Effects of Entertainment on Modern-Day Society

Essay by monkeybuttbenCollege, UndergraduateA, October 2009

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The release of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," a video game that draws heavily upon gang culture and violence, was a best-selling title in 2004. When playing this game, one can hear phrases such as, “Move, bitch” and, “Ima bust a cap in yo punk ass”. The game not only celebrates the gang lifestyle at a time when gang membership is rising nationwide, but makes a mockery of a tragedy that’s all too real. This modern day “entertainment”, as one might call it, shown by video games, music, television, books, and blockbuster films, has the uncanny ability to destroy our society. It can invade and infect the minds of impressionable youth, encouraging drug-use, violence, and premarital sex. It can steal from perfectly good, law abiding citizens many hours of each day that would otherwise have been put to better use. Of course like many aspects in life, there is a good side to all this evil, which in this case comes in the form of educational programs and documentaries, where information is learned and people are educated.

When looked upon from a broad point of view, today’s entertainment is a plague upon society.

In November of 2008, an eight year old boy killed two men in his home; his father and the father’s friend. When investigating the case, the motive was a large aspect in the boy’s trial. According to those psychologists that had studied the case, violence found in fictional video games and movies most likely had a big part in this boy’s actions. But what are we doing to stop these potential killers we call “entertainment”? We are glorifying them and selling more to kids than ever before. With games such as “Grand Theft Auto”, children’s minds everywhere are becoming more and more acclimated to violence.