Children are much more susceptible to violent programming because they have not yet developed the ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.
For example, in more than 40% of programs with violence, the "bad" violent characters are never punished; and only 4% of violent programs portray a theme that promotes nonviolence.
Moreover, more than half of the violent interactions on television show no pain, and almost 40% of violent interactions show good guys behaving violently.
But when a child resorts to gunfire to correct what he sees as an injustice, is it unreasonable to think that repeated exposure to violent incidents on television—25% of which involve guns —might have provided encouragement to act that way?
IDENTIFY ANY FALLACIES OR RHECTORICAL DEVICES
In the given passage, there are a few rhetorical devices and fallacies that can be identified. Let's analyze them one by one:
1. Overgeneralization: The passage overgeneralizes by stating that "children are much more susceptible to violent programming." While it is true that children are generally more impressionable, this statement does not take into account individual differences, such as a child's upbringing, environment, or parental guidance, that can influence their susceptibility to violent programming.
2. Cherry-picking: The passage uses selective evidence by emphasizing certain statistics (e.g., "more than 40% of programs with violence," "only 4% of violent programs promote nonviolence"). By focusing on these specific numbers, it presents a biased perspective on the prevalence of violence in programming.
3. False cause: The passage implies a cause and effect relationship between exposure to violent incidents on television and a child resorting to gunfire to correct perceived injustices. While repeated exposure to violence can influence behavior to some extent, it is an oversimplification to attribute a child's resort to violence solely to what they see on television. Many other factors, such as personal experiences, social interactions, and parental influence, can play a role in shaping a child's behavior.
4. Appeal to emotion: The passage appeals to the reader's emotions by raising concerns about children using violence to correct perceived injustices. By evoking fear and worry, it tries to persuade the reader to agree with the argument against violent programming without providing a comprehensive analysis of the issue.
It is important to critically evaluate arguments and be aware of the potential fallacies and rhetorical devices used. By doing so, we can have a more informed understanding of the topic being discussed.