Why are children our so violent? What has changed so much over the years to make today's children so angry, so aggressive? Many people attribute the increase in violent youth to the increase of violence in the media. "If people are fed a daily diet of murder, crime and violence, many come to believe that sort of thing is normal" (Foegen). There is a common belief that television, films, video games, and even the nightly news are to blame for making children believe that violence is not only acceptable, but a necessary way of solving conflict. Is the media to blame for this rise in violent behavior? It is possible that the media is being used as a scapegoat for the failing family unit which may be a more truthful cause of this behavior.
             There is no mistaking that television has become a household staple, much like bread or milk. The television, once a source of family entertainment, has become a babysitter, and even a parental figure in some homes. "The average seventh grader watches about four hours of television per day, and 60 percent of those shows contain some violence" (Violence and the Media 267). This means that when a child comes home from school, he or she may spend most of the remaining day watching violent acts. It has also been noted that on average, a child receives more one-on-one communication from television than from both teachers and parents combined (Grossman). With all of this television watching, it should not be surprising that by the time an American child turns 18, he or she will have watched 200,000 violent acts, and 16,000 simulated murders on television (Violence and the Media 267). While it is safe to say that witnessing all of these violent acts has the ability to desensitize viewers, it does not mean that those viewers will be more violent than people who do not watch television.
             One popular example of "violent television" is professio
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