Over the last few decades politicians have been using violence in the media as an explanation for the increases in youth violence. However, when comparing this country with many others that watch and produce violent materials, the United States is in a class of its own. .
The country of Japan is a leading producer and consumer of violent cartoons and video games. However their rates of violence are far lower than in the states. Canada, as well, watches virtually the same movies, many of the same television programs, and listens to much of the music an Americans, but they have a far lower murder rate. Politicians, parents, and concerned citizens, so busy to find a scapegoat, have missed the underlying cause of society's increasing violence, only compounding the situation. .
Horror movies and controversial music have been around for over fifty years, but the most notable increases in youth violence have just taken place within the last ten to fifteen years. I believe much of this is due to a change in the dynamics of the American home. Although families in other countries may have an equal or higher rate of divorce, in this country it seems that even two parent households take very little time out of their busy lifestyle for their children. The father of one of the boys involved in the Columbine shootings knew that his son was in a gang, but nevertheless let him come home to an empty house everyday, and did very little top curtail his dangerous behavior. .
This attitude of letting "kids be kids" is all to prevalent in American culture, and is, in my opinion, the root cause of increased teenage violence. Parents can let their children listen to Marilyn Manson, play Blood Bath 5 on their favorite video game console, and watch movies filled with senseless violence and gore, as long as they continue to stay involved in their children's lives. The only way children really learn wrong from right ids a constant stream of morals and values from their authority figures.
