I've made a conscious decision that I'm not going to watch crime dramas any more. I'm also not watching scary movies, murder mysteries, or police shows.I believe that it is not good for those images to be in my mind. When I started to picture bad things happening to me when home alone, I realized I needed to stop putting the ideas in there.
I found myself more fearful than I had been in the past. I worried about really odd things happening, like dark men lurking outside of my window, waiting to see if my husband was home. Creepy people waiting in my hallway, crouching in wait to grab me. For what?
The show I really, really like is CSI. I still do. A mystery, a set of clues, it is an awesome show. The problem being that the stories stuck with me and crept into my daily walk. That is not okay.
Suddenly, I've become a person who thinks that perhaps it is not good that people are playing really violent games and listening to really violent music and watching really violent images on the t.v. and in movie theaters. If you are a person who is a visual learner, like me, those things stick in your mind.
Thankfully, I am able to distinguish fantasy from reality and my mind is able to shut off those images when they pop up. Some people are not so lucky, I think this leads to really bad things. I'm not saying that violent media is the sole reason for violence carried out. I do believe it is harmful to watch and listen to violent media to excess. It has to play a part, it has to negatively a person's perception of violence. If nothing else, it desentizes a person to violent images. That isn't good either.
It's something that's been on my mind recently. It's the reason why my t.v. viewing has gone from CSI to Top Chef and American Idol. I've also been watching a lot of Super Why and Word World. I am choosing not to watch violent shows from here on out.
8 comments:
I had an "a-ha moment" this morning. All of the kids were still asleep (something I am loving... not having to get them up and going first thing) and I got a cup o' joe, sat down in front of the boob tube and.... hmmmm.... what do big people watch that time of day?!?! I too have grown accustom to watching Word World and Super Why.... I LOVE THEM.... As I looked down the list of big people shows, I decided I would just turn it off, start a load in the washer, and go watch the birds in the early morning quiet. It was much better than that other junk!!! LOL!
I hope your new rituals are working for your fears. As a girl that is home "alone" a lot at night, I know exactly how you feel!
When I watch shows like CSI, I have crazy dreams. So I am right there with ya!
Hey, me too!
I think CSI is violence porn, looking at things we really should not look at.
I use to like CSI during seasons one and two, when it was more science, less gore. But I do admit to being in love with Bones -- I was an anthropology major and love the scholarly side of physical and forensic anthropology. Plus Booth is hot.
The show I really avoid is Law & Order: SVU because all the crimes have a sexual component and that isn't entertaining.
But I find reality TV to be more disturbing. People willing to embarrass themselves and their families for cash and fame? Letting some mean English dude insult them in the name of 'professional criticism' while they smile and nod. That bothers me. I don't want my children thinking fame is a worthwhile aspiration.
So when the kids are around the TV is off and we just listen to music. And occasionally public broadcasting.
I love The First 48 on A&E and I know it is so bad for me...I have been making a huge effort to not watch it. Like you I was starting to imagine all kinds of crazy stuff, which is just so not what my mind needs right now.
You know OM,
Mama used to say that she and her other married girlfriends could never get their husbands to understand certain things. Such as when their husbands would come home 1 1/2 hours late, they woudl have already planned the funeral in their head nd figured out how to pay the bills since their husband was in a horrible accident on the way home. *Sigh* I am so totally there.
My brain is very ADHD and only needs one seed to get it off track. I watched "In Cold Blood" in college and ............well just let me tell you I couldn't sleep through the night for weeks. Uncle Gary almost killed U Dave during "The Exorcist". When a chest of drawers came flying at the camera U Gary threw his arms out to the side and screamed and hit U Dave across the chest, almost causing him to pass out. During "Kujo" U Gary went over backwards in an arm chair as he was trying to get away from the dog. We are what we are and it's good when we acknowledge that.
Bub has become much more aggressive lately, and I blame (a) Disney, and (b) the Incredible Hulk preview. Until recently, the only TV my kids saw was Word World and the like, but then they discovered the Disney movies, which are all about villains and fighting ... ugh. Peter Pan, in particular, is evil.
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