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<h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: TV Makes an Easy Scapegoat
Moral values are shaped by an inherent understanding of right and wrong, as well as important influences such as parenting and peer pressure. It's easy to point the finger at TV shows when someone's morality shifts or fails, but they're not nearly as influential as more direct, personal factors in a person's life.
On the Other: Changing Cultural Values Are Reflected on TV
Television can have a desensitizing effect on viewers, making it easier to dehumanize or ridicule the people on TV. Our society often treats celebrity woes on gossip shows and the pains of reality TV contestants as harmless entertainment, unconcerned about the real people suffering at the heart of it.
Bottom Line
Morality is extremely complex, and while television does reflect a coarsening of societal values, individual shows should not be held accountable for the moral changes or failings of an individual.
Source:
Media Lit: What Parents Can Do About Media Violence
Psychological Science: The Influence of Media Violence on Youth
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