Essays on social issues!!

[samra kanwal]

Violence in Society

In present-day society humankind faces a problem clashing with violence in children. They are faced with video games and toys that favor violence. Shows and movies display gory scenes of blood shootings and “beat-downs” exploiting the violence issue even further


The news also adds to the problem by reporting scenes of gang shootings and bombings. All these commercial products contribute to the violence in society; however, they are not the major issue that causes the problems in society and should not be weighted so greatly by today’s society.

Violence originates from aggression – the feeling to inflict pain on others. Most violence starts just from little things like one guy pushing the other guy. Then, the other guy does the same and it gets worse and worse. The mass media influences people to put their aggression in physical terms – hitting other people.

Just thing about it, what sells better some guy meditating his anger away or a guy holding a gun and blasting his enemies to smithereens? Americans watch a lot of television and look at on the violence on it.

The media shows violence not just on shows but also on news. Everyday people are exposed to violence, just reading the newspaper shows some violent crime occurring in society. The mass media reinforces people to show their aggression by physical terms like attacking a person. It wouldn’t be much of a sell to show some guys engaging in non-aggressive behavior. If it sells, the mass media will be in favor for it and violence is one of the keys to making money.

Video games have been a favorite target to the issue of violence. Games such as Quake and Doom were suspects to the shootings at Columbine. There’s no doubt that it is the major contributor. In video games people play the role at the first-person shooter and have the weapons, power, and enjoyment to blasting away other guys with bombs, grenades, machine guns, and knives.

Compared to other medias, video games are the only ones that allow you to really “get into the action.” It is a big reinforcer as you get points and money to further your quest to blasting away the big boss.


The United States has tons of violent media that are said to contribute to violent behavior in our youth. Although it does reinforce this behavior, it cannot be banned. Society is ran by commercialism and such a huge market like violent media would be like trying to ban alcohol: it might be bad for you but why ban it.

If people wish to stop the violence, they should rather be doing seminars and stating the rights of the United States. Everyone has been given a pep talk about AIDS and look how the rates have declined.

Violence in media is a great problem to society. It is a contributor and reinforcer to put that physical aggression on another person. People should remember aggression could be put out using other techniques like breathing, meditation, pushing a bag, etc.

Television needs to tone down a bit with the violence and video games might need to be cleaned up a little. However, these are all big commercial products and would take forever to modify them to “non-violent” terms. Thus, it would be to America’s best interest to get the message out about violence and prevent it from spreading.


Materialism in Today's Society

Have you ever sat down and really thought about how much you value your possessions? Do you value your belongings more than you value friends, family, love, or yourself? I have put much thought into materialism and maybe others should too.
I have come to believe that materialism has become a way of life in today’s society.

Materialism has been defined as the theory or doctrine that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life. (Heritage Dictionary, 3rd ed.) This means that we look to possessions to bring us happiness. We then use these possessions to make things and people behave or respond the way we desire.

We have become so successful at fabricating and manipulating the world that we have come to believe that altering our surroundings is the way to solve all of our problems. We go through life contemplating that inner well-being depends on what we have or do. Due to these assumptions, materialism now carries the status that people’s religion, occupations, and bloodlines used to carry (Twitchell 1999). We identify ourselves and others by what we wear, what we have, and what brands we sport.

Our unrestrained consumption ascends the unlimited number of goods and merchandise available (Twitchell 1999). As the quantity and variety of products grow

Materialism in Today’s Society 3

larger, so does the demand for these products, thus resulting in mass branding. A brand is a product name or logo, that when consumers become familiar with, immediately brings to mind a specific product or service (Pavitt 5).We, as humans, want to fit in so we wear and use certain brand names because of the status we gain from them.

Everywhere we look, there are dozens of newspapers, magazines, billboards, and television and radio shows supporting the belief that happiness can be rendered by money and possessions. Advertisers try to convince their consumers that their product will make them so much happier or that their product will complete their lives and bring them fulfillment. They often draw in the consumers with a catchy commercial that contains a celebrity or model sporting their brand. This is a sure bet way to get the consumers’ attention!


Materialism in Today’s Society 4 Many celebrities promote products without that intention. This is because young people who idolize these famous stars want to wear what they wear.Therefore, this leads to free advertising for these corporations. One such group was the rap group Run-DMC.

This group frequently wore the Adidas brand. They liked the brand so much that they wrote a song called “My Adidas.” (Klein 456).This song led Adidas to become a very popular brand and people all over the United States started wearing the brand. Many people are brand “hogs” and pursue what ever brand is in style.

If a celebrity is wearing a new brand, it can be assured that at least one person will mimic them.This is especially true when the aspect comes to teens. Sharon Beder stated, “In 2000 alone, teens spent $155 billion on things like clothing, CDs and makeup.” (Boston 2).

In fact, the younger population has become so infatuated with celebrities that they have begun getting plastic surgery to try to look like their favorite celebrities. Two million young people had plastic surgery in 2003 alone (MTV, I Want a Famous Face).

Since 1997, there has been a 293% increase in the total number of cosmetic procedures. Surgical procedures increased by 87%, and non surgical procedures increased by 471% (ASAPS). These surgeries are very expensive and have many risks; including death.

Americans spent just under $9.4 billion on cosmetic procedures; not including fees for surgical facilities, anesthesia, medical tests, prescriptions, surgical garments or other miscellaneous expenses associated with surgery. $6.5 billion was for surgical procedures, and $2.9 billion was for non-surgical procedures (ASAPS). We have turned to these procedures to feel beautiful and we believe that they may make us “complete.”