Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/85

Contributor - Peter Kamminga

Title - Rock Videos: Phenomenon of the 1980's Should They be Censored - Part 2

Topic - Youth

Most of you may be familiar with the story of Bernard Goetz. Are you equally familiar with the movie Death Wish and Death Wish II? The main character in these movies (the hero!) takes revenge and the law into his own hands. The actions of Bernard Goetz are very similar it may seem, to those of the character in the movies. So then how much influence did these movies have on Mr. Goetz? Some say that by seeing a rock video the images are burned into the brain as you hear the music and the lyrics. When you hear the song again those same images drift back to mind. It is felt that an already troubled individual is most vulnerable to adopting undesirable behaviour as their own. Fears are that teens will try to emulate the group they enjoy most. Some feel that teens will copy the actions they witness in rock videos, possibly witnessed many, many times, while not fully aware of the technology behind them.

Hopefully you now understand the phenomenon of rock videos just a little better. I've really only Scratched the surface. The deeper one looks, the more one uncovers, and in a short article such as this one, many ideas must be omitted. I would encourage you to explore the issue further before making a decision. Remember it is dangerous to condemn or condone something of which we know little. The decision I speak of is the question at the beginning, "Should rock videos be censored?"

Mankind is a very fragile commodity. We all grow according to our surroundings and how these surroundings affect us. Statistics say that the average Canadian watches 23.5 hours of television per week. Clearly the 'box' affects the way our teens think, feel and act. As I have pointed out, the potential that rock videos possess is frightening. They can easily be manipulated and abused. But this is not to say that all rock videos are harmful. Therefore, to maintain creativity in the video medium, it is suggested that the best approach is a cultural defense rather than a legal one. One thing about us humans is that we always feel that our kids won't be affected, only others' kids. Rather than pushing for censorship, we need to better understand ourselves and how we are affected by viewing subliminal images and messages and learn how to guard against such.

Besides, do we censor just the video, or the album cover, or the lyrics or the artist's performance in concert as well? While sex and violence should not be necessary to sell record albums, let us remain realistic. This is television we are dealing with, an industry involving billions of business dollars so I doubt we will ever see these elements completely banished from the screen. Not even if all the Christian and right-living people of the nation stood up and demanded it! It is realistic to expect that to happen?

What we need is education. We need to teach the viewer, the listener that they can enjoy the music and rhythms but not buy the sexist and violence messages of the song and/or video. Although classifying videos may seem futile, by classification and information to the public (parents and their teenagers), in the long run greater progress will be made. This can be done with labels on records and cassettes informing the buyer of the type of contents, as well as distributing appropriate literature. It is much easier to inform the public of lyrical and visual contents than to fight over the rights of the artists to freedom of expression.

Besides, whose job is it to make sure that what your children watch is worthwhile? Christian parents need to get down to the nitty-gritty of what is 'Christ-like' behaviour and what is going with the flow in our accommodating lifestyles of the 80's. Recently, while restating an old belief, I feel Billy Idol (a controversial video performer who admits going to extremes to attract an audience) summed the issued up best when he said, "The best way to censor anything on your television is to turn it off!"

Editor's Note: I Corinthians 10:23, 24, 31: "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful; but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbour... So whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

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