Warah, R. (1988, October 2). Movie violence a hit with Kenyans. The Nation.

OVERVIEW

If there is anything that stimulates, titillates or excites the otherwise apathetic Kenyan psyche, it is the movies...Films that do particularly well in Kenya are war films or the ‘Karate Kid,’ ‘Ninja’ variety where the heroes indulge in an orgy of destruction, all in the name of ‘patriotism,’ ‘freedom,’ ‘revenge,’ or some equally illusory abstraction. Others that have caught the imagination of our masses are ‘Superman’ and his counterparts ‘Rocky’ and ‘Rambo.’

The average Kenyan’s obsession with American-made films, especially violent ones of the ‘Rambo’ and ‘Ninja’ genre, is a disturbing phenomenon, given the gullibility and lack of social awareness of our urbanized youth, who make up the bulk of our moviegoers. Movies can mold minds, and as a powerful medium for the transmission of ideas, values, and attitudes, it is imperative that we critically evaluate their social impact.

The writer of this alarming article admits that viewers know "Rambo" and "Cobra" as screen heroes, but he feels that their image and stories contribute to several negative effects:

• Cynical or pessimistic attitude toward real social change.
• Vigilante approach to justice rather than collective social action against crime and other evils.
• Simplistic view of justice—e.g., that crime is best handled by killing the criminal.
• Glorification of violence.
• Justification of murder by dehumanizing the enemy.
• Encouragement toward simplistic categorizations of its enemies.
• Desensitization toward violence and encouragement to violence.

Various studies done in Europe and America have found that movie and television viewing can produce socially apathetic individuals. The ‘cultivation’ theory in social psychology suggests that the longer one spends watching movies or television, the more likely one is to perceive social reality as it is depicted on the screen. Some studies have shown that subjects exposed to highly aggressive films show an increase in several forms of aggressive behaviors.

A recent example of this was when a young Kenyan boy killed his playmate while they were play-acting a movie they had seen.

Studies have found that after watching countless murders, fights, rapes, and mutilations on the screen, many people become desensitized to such actions.

Are these the kinds of individuals we are churning out at our movie theatres?

IMPLICATIONS

1. The writer of this article wrote a previous article on the servile and degrading manner in which Indian movies portray women. Here, it is felt that Hollywood is responsible for a greater distortion of the human image.
2. Teenagers can be encouraged to talk about the movies they like to watch and the effects of different movies on them. It is especially important for them to discuss the place of sex and violence in life.
3. Parents and youth leaders have a responsibility to know what young people watch and how they think. It is important to listen to young people before teaching them about the evils or dangers of the media.

Dean Borgman cCYS