Does violence in movies contribute to violence in society?

Yes

Does violence in movies contribute to violence in society? No violence in society contributes to violence in movies. The most basic of show business axioms: Give the people what they want.

Not in any significant way, no. A certain minority of people are pre-disposed to violence and any factor can be a trigger for them. Blaming movies is an argument used by the weak minded and ignorant.

Abusive parents are contributors too as abused kids sometimes become the abusers when they grow up. Actual violence breeds violence but I'm not sure that virtual gratuitous violence (i.e. what we watch on TV) does..... I dunno. I guess this is a question for the sociologists.

Some violent movies may glorify violence in certain contexts but......

The bottom line is: Humans contribute to violence. Period.

That's unrelated to the first statement.

Its sort of like you did not read my whole post.

As a kid growing up, I used to watch a lot of wrestling and kanfu movies including all Bruce Lee's and a lot of old school Chinese movies. I used to get in a lot of trouble as a kid especially as a new immigrant to Canada. I was able to defend myself (and I really had no clue how) but subconsciously I was learning great moves from those movies. I once even faked passing out/dying when one older kid put me in a choke in the bathrooms. He was so freaked out and ran out of there. The negative story, as a teenager, my friend and I watched a movie on break ins and we decided to do that. Not for money. But for the excitement. We learnt from the movie how to stalk the house, to look for mail that hasn't been picked up. To wear gloves, to be in and out in less than 6 min. So maybe the question should read, Does violence in movies/cartoons influence kids/teens?

Exploding bombs and car chase scenes have become necessary components to keep movie goers from falling asleep.

Its undeniable that first world countries have less violence in society these days.

True.

To blame media for what little is left is silly at best.

That's unrelated to the first statement. It's a matter of studies whether or not what is left is enhanced by the media. Surely copycat action is media-enhanced. Otherwise it would not be copycat*.

*Copycat can be real-life imitation (bank robber copies previous day's bank robbers MO) or it can be life imitating art (bank robber copied method used in movie or TV.)

If media had no impact, then advertising would cease to exist. It exists, profitably, therefore we know media exert some power on people. You might claim, "oh, but that's different" One is selling something obviously and the other is outright fictional portrayal of violence. I think it would be dishonest to claim we knew that such division is quite black and white in the minds of psychopaths.

Its a trick question. Of course media contributes to violence.

But that contribution is entirely erased by the greater amounts that it satiates the desire to commit real world violence.

Its undeniable that first world countries have less violence in society these days. To blame media for what little is left is silly at best.

There seems to be a dissonance.

If TV had no impact on people, we would not care about stereotypes on TV. People wouldn't complain that all the good people roles are (ethnicity) and all baddies in [hollywood|bollywood|hongkong] movies are (ethnicity), for example.

Whenever the subject comes up, it's claimed that TV and Movies provide role models. If TV and Movies had zero impact we would not care about who portrayed what.

One or the other is wrong. They can't both be true.

Blame religion, not the media!

Many people here need to understand the word 'contribute'. The question isn't 'Does violence in movies cause violence in society', it's 'Does it contribute to it'.

In my opinion, people can be violent by nature regardless of the presence of or exposure to violent media, but can violent films and media (even news reports) fuel the imaginations and desires of already crazy people? Yes, I think it can.

It is not whether violence is shown in the media or not- it is about HOW it is shown. While in the past violence is shown as something existing, but hardly appraised (except in witch hunt related documents), modern media, esp. movies show violence as the ultimate answer to all our problems and as something cool.

Example - all Karate Kid movies and likes. Kid gets bullied, learns karate and retaliates/earns respect. Ultimate answer to bullying is violence. And while karate takes time and effort to master, gun doesn't.

Most industrialized countries that is.

Considering that the rates of violent crime is down in most countries despite an increase in graphic violence in all forms of media, I'd say that the relationship fairly inconsequential.

Why is it that Japanese movies include a lot of killing, violence, and dismembering on a large scale, and yet that country is actually quite peaceful, some say even meek?

Sadly, violence has been with us since the dawn of time. The Romans held games where men killed each other; people paid money to watch families being eaten by lions and tigers. Violent people are the cause of violence. That may seem simplistic, but it's true. The only ones responsible for violence are those who perpretrate it.

I'd say it does contribute but its not the cause of violence in society. It only contributes when people blur the line between fantasy and reality and try to do what they see or hear in fiction.

Why is it that American movies almost exclusively including killing and violence on a large scale and that country is the leading cause of aggression on the planet today.

Of course it does not! Violence existed long before movies!

So TV and movies were around during the crusades, during the English civil war, during the American civil war, during the Indian wars, during the French revolution, during WW1? No it wasnt and the world was a violent place back then. It is to easy to blame TV, movies and games for peoples behavior when in fact people where violent long before these media came along. Did Jack the ripper kill people because he was addicted to GTA? Nope. What about H Holmes in the US he killed 27 confirmed but 200 suspected people, was he desensitized by a violent movie? No because he was active int he 1800's.

To say violence is a modern problem caused by violent media is rubbish. Yes people can be desensitized to violence, yes it makes us a bit blase about it. But does playing MOH or watching Wolf Creek make me a serial killer or phsyco? nope because l know the difference between right and wrong.

Much of the problem today is younger peoples lack or discipline, morals, and attitude. And who is to blame for that, the media, the Playstation? No the parents who dont bring their kids up with these values, the system which has removed parents ability to discipline kids and the do gooders who think you need to wrap kids in cotton wool and not teach them right from wrong.

To blame movies or games is a cop out by people who cant face facts 1. the world has always been a dangerous, violent place. 2. media just allows us to understand it and see it for what it is. 3. kids just dont have the discipline and accountability they once had.

The more you are exposed to something, the more you will become desensitized to it. Therefore it will contribute to more violence since the moral outrage will be deminished.

Contribute is the key word. 100% it does!!

I guess it could contribute to the imagination of the already twisted out there.

Not really sure about that. Me and my friends grew up watching these movies and playing violence games (online first person shooting games, Mortal Kombat, etc.) and we turned out right.

I think society does quite well promoting violence without the help of media. Economic violence, social violence, bullying, racism, hatred, fear, actual violence and more. Modern society is very adept at violence that is just as evil as physical violence. And that kind of violence is far more pervasive and far more damaging day to day for people living in the modern world.

No, violence has been around for centuries in extremely barbaric forms way before movies were invented.