Hollow Claims about Fantasy Violence by Richard Rhodes

1. The entertainment industry, through mock violence, should not be blamed for the violent
behavior of children.
2. Is entertainment associated with violent behavior?
3. Exposure to mock violence through media has no direct link to children's violent
behavior.
4. Violence was more in the earlier years without the media than in the present day, where
media is available.
5. Research carried out by Dr. Brandon Centerwall states that countries that banned the use
of televisions reduced the number of homicides compared to those that did not.
6. The findings of Dr. Centerwall are baseless since the rate of homicide either decreased or
remained the same in France, Italy, and Germany despite the increasing rates of
television ownership.
7. Experiments have found that the group of children exposed to mock violence becomes
more aggressive in terms of communication and physical than the ones not exposed.
8. Watching television generally triggers children's actions.
9. The harmful materials consumed through media can only bring harm if followed but not
if taken as lessons.
10. Studies carried out by Leonard D. Eron and Rowell Huesmann show that children
exposed to violent video games become aggressive compared to those not exposed.
11. There is no connection between being exposed to violent programs at an early age and
becoming aggressive at an older age.
12. Politicians continue to blame the media for violence to hide from implementing other
laws.
13. Violence is grasped from the one-on-one encounter and not through mock violence.
14. Measures should be put in place to protect children from one-on-one encounters with
violence to eradicate violence instead of blaming mock violence.