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Attleboro, Massachusetss, United States
Hi. Welcome. I created CookieMOMster because when I was a first time mom 6 years ago cookies saved me. I was in a whirlwind of sleepless nights, crying and baby drool. I ate lots of cookies and began writing. Writing had been my passion since I was young and I had forgotten how much it meant to me. It's funny how these little lives come into your life and cause chaos but at the same time allow you to re-discover yourself. Thank you to Konrad and Koby for that. So sit down have a cookie and read. I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy writing. Thanks for visiting. I'm glad you stopped by.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Even a cookie won't help

I saw Batman the other night. Before I continue I want to say I am not an expert on comic book Super Heroes. As far as the movie I found it very violent. I realize there would be explosions but I think it was violent in terms of watching or interpreting people going to get or be killed or hurt in a violent way. I think it was made to have more of a "real" feel than a make believe comic feel. There was a part where people where escaping the city and they were walking out in masses, I couldn't help thinking of 9/11. I don't like that feeling. Another part that bothered me was the detective that associated with Batman got shot and killed. They show the wife and son being told of this horror only to later find out he had to "do it" to protect them. (sorry if you haven't seen the movie) I know this part really disturbed me because being a wife and mom I can not imagine the sorrow of losing your husband and your child their father. Then to find out he wasn't dead pissed me off because I fucking want that to happen to me! I'd love for my dad to come walking back up to me saying "I had to do it." I know, it's only a movie. Yet I couldn't stop thinking of all the kids in my pre-school who love the super heroes! How many of them will beg their parents to let them see this movie. And who some just might. And that is how I got to thinking that movies and television have become too violent. People do say, "they are just movies" or "it's just a t.v. show. " But some one's head has just been blown off and we watch,a dead body is being cut open on a table and we watch, people violently die and we watch. We read the paper and watch the news and people are getting hurt or killed and we sit there with no expression, it's every day life....oh well. I'm scared of all the violence. It is everywhere and no one seems to mind. I see it being played on the play yard at the pre-school and it proves that the innocent think it's OK. I'm scared of the violence.
Even a cookie won't help me feel better.

5 comments:

  1. Kimby, pretty powerful writing my Dear Niece!

    I'm with you...I haven't been in a movie theatre in 25 years because of the gratuitous violence in Hollywood and I don't have a television either for the same reason...life is better without them, in my unasked for opinion.

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  2. Great blog,I knew you had it in you. I hope to see your name in publication one day soon.
    I'm with you on the violence.

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  3. You're so right. It seems like every movie tries to outdo previous movie violence for fear that the audience won't come. Sadly, these movie makers are probably correct in their thinking.

    I saw Dark Knight also, but I felt mentally prepared for it to be the darkest Batman/superhero movie ever because of the advance press that I'd been reading. I won't take "the kids" because there was very little redemption; and the line between good and evil was far too blurred.

    Teddy, the 9-year old, might be ok with it because we could discuss the violence and evil, but there's no reason he has to see it right now. It's also not feasible to take one kid to a movie without the others. I hope parents of pre-schoolers will consult reviews and seek word-of-mouth feedback before buying this movie ticket for thier kids

    I was pretty sure the police detective was not really dead. Still, I identified with the emotions of the wife in both cases: learning of his death, and then of his continued life. Indeed, I had also wished for a do-over like that. I wanted a second chance, the whole thing to be a big mix-up. If only life functioned in the same way.

    You really nailed it, Kim. I wrote a paper for a class - about 28 years ago - about television and kids. I found research even back then about how the violence can desensitize us - especially children. Now it's TV, movies, and video games - everywhere a child turns.

    If only having a cookie could fix this situation.

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  4. Hi Kim, I may be the odd man out here, but I actually enjoyed this movie! After being quite leary to see it..the joker was enough to scare me away, I ended up being quite entertained. I also brought everyone of my kids, ages 10, 12, and 18 respectively, and they as well enjoyed the movie, and were no worse for the ware. I definately would not reccomend taking younger children, as there are too many images, even violence aside..the joker for one, which would stick in a childs mind and produce many dreams, and not the happy kind!..We were able to watch the movie, be entertained, and not take it with us as we walked out. Except for a few immediate comments, that was the end of that. The movie "Freedomland" which was out a couple years ago, about a mother accused of killing her own child, was much more disturbing to me, and I did carry the affects of that movie out with me..my stress level must have been sky high, because as a mom, I just could not fathom and/or separate that kind of situation in real life, from what I was watching on the movie screen . I think different things affect us in different ways, at different times, and can be dependant upon circumstances, experiences, memories, etc..I'm not saying that violence won't always be looked upon unfavorably, but as you said, there were certain aspects of this movie that disturbed you more than others, and of which you were very passionate about describing.. and they were connected to life experiences.. So, in the words of my dear uncle..that is my "unasked" opinion. In closing, great job Kim, you have a knack for writing..keep it up..I have enjoyed reading all! Cousin Tami!

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  5. I think it is ironic. After Bandura's research on the effect of TV violence on children, we not only have more of it but there is little redemption and no condemnation of the violence. There is enough research to show that this kind contributes to the violence in our society. I won't go nor will I rent such a movie. I am also no longer watching cop shows like CSI or Cold Case. And I am no longer watching Heroes either. The lines of good and evil are blurred.

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