Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America Essay -- Argumenta

Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America Everyone’s seen the classic cartoons. Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner around a bend, only the Roadrunner turns, but our comedic--and usually stupid--villain doesn’t. So, he falls from a height of what looks like about 500,000 feet, only to become a small puff of smoke at the bottom of the canyon. After all, if what happens to you when you fall from that height were to have happened to Mr. Coyote, that would have been a very short lived cartoon series. Maybe this example is an exaggeration, but the idea is the same: violence comes streaming into our homes every single day through our TVs not to be viewed, but to be devoured. It’s been proven that sex and violence sell. For those of us who can tell the difference between reality and fantasy, the effect of TV violence is miniscule. But for our children--who think when the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers come to the local shopping mall, that it’s the biggest event since Bert told Ernie he snores too loud--the violence seen on TV seems like a logical reaction to life’s problems. And that’s a problem within itself. The impact of televised violence on children is only a slice of the pie that is the problem with the endless stream of violent acts on TV. The controversy over whether or not violence portrayed on television actually affects children or not has been playing itself out for nearly three decades. When some of the first results came out in the 60s and 70s that made the first connections between aggressive behavior and viewing televised violence, the TV and movie industries denied that there was a connection. When studies found the same thing in the 80s, the FCC opposed any regulation (Hepburn). A writer for Direct Ma... .... Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1999. Hepburn, Mary A. "TV Violence! A Medium’s Effects Under Scrutiny." Social Education. Sept 1997: pp244-249. SIRS Researcher. Available <http://researcher.sirs.com/> Leo, John. "The Amount of Violence on Television Has Been Exaggerated." Media Violence: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1999. Levy, Steven. "Loitering on the Dark Side." Newsweek. 3 May 1999: p39 McLeod, Michael. Does TV Kill?. Production of Oregon Public Broadcasting for "Frontline". Videorecording. PBS Video, 1997. Posch, Robert. "What You do Emerges From Who You Are". Direct Marketing. July 1993: p43. EBSCO Host. Available <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html> Schroeder, Ken. "TV Teaches Violence". Education Digest. Sept 1998: p74. EBSCO Host. Available <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>

Debate Topic: Cosmetic Surgeries Should Be Banned (for)

Debate Topic: Cosmetic Surgeries Should Be Banned (For) 1. Cosmetic surgery can be psychologically damaging The compulsion to change one's body is often a symptom of a mental instability. It should be treated as a problem, not by surgery. Research indicating that breast augmentation patients are four times more likely to commit suicide compared to other plastic surgery patients raises questions about the mental health of women who choose implants. There are also studies that show negative psychological effects on patients after their surgery has been completed.For example, a recent analysis 37 studies on patients' psychological and psychosocial functions before and after cosmetic surgery . They found several predictors of poor outcomes, especially for those who hold unrealistic expectations or have a history of depression and anxiety. The researchers found that patients who are dissatisfied with surgery may request repeat procedures or experience depression and adjustment problems, s ocial isolation, family problems, self-destructive behaviors and anger towards the surgeon and his or her staff. 2.The dangers involved in elective surgery are not worth the risk The risks can’t be justified. These risks apply both to the surgery itself, and to the long term. For example, leaking silicone breast implants have been a widespread problem and can lead to death. Silicone gel can leak from the implant into healthy breast tissue and go other parts of your body, such as the lungs and lymph nodes, where it could be impossible to remove. Studies published in 2001 by scientists at the National Cancer Institute raised questions about the long-term safety of breast implants.One study found that women who had breast implants for at least eight years were twice as likely to die from brain cancer, three times as likely to die from lung cancer or other respiratory diseases, and four times as likely to commit suicide, compared to other plastic surgery patients. A second study found that women with breast implants for at least eight years were 21% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer compared to other women their age.There is also the risk that the person having the surgery will be dissatisfied with the results, and they may repeat the procedures, causing bigger health problems. 3. Cosmetic surgery is unfair, for only those who can afford it have access to it Only those that can pay for it get it. The most popular surgeries include breast augmentation, liposuction, nasal surgery, eyelid surgery and abdominoplasty. The surgeries cost from ? 2,000 to ? 6,000, which is about $25,000 to $75,000. So if it has the advantages the opposition claims, the rich will look good, and the poor will not. . An outright ban would be easier than the partial bans that have been enacted in some places The state of Queensland in Australia has a ban on teenagers having plastic surgery.This prevents anyone under 18 having cosmetic surgery unless it is to correct deformities o r disfiguring injuries. Cosmetic surgery is already to some extent regulated. As such it would not be difficult to expand these regulating bodies to be making sure that cosmetic surgery is only performed when as in Queensland it is to correct deformities and disfiguring injuries. . The availability of cosmetic surgery increases pressures on women that they must look beautiful. Researchers report that women’s magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and articles promoting weight loss than men’s magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of women’s magazines include at least one message about how to change a woman’s bodily appearance—by diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery. These views about appearance are damaging because it leads to seriously unhealthy lifestyles that women think they need to look beautiful.For example, in 2003, Teen magazine reported that 35 per cent of girls 6 to 12 years old have been on at least one diet, and that 50 to 70 per cent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight. Cosmetic surgery sends the message that the prejudices some have about appearance are valid. Conclusion: In conclusion, I think that cosmetic surgeries should be banned, but it could be used to correct deformities and disfiguring injuries.

The Element Of Moral Philosophy By James Rachels - 1161 Words

In the book, â€Å"The Element of Moral Philosophy†, James Rachels explores the several criticisms of Utilitarianism. In this essay, I will touch on these criticisms, outlining the major implications they propose to Utilitarianism. I will also explain why many of the notions proposed against Utilitarianism are self-serving, and instead serve to improve the general good of a minority population, which contradicts the Utilitarian theory of equating moral aptitude to the general good of a majority population, and that in this respect a greater consequence is achieved. Lastly, I will demonstrate how many societal values have a Utilitarian basis, which proves that Utilitarianism can be salvaged in the face of most criticisms. In substance, the nature of Utilitarianism is derived of consequence. Utilitarianism proposes that the outcome of an act should suggest whether or not said act is morally correct. Many philosophers disagree, and believe that the consequence of an act does little to implicate morality. For example, there are numerous crimes committed daily. Some of these crimes remain undiscovered and therefore result in zero negative consequence. The text specifically outlines a particular situation wherein a peeping Tom spies on a woman without her ever finding out. If the woman never finds out, then she has no reason to be upset, and in contrast the peeping Tom will be evidently pleased. This results in a positive outcome, or positive consequence, and therefore wouldShow MoreRelatedEvaluate †©Rachels †©Arguments †©Against †©Cultural†© Relativism Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pages†©Is†©he†©right†©to†©endorse†© objective†©moral†©realism? 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