Some people say if you watch too many violent or sadistic movies, you'll be negatively affected and your perception of reality could be distorted. According to this school of thought, it encourages deviant or criminal behavior since many movies seem to glorify violence, deviant behavior, and crime. If you watch something over and over, you'll become desensitized to it. Maybe serial killers have been influenced by movies. Sure, they were already messed up before but watching violence repeatedly could encourage them to take that next step. So do you guys buy this?

I think it depends on each individual's sense of values. If you have a strong value and belief of one thing, watching another thing shouldn't affect it. If you have a neutral value of something, and you watch something that is constantly attacking that neutral value over and over, then it could cause you to change it I guess.

I am oblivious to all the gut-splattering blood and gore on screen.

Too much has desensitized me, but I can say for sure, that I am NOT a homocidal maniac. (:

I started watching R-Rated action/fighting movies when I was 5. They get balanced out by all the happy/romance movies I watch. I'm preeeetty sure I show no signs of a serial killer.

hmm... I still feel kinda grossed out by blood and stuff, but after YEARS of watching violent movies I suppose their effect has lessened on me? However, movies like law abiding citizen ( the torture scene) still make me absolutely cringe lol Dx;;

It's probably pretty fair to assume that most serial killers have much more problems to be worrying about that the movies they watched. Most of them probably have extremely deep rooted mental issues that they never got worked out, which eventually brought them to do sadistic things to others. I doubt it has much of anything to do with film.

I've watched too many violent, gorey, wrong movies. It doesn't really affect the way I act, but it affects my mentality somewhat. It doesn't really phase me anymore, unlike people who get really disgusted or affected by those things. It just becomes a normal picture on a tv or computer screen for me.

doesn't rly affect me ..
but it makes me cringe and squint my eyes watching it

I agree. It really depends on the person and his beliefs, core values and stuff like that I've watched a lot of violent films but they don't have any effect on me.

no- so not. really, how could it affects me?

Just because disturbed people watch violent movies doesn't mean the violent movies caused their disturbing behavior. They could be watching violent media BECAUSE they're disturbed, not necessarily vice versa.

I admit I am very much desensitized because of violent movies. I recently witnessed a pedestrian get hit and killed by a car right there in front of me. Though I was definitely affected and scared out of my mind of seeing that, for weeks I felt guilty because I wasn't as traumatized as I thought I should be.. I think it's all the violent movies I've seen (and loved, btw) that made the scene seem less real to me. Of course that doesn't make me a serial killer or anything.

That's a very interesting question..I've definitely heard of children getting seriously injured after imitating the violence they see in movies, TV, video games, etc. and I can only imagine how guilty the parents feel for letting their kids watch those programs (after someone actually gets hurt).

With that said, I don't think that violent movies encourage or plant the seeds of deviant behavior..a person's "real life" environment is much more influential in who they become. They're more likely to be violent towards others if they experience or witness violence at home, for example.

me? no. i've grown up watching violent movies. watched R-movies since i was a little baby.
also on an entirely unrelated note... my dad showed me porn when i was 5. so yeah. oh and i drank beer when i was 3. i'm fine.

other people - maybe - depends if they are mentally stable or not. some people have weaker minds than others.

I think so. I mean, when you're young and you see other people doing something 'cool' looking, then of course wouldn't you want to try it too?

Exhibit A: My brother watching Superman. He climbs on top of the cabinet, yells out superman and jumps thinking he'll fly. Results: He falls down the ground and a rush to the ER.

Oh this reminds me.. my ASB advisor was telling us about this movie where a guy sneaks into your home and hides under your couch and while you're sitting, he'll cut off your feet til you bleed to death ;( Turns out there was a copycat and he killed 4 people by doing that. Eeeek.

Some of the most atrocious killers existed before the advent of violent movies. What violent ninja films, after all, did Hitler watch? In my opinion, I don't think the violence on television and in media is the root of violent behavior. I think violence on television and in the media is a symptom of a deeper problem. After all, why would people even make such films unless people watched them? And why would people choose to watch those films over non-violent films unless something or someone else compelled them to do so? Aren't these films, more often than not, describing the society we all ready live in?

There was so much controversy over The Matrix and Marilyn Manson during the Columbine shootings but what the media didn't pick up on was the fact that the shooters grew up in a military environment: the entire town of Columbine was oriented around a military complex which was devoted to constructing missiles. These shooters didn't just grow up watching violent films--they grew up witnessing the construction of weapons all around them. America is the only superpower in the world and much of its superpowerhood can be measured through its extravagant military, to which we pour a ridiculous sum of money each year. For years, America also sold weapons to foreign countries and the money from those weapons deals were undoubtably then poured into building our roads and highways. We travel on the products of weapons deals everyday. America also has a significantly higher crime rate than countries of similar economic and social stature--countries that probably also feature violent television shows and movies. So, well, is it really the television? Or is the television just a symptom of the real problem: too much violence disguised as harmless everyday utilities all around us?

no, but watching romantic movies turn you into a sissy

I think the cavemen back in the prehistoric time were more violent than us nowadays... I dunno what movies they were watching back then... it included hair pulling, raping, etc pretty "naturally" for them... stuff that you don't see being legal in violent movies nowadays...

So yeah stuff in real life can influence people... but stuff like Grand Theft Auto too... Anyway it all depends on the person.

not at all. i thnk its stupid of someone to go to beat others up after watching fighting scenes on violent movies