Damned if ya do, damned if ya dont.

Ban all this stuff and get ready to be accussed of sexually repressing the grrrls whilst letting the boyz run wild.

Vanilla not a bad idea.

There has been a huge debate as to whether TV influenced children or not. One side argues that it doesn't and the other is that it does.

I side with the side that does beleive that TV influences children, however it is not only children that are influenced by the media, adults are as well. Also what we read, the magazines that are bought all do influence peoples opinions and ideas. Sometimes accurately, sometimes it is misinformation.

From my understanding of gender developement girls are more interested in relationships dynamics and boys in "grand theft auto".

Some girls will become bimbos who never played the game, just as some boys will act out grand theft auto who never played the game.

It is not that these games should be banned, but when is it safe for children to be exposed to them?

61,

Your emotive dribble adds nothing to the argument. Prove a direct causation of an online video game and Anorexia and I might be swayed. Mental illness is infinitely more complex than you are making it out to be. Should we ban adverts for anti-bacterial soap and cleaning products because people with OCD are obsessed with hygiene?

Bronwyn,

'de-sensitised to the effects of violence as so many young boys these days are'
I don't think they are. Maybe de-sensitised to fictional depictions of violence, but not real violence. Anyone who can sit through the rape scene in Irreversible without feeling upset probably is de-sensitised, but that's one of the few realistic portrayals of real violence I have seen.

' that they have to be thin and sexy to be of value as a person.'
That's rubbish. They have to be thin and sexy to be sexually attractive.

'Anorexia and skin cancer, both the end result of behaviours encouraged in this game, ...repairing the damage from leaking implants and plastic surgery '

That's such a stretch. These are totally separate issues that are better dealt with directly. Banning a video game is the most ineffective measure I can imagine for dealing with these.

'profit from the misery they are knowingly creating '
People are competitive in all aspects of life. Are private schools creating misery by advertising their supposed superiority in achieving a better education? Lots of parents massively sacrifice their standard of living because they are sold the dream of climbing up the status ladder. Life is competitive, and everyone doesn't get a prize no matter how much you lie to your kids that they do. Some people aren't beautiful, some aren't smart, some aren't athletic. Are we to ban all marketing that might make someone feel they might need something they do not?

JamesH,

'It is not that these games should be banned, but when is it safe for children to be exposed to them?'
Exactly. And you know what, it's up to individual parents to decide, as they know their own values and their own children.

US “Regardless, media is not all powerful. Children have parents, and peers, and eyes and brains.”

Agree Tankard-Reiss seems obsessed with the way other people bring up their children. I wonder if she has kids herself? I wonder if she understands parenting?
I wonder if she would appreciate some obsessed opinion holder telling her how she should bring up her kids?

“On a tangent, why is it more acceptable/moral to celebrate intellect than beauty? Both are genetic.”

Exactly, the woman in my life is not just brainy, she is good looking too.
No point in wasting time on an dumb, ugly one, there are plenty of lonely blokes around to hold their hands and some are even single.

61 “Usual is obviously ignorant as well as callous.”

I have read many of US posts, he is neither ignorant or callous but yours is the usual reaction of the ignorant .

You vilify the character of people you disagree with based on your own stupidity.

I invite you to have a shot at me too, I am used to it but manners require me to forewarn you, I am inclined to comment back, with a vengence.

Ah Bronwyn “But it's time to acknowledge that many parents for many different reasons are neglecting that responsibility.”

If they are, prosecute them but do not presume to make blanket condemnations of how parents, collectively discharge their responsibilities.

I am sure you would not like it if the state came along and arbitrarily decided you were negligent and intervened between you and yours.

Vanilla I like your game, any place in there for a horny-devil?

My daughters and I made up a game for the car, the first to spot the road kill, one point at side of road, two point in the middle and double the points if you could identify the critter.

We called it “Flat Cat and Friends” and they loved it.

One of my daughters teachers criticised her reading choices when she was 14, she enjoyed reading “Dolly”.

My reply was simple, I would rather she read anything than nothing.

Some posters may find this hard to believe but advertising works, propaganda works, manipulation works. In an ideal world people would not be manipulated and would take respomsibility for their own action. But this is not an ideal world.

We are all influenced by ads, TV shows Movies, magazines etc. Usual Suspect, you are probably not willing to admit it or you may not even be aware of it but I am sure that not even you are immune to the manipulation of media and advertisers.

They know it works. That is why they do it. Advertising companies continually manipulate us in ways that we are not even aware of. even the colour and sound of their ads has been carfully chosen to sub consciously impact the viewer.

Should advertisers, game creators, TV and Movie producers by held respocible? Of course they should. They know exactly what they are doing. They are deliberatly moulding and manipulating people to buy their product and follow their agenda.

Today young girls are curious enough to role play sexuality, plastic surgery etc. What will it be tomorrow.

Dont be so naive as to think it is all harmless fun.

proverbs,

I said media is not ALL powerful, no that it has no effect.

'They are deliberatly moulding and manipulating people to buy their product and follow their agenda.
'
Of course, and why not? Or do you think we can ban all advertising? How do you propose to do this, or else who decides what is TOO manipulative. it's impossible to police. Buyer beware, and increasingly children brought up in this media saturated world are better equipped than the old folks who give away their bank details on the internet.

Manipulated or not, it's still your decision in the final washup. You could educate yourself more, work on you character flaws like vanity or comfort eating. We should aim to make the individual responsible for their own actions, not searching every media for excuses for our own frailties.

'Today young girls are curious enough to role play sexuality, plastic surgery etc. What will it be tomorrow.'

Such things are part of life and are exist in many books as well. Should we ban all the books too? Or should we, as I have said leave it up to individual parents to decide, as they know their own values and their own children.