The digital revolution has been marked by the transformation of mechanical technology into digital. The digital age is the world we live in, from the introduction of the personal computer to a world where artificial intelligence can run self-driven cars. A significant factor in this current age is media: broadcasts, social media, interactive media, film, and much more. This exponential growth in the availability of information has had a profound impact on how society perceives and assesses violence. Whether in the form of violent video games or documentation of war, visualization of violence at every scale is now very easily accessible, ushering in both advantages and disadvantages. The educational value and awareness that comes with the documentation of violence, such as war crimes and human rights abuses, can be very beneficial for activism and promoting dialogue and debate. However, exposure to such violent images may also trigger various psychological effects, such as desensitization, anxiety, empathy fatigue, and other adverse effects.
The Vietnam War was the first televised war in history. Viewers saw graphic, disturbing images of combat, leading to the growing public opposition to the war. The war’s media coverage influenced the support and approach to fighting in the war, as many U.S. citizens started to oppose it after seeing its horrors. This, in turn, affected the morale of the troops serving in Vietnam. This is one of many examples of events covered by mass media. Other events, such as the Persian Gulf War and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, were heavily televised. This led to awareness of the events and injustices, an accurate historical record, policy impact, better crisis responses, and prevention of future acts. For example, protests and policy reforms are being initiated in response to instances of police brutality, which disproportionately target African-American men. Video recordings of these distressing incidents play a pivotal role in building cases seeking justice for those whose lives were unjustly impacted or ended due to police actions. However, there are downsides to viewing repeated violence on both the psyche and how we analyze situations.
The impact of violence extends beyond the immediate victims and those responsible for its perpetration; it reverberates throughout society, affecting both bystanders and observers in various ways. The repeat viewing of violence in the media can have an influence on the increase of aggression levels. It was also found that repeat exposure has a higher impact on the psyche in terms of emotional distress rather than the single duration of exposure. Not only does violence cause various stressors on the mind, but it can lead to a lack of response to violent acts, known as desensitization. Apart from the direct mental effects of violence, violence in this digital age can lead to misinformation and manipulation and the re-victimization of the individuals involved. Visual documentation of violent acts can be used to spread false narratives, as they are taken out of context to push an idea onto society. This, at times, can even go hand-in-hand with the re-victimization of the individuals involved, as sharing and consuming the images can violate the victims’ privacy and dignity, further perpetuating their trauma. For these reasons, it is vital to practice responsible, ethical media consumption to mitigate these shortcomings, such as verifying information with credible sources, avoiding sensationalism, and choosing empathy.
This age has given us unprecedented access that demands a balance to protect our minds and those involved. Recognizing the influence of digital media on our understanding of violence is of the utmost importance. Our collective response will shape the future of media consumption, and while violence itself is inherently harmful, educating and raising awareness is a societal duty. As students at Andrews, let us embrace the opportunity to learn and evolve while remembering the principle of respect and ethics in our engagement with media.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.