Are a real-enough phenomenon, at least for some of us, so the
cavilling controversies of the "experts" can now cease and desist.
I unwittingly experimented on myself last night, foregoing a
night's sleep while watching twelve hours of a Korean Drama
serial online. The plot was fascinating, tragic, twists and turns
galore, completely reeling me in....
Intensity is just the least of it; I feel like something actually
happened to me between the videos and the sleep deprivation.
But why post this? Because I think I have a tiny window into
the experiences of many thousands of youngsters (some oldsters,
too) who watch videos for hours on end, maybe while sleep-
deprived. I'm guessing this kind of experience can lead to
"programming" of a subtle but important nature, probably
deleterious to normal behavior, being in control of feelings
and reactions.
No, I haven't exhaustively exhumed all the psychosocial
books and white papers on the subject. But I am now
firmly convinced that troubled people, young or old, who
repeatedly indulge in behavior leading to altered mental
states, stimulated by violent videos, are potential death-dealing
disasters waiting in the wings. Add in the availability of
drugs, guns, and "substances", heat and stir, voila', headlines
which shock and appall.
But why be shocked? We should all take better care of
ourselves; any brain is a terrible thing to waste. Not to
mention those various untoward effects.
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There's a lot of evidence associating the environment as a strong influence on human behavior. So it seems reasonable to assume that frequent exposure to video violence could be a factor.
ReplyDeleteLike you say, adding in the ready availability of poisonous ingredients will produce a toxic stew. Without easy access to deadly weapons, more innocent kids might get biffed as opposed to having their lights permanently doused. But at least they'd be more likely to survive.