Tube that intoxicates.....corrupts...and contributes to erosion of childhood. The intoxication of this tube or television starts from the sexy images of these little girls. Before, little girls are compared to sweeteners and herbs from the kitchen pantry. Nowadays, girls and ladies are associated to sexiness. Sexiness can be seen from the marketing of the dolls and other forms of advertisements. Sexualised images of children are also evident. Is this not degrading the value and dignity of our young children? Children are supposedly to be associated with innocence. Innocence that should not be corrupted. However, today’s films and television, evidently show that they have corrupted our children’s minds (Brooks, 2008, p. 1)
Brooks (2008, p. 2) continues that the word “sugar and spice stereotype” has carried so much baggage – implying something inoffensive and benign, depending on which toy or character they’re aligned with, they bear connotations of forbidden desires, sexiness and paedophilia, or stereotyped notions of passivity and feminity. To whom shall we put the blame on? The television/film or the parents. Since children are still vulnerable and innocent, and very eager to watch film and television, parents should perform their major responsibility in educating and controlling their children in term of watching films and television programs if they don’t want their childrens’ minds intoxicated and corrupted.
Brooks (2008, p. 3) argues that popular culture such as TV shows, music, films, books, internet sites, fashions, toys and advertisements is having a toxic effect on our kids that it’s pilfering their childhoods. The purity of children’s minds have been intoxicated either through sexually-motivated scenes/images and other violent actions. Accept it or not, reality bites but children apply stereotyping after they have watched those scenes/images from the films and television programs. The long number of hours they spent in front of the television has been very influential in major changes of the children’s way of thinking, behaviour, values, attitudes. Considerably, we can blame the corporate conspiracy that has lured our children inside and make them sexy, savvy before their time, and ultimately tortured and dysfunctional. This is because if only there are no companies advertising all these things on sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, people and children will not be tempted to watch films and television programs.The intoxication done by the films and television is pervasive and is long-term..It starts from the first day the a child watched a film/TV program and the effect is lifetime. Perhaps we haven’t noticed it, but its really happening.
Instead of putting all the blame to the corporate conspiracy, how about the parents. Parents are supposed to be the model to their children. Support and guide their children in any way. Educate the children. Nurture this young generation, for they are the hope of the nation. But what happen, most of the times, children are left to the nannies and babysitters. These babysitters in some cases, are the television. It’s quiet striking to know that many parents used the TV as a babysitter ( Dorey et al., 2010, p. 415). TV viewing was described as being particularly useful for keeping the children occupied when parents needed to get household chores, such as cooking and cleaning, done.
Since corporations and parents are part of the society where the children live, a unified effort amongst all members of the society is very fundamental. It’s now or never. Why wait for another day if we can make a difference in the present time. If we value the young generation / the children, we should not allow that films and television programs will continue to intoxicate their minds, corrupt their innocence, and the worst to happen is the erosion of their childhood (Brooks, 2008, p. 4)
Parents don’t want erosion of childhood, but unknowingly, they contributed to such circumstance. Parents attempt to halt their children’s growing up process to maturation. Parents become nervous whenever their kids want to adjust their appearance (Brooks, 2008, p. 4). They fear that whatever happens to their children, whatever changes have occurred to their children’s appearance and attitudes is a boomerang to them as parents. Parents need to be broad-minded and should realize to have a reality check that growing up process is unstoppable. What parents can do is to slower its pace rather than putting into halt. No lamentation over the maturing of our kids (Brooks, 2008,p. 5). Parents should avoid comparing their generation from what this young generation is enjoying today for this is a big difference in both worlds.
Differences of two generations are distinct. Parents generation can be considered as “ digital immigrants” while the young generation is “digital natives” (Prensky, 2001). An example of this is the children are born into a world that has TV and all other digital gadgets like CDs, DVDs, computers, mobile phones, the internet, and the world wide web, and cyberspace. The old generation is not privileged to enjoy the luxury of digital technology. Unlike with young generation, in a split of a second, information or data needed can be easily accessed because of the digital gadgets. This makes the older generation lagging behind and more than a little worried (Brooks, 2008, p. 6). These modern technology and advanced digital gadgets and instruments transformed our children into cybertots and computeens. The young generation lives in a mediated world where media and entertainment play a role in the house. Parents misconceptions about the use of film and television add up to the fears that they are being emotionally and psychologically damaged and missing out on childhood. Parents should not take film and television and other forms of popular culture for granted. Exposure of children to myriad of popular culture through the guidance of the parents can be very beneficial. It is because children learn from their experiences with using digital technology. They learn faster for children are like sponges that they absorb every bit of information.
REFERENCES:
Brooks, K. (2008). Introduction: The toxic truth about our tot, tweens and teens. [Electronic format] In K. Brooks, Consuming Innocence: Popular Culture and Our Children (1-10). St. Lucia, Qld Australia: UQP. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from Queensland Universtiy of Technology Course Materials Database.
Dorey,E., Roberts, V., Maddison, R., Meagher-Lundberg, P.,Dixon, R. & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2009). Child: Care, Health and Development, 36 (3), 414-420. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from ProQuest Database.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved October 15, 2010, fromhttp://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
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