George Gerber states that violence “is the simplest and cheapest dramatic means to demonstrate who wins in the game of life and the rules by which the game is played.” He believes that the more frequent of a violent TV viewer one is, the more their world is shaped by it. If one were to watch a very heavy amount of violent television shows, they will start to believe that the world around them is just as violent. They will also develop feelings regarding those beliefs. He has done lots of research that has proven that the amount of violence in everyday television is at very high levels that are very unrealistic of real life scenarios.
For example, in Willy Wonka’s, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mike Teevee, one of the golden ticket holders, completely proves Gerbers point. It is known from the start that Mike is considered a heavy user. In fact, he eats all of this meals right in front of the television. When the interviewers asked Mike if he liked “the killings”, he replied with, “isn’t that what lifes all about?” He then proceeds to pull out a toy gun and pretends to shoot at all the people around him. Having watched far too much violent television, Mike is under the impression that life is all about committing violent acts.
This is a perfect example of how Gerber predicts that heavy violent television viewers perceive the world and shape their beliefs.
