested a combat arms specialty and thrived in a combat zone, but… ummm… Hm. Maybe I’m not the right example to use.
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The problem with all these types of studies is that they state something obvious (watching violence begets violence) but fail to point out how severe the consequences are (ie. not at all). Everything is either the worst thing imaginable or perfectly benign. Watching cartoon violence may lead to more aggression, but how much more? And what kind of negative long-term effects are we talking about? 95% of kids see cartoon violence as kids, how many of them turn out to be “violent” sociopaths as adults? The numbers are so absurdly huge (I made up 95% but honestly, how many kids really don’t watch any violence? It’s basically Rod and Todd Flanders and no one else) and yet violence statistics are not exactly skyrocketing. So yeah, kids smack each other around more on the playground, but it doesn’t seem to correlate to long-term real-life violence beyond that, at least not in a way that justifies the massive amounts of dollars for studies and media attention the issue gets.
I once saw a cartoon mouse pull out a cat’s lungs and played them like a bagpipe. In the next scene, the cat was breathing comfortably.
What’s wrong with that?
/puts down rubber mallet
you mean…this isn’t normal?
I know for a fact if you get hit on the top of your head, neither stars nor birds circle around your head. It hurts like hell and that should be the only lesson you need to learn about cartoon violence. Kids these days…
wait, matt ufford was in the marines?
@KENNY — mattufford AT a Google email address.
cartoons with violence aren’t the problem. Cartoons with violence that has no consequences are the problem.
If Wile E. Coyote cried like a bitch, was paralyzed from the waist down and had to shit in a bag for the rest of his life after falling off a cliff… we’d all be better off.
Also, that would be more fun to watch.
If cartoons taught me anything it’s that women should look like Jessica Rabbit. What? Oh sure it’s funny when it’s on SNL. Next up, jokes about “Rocky”.
Hey Ufford whats your damn email address for this website, you are missing the BOAT
I think the fact that violent television makes kids who grow up to be marines thriving in combat is a recommendation FOR violent television. There’s a reason little boys take to violent games like monkeys take to climbing trees.
I think it boils down to the fact that TVs are bad parents. And are doing a lot of parenting these days.
I am as liberal as they come. I think you should be able to buy crack for Walgreen’s if you want, but cartoon violence does make you more agressive. That doesnt mean it should be banned or anything, if anything agressive people are the successful people in this world. No one ever became a millionare by standing there like a pussy.
I have tons of nieces and nephews and the ones that are allowed to watch violent cartoons do nothing but smack the shit out of each other all day. They have no idea how to play anything besides “smack each other until someone bleeds and cries”. The ones that are not allowed to watch that much tv are scared to death of the ones that do watch alot of cartoons because they are to violent with them.
Well I am a good example. I watched the same stuff as you did and I’m a giant pussy. Hey, I’m just trying to prove a point here. Fuck you.
I remember when i was 4 and tried to shoot mom in the head with a shotgun just like Elmer had done to Daffy Duck and, well, um, i never had waffles for breakfast again.
I thought society had agreed to blame the blogosphere for everything that is wrong with our kids. Blaming tv is so…nineties.