TOPIC How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

　　ESSAY

　　Movies and television have changed the ways of people’s living enormously since they were first invented. Opinions over their virtues differ from person to person. Some people say that they have enriched our lives, while critics blame them for their poisonous effects. In fact, their influences depend on variables such as the viewer’s personality, the quality of programs, and the length of viewing time. According to many surveys and polls, heavy viewers often show serious behavioral defects that require medical therapy. These days, watching them has become a type of addiction for many people. They have exposed negative effects such as provoking aggressive attitudes, encouraging passive behavior, and inducing prodigality.

　　The gravest problem of TV and movies is that the flood of the violent scenes causes people to assault others without any slightest compunction. One day, adults, thought to be decent people get involved in alley quarrels and attack their neighbors. The rising rate of juvenile violence in schools makes youngsters shrink and hesitate to go to school. Psychologists assert that many children are desensitized(使……无情) by criminal actions on TV or in movies. Outrageous acts by scoundrels often go there without punishment, and the unlimited justice of heroes wins respect from people. Thus, the embellishment of illegal acts dilutes citizen’s law-abiding spirit.

　　Another problem from an overdose of TV or movies is that they invoke more passive attitudes from people, the opposite case of the aggressive tendency. In fact, information from the media is unilateral(单边的) in that viewers experience only a one-way relationship. The addicted exhibit more shyness and withdrawal from reality. For instance, children spending too much time with a TV set don’t want to participate in class activities. They appear to flutter(飘扬，颤动) on the outskirts of things. Many experts report that the impact is more conspicuous in introverts. Excessive viewing of TV or movies, thus, can block more active, direct involvement in real life.

　　Commercial advertising, directly or indirectly through TV or movies, has brought significant changes in consumption patterns. First of all, enticed( 诱惑，吸引) by information given about goods and services, audience tend to purchase things unnecessary for their living, which results in the waste of social resources. Also, commercials are deliberately manipulated by business industries whose goal is to maximize their economic gains. Businesses don’t care if consumers spend more than they earn. In the worst case, they cannot avoid private bankruptcy. These problems sometimes grow into curbs to the progress of the society.

　　We have discussed problems concerning TV and movies. However, not all of their effects are bad. In fact, positive influences are often observed in many programs and movies. For example, in developing countries, they contribute to promoting democracy by reporting important political issues to the public. And international films and television have opened a new age of globalization. Yet phantoms(鬼魅，幽灵) — violence, escapism, and extravagance(奢侈，浪费) — attributed to television and movies, are still lingering(徘徊，磨蹭) in our society. We need to be mindful of what we watch.

　　Notes:

　　enormously 巨大地

　　poisonous 有害的

　　gravest 来重的

　　prodigality 浪费

　　compunction 后悔

　　juvenile violence 青少年犯罪

　　introvert 性格内向的人

　　escapism 逃避现实