Mainstream news and entertainment tend to make human violence seem normal and natural

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The statement presents a claim about mainstream news and entertainment shaping perceptions of violence. 
Option 1: True. This view is supported by media effects theories such as cultivation theory, which argues that long-term exposure to media content can influence people's perceptions of reality, including normalizing violence. Repeated depictions of violence in sensationalized or glamorized ways can contribute to desensitization, making violence seem more commonplace or acceptable to some audiences. Additionally, entertainment media often dramatizes conflict to engage viewers, which can reinforce the notion that violence is a routine solution to problems.
Option 2: False. While it is accurate that some outlets condemn violence or place it in critical or cautionary contexts, this option ignores the broader patterns observed in many mainstream programs and news segments. It also underestimates how audiences may interpret repeated portrayals or reports of violence without explicit moral commentary, and it fails to acknowledge empirical findings that document cultivation and desensitization effects. In other words, saying violence is never made to seem normal by mainstream media overlooks substantial evidence of the opposite influence, even if exceptions exist.
Option 1’s claim is generally more defensible when considering aggregate media trends across genres and outlets, whereas Option 2 would require universal, uniform behavior across all mainstream content, which is not supported by widespread research on media portrayals of violence.
In summary, the reasoning supports the notion that mainstream news and entertainment often shape perceptions toward viewing violence as more normal or acceptable, though there are nuanced counterexamples and caveats that resist a blanket characterization. The contrast with option 2 highlights that not all content promotes normalization, but the overall tendency is toward normalization in many mainstream contexts.

ART 9A Lec A & B: Med... Readings, Lectures, and Survey - Week 4

Mainstream news and entertainment tend to make human violence seem normal and natural

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