Debate: TV and films influence

[SunTzu123]

Do TV and films influence children more than parents?

I believe they don't because we still learn our morals and values from family and friends. We would look to people around us and what they do rather then a character on TV. Even at a young age i believe we can tell the difference between what is real and fiction.

[Tai-Lei]

I think this should be moved to the Entertainment section....Although i can see how it could be OTD. Mod's choice.

[Revoltion]

What morals? If anything, you learn morals from teachers based on what you get yelled at doing. You get them from the law. You only get them from what your parents yell at you that.

But honestly, if a TV character is good, there's no harm in taking moral values from it and making them your own. Normal people lie, cheat, steal, kill. Your parents could do one/some of those, I rather get my morals from someone like Superman.

Most parents are too busy to properly devote time to their kids, they give them a DS or a TV and relax and work. Friends and the TV are the main sources of morals nowadays, at least the long lasting ones.

[Rota]

It all depends on the parents. I know laissez faire parents whose kids would definitely be more influenced by TV and movies. I also know involved parents that are active parts of their children's lives. Those kids would be more influenced by their parents.

I would have to say that the default position is that parents are more influential. But, the parents can give up that position of influence if they don't put much effort into parenting.

[Wildor]

I think this should be moved to the Entertainment section....Although i can see how it could be OTD. Mod's choice.

It's fine right here. Hopefully a good debate will ensue.

[JESSE THE BODY]

i finely figured it out scobby doo shaped and molded me into the person i am today. special thank to shaggy Rodgers.

[Nesterus]

I think the internet influences more children now than anything else

[Tree_Tiger]

I think it depends on the child as well as the parents. Stereotypical teens, as portrayed on TV and in media in general, rebel against their parents. While this isn't exactly part of our morals or values, I think our behaviour and attitudes certainly affect them.

[Fallbreeze]

It's tough to answer in a way, but easier too. It does depend on how active a role a parent takes in a child's life, and in what ways. If it's more negative, then I can see a child using TV to supplement those. Still, there's another factor to remember. Peer pressure. I think friends would be more of an influence than either parents or direct media, given the right sets of circumstances. Just my two cents on that.

[Revoltion]

I'd divide the influences into 3 main branches:

Media(TV, Internet, etc)
Social life(Not strictly friends)
Authority figures(Government, police, parents, teachers, etc)

Of course these sections would have subsections and overlap with each other, but that's the general 3 that would probably shape a person.