This week we talked about media violence in class.
Someone made a comment that got me thinking and bothered me just a little.
They talked about how after their family watched a PG-13 movie that they started fighting, almost blaming the movie for the fight. Now the movie may have been a factor but I promise that it didn't start that fight on its own. I think sometimes we jump to conclusions too quickly.
That's like saying that anyone who watches PG-13 movies is going to get into fights and the righteous that don't won't, which we know isn't true.
We also learned in class that some people are more susceptible to the effects of media than others. I personally watch PG-13 movies. However, I'm still picky about the movies that I watch. I don't just watch anything. I like to look up movie content and see what it's about and how it's been rated and why. Not all PG-13 movies even contain violence.
We are told to be thoughtful about the media we consume but I also don't think it's realistic to say we should only watch Disney movies. I try to follow how a movie makes me feel to know whether I should continue watching it or not. I have had the Spirit tell me to stop watching certain movies or shows and I listen.
Don't get me wrong. I actually appreciated this comment because it showed me someone else's point of view. But I just personally didn't agree with it, which is okay.
Basically, I think it's very personal. We shouldn't judge other people based on their decisions. If people want to watch a PG-13 movie, cool. If they don't, also cool. We need to make our own decisions and not impose those on others. The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet has removed the phrase saying not to watch rated-R movies. It now just says "Choose wisely when using media, because whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you" and I think that is wise counsel to follow.
Someone made a comment that got me thinking and bothered me just a little.
They talked about how after their family watched a PG-13 movie that they started fighting, almost blaming the movie for the fight. Now the movie may have been a factor but I promise that it didn't start that fight on its own. I think sometimes we jump to conclusions too quickly.
That's like saying that anyone who watches PG-13 movies is going to get into fights and the righteous that don't won't, which we know isn't true.
We also learned in class that some people are more susceptible to the effects of media than others. I personally watch PG-13 movies. However, I'm still picky about the movies that I watch. I don't just watch anything. I like to look up movie content and see what it's about and how it's been rated and why. Not all PG-13 movies even contain violence.
We are told to be thoughtful about the media we consume but I also don't think it's realistic to say we should only watch Disney movies. I try to follow how a movie makes me feel to know whether I should continue watching it or not. I have had the Spirit tell me to stop watching certain movies or shows and I listen.
Don't get me wrong. I actually appreciated this comment because it showed me someone else's point of view. But I just personally didn't agree with it, which is okay.
Basically, I think it's very personal. We shouldn't judge other people based on their decisions. If people want to watch a PG-13 movie, cool. If they don't, also cool. We need to make our own decisions and not impose those on others. The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet has removed the phrase saying not to watch rated-R movies. It now just says "Choose wisely when using media, because whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you" and I think that is wise counsel to follow.
I agree Sydney, it's the same as the whole "Do violent video games cause aggressive behavior?" argument. Some people are aggressive to begin with so it is hard to say if a certain type of media "caused" them to behave a certain way. Thanks for sharing!
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