• - ' F iTlje ^urflanh ©beertwr B y L inda L yntieri C ontributing W riter from T eachers for S ocial R esponsibility M edia violence is an unwelcome visitor in many hom es and schools. If we neglect teaching peace, then television, m usic, video games, and toys will give our children clear direction in term s of values to ad­ here to, behavior to follow, and ways to think. Taking Action So, what can parents and educa­ tors do? We must begin by pulling ourselves out of our num bness, ig­ norance, and denial. We must make a com m itm ent to looking at what is going on in the m edia and how it is influencing our children. We must work together to create a society where readily available technologies nurture, rather than dam age, our ».»—• « • 1—• —I ..AXJ» constructive, nonviolent conflict resolution in our modern society. C hildren of all ages need to see that conflict resolution works out in the O ne of the simplest yet most im portant things we can do is to tell children what we believe about these issues, rather than leaving a vacuum in their lives for the media to fill. O ur kids cannot avoid all violent toys or TV shows, but we can engage them in critical debate about the real world. Model alternatives to violence. Let young people know that the violent “solutions” to problems that they see on TV or in movies are not the only way to resolve conflicts. We can show our children how to man­ age this conflict peacefully by devel­ oping the skills of conflict resolution. issues they raise. Help young people gain media literacy skills. Media images bom bard children at such a rapid-fire pace that they often don’t have time to sort through the real messages behind the im­ ages. Furtherm ore, TV shows and video games emphasize im m ediate gratification of desires, short-term solutions, and quick fixes. C hildren need to know that in real life, we m ust sometimes wait, make com pro­ mises, or think about others in order Work together. Set aside tim e for family or classsroom meetings, when you dis­ cuss problem s and come up with m utually agreed-upon solutions. Some families write down conflicts or family problem s and place them in a “conflict jar," to be discussed during the next family meeting. to get our needs met. children. J u n e 2 3 ,1 9 9 9 Focus Find positive uses of the media. H elp children find examples of Be a voice for nonviolence. Page 5 learning environments for kids. We’ve got to let producers, ad­ vertisers, and IV stations know that we will not continue to associate with them or buy their sponsors’ products if they continue to partici­ pate in making violence glamorous to our children. We must also advo­ cate for regulations that will help us control our children’s viewing. We m ust urge public leaders to make safe com munities a priority. Conclusion Create peace. We must counter every violent or destructive image that children are exposed to with a response that lets them know that they are safe and that peace is possible. A home or classroom that is nonviolent in its structure and day-to-day life can serve as a crucial safety net for children. When parents and schools work to­ gether, a very powerful alliance is created on behalf of children. Meet with teachers and other parents to find ways to create safe, peaceful T he powerful negative influence that the m edia has on our children is frightening and angering. We need to feel our fear and our anger, to wake up from our numbness, igno­ rance, and denial about the role of the m edia in prom oting violence to our children By taking action, we as parents and educators can send our children a powerful message: that our lives do not have to be ruled by television, advertising, and m edia hype. The influence of the m edia is pervasive, but our way to counter this influence is simple and close to home. We m ust simply spend time with our children, listen to them, and show them that it is possible to live in peace," as G andhi rem inded us. Talk about what you believe. Ideas for Teaching Media Literacy Skills B y J. L anurf . hr Explain to your children or students that we all draw conclu­ sions, or inferences, after viewing advertisements. The innocent, unthinking viewer draws a “nice” inference. This is the conclusion the advertising agent hopes for. The cautious, thinking reader draws a “mean” inference. T his inference is usually correct or is the real situation. The “mean” inference can still be true even though it is extreme. Show or watch three commercials that make true statements but are meant to give rise to inferences as well. Have the children brain­ storm the “nice" inferences and the “mean" inferences. Example Mean Inference Nice inference How often Michael drinks Pepsi? Regularly Once a year Why Michael chose Pepsi? Because he likes the taste Because he is paid to drink it ------------------------------------------ How many dentists were surveyed? Why the dentists chose Trident? Maybe 100 dentists chosen at ran­ dom, 80 of whom chose Trident They compared it favorably to other gums on the market “Lottery will be here soon" \Ne call It TA HA SjA They own stock in the company _ _____—. M M L < m i i M i n . '**'****“' . > ,