Some people argue that the music a person listens to influences their actions. We hear about this in regards to movies, television, and video games. The reason I bring this up is because the camp Ishmael is now living in continually tries to influence Ishmael's thinking.
What are the things Ishmael is told over and over? What is always on the television? How would these influences work to encourage Ishmael to fight? What in Ishmael's life so far would encourage him to fight?
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People are only influenced by music, t.v, and video games when they are in an environment of extreme stress and can't tell themsleves wether something is right or wrong. These things can be used to numb the pain with humor or just be a distraction from the real world. He joins the military because he wants revenge on the rebels for what they did to his family. Ishmael is told over and over again that each rebel had a part in killing his family and it is his duty to serve his country.
ReplyDeleteI agree with City Strider Ishmael was told that the rebels had everything to do with the death of his parents. Things we listen to and act on are printed in our mind and personality. Rap was a positivea way out of his misery. For some it's dance,singing,art,and many other substitutes.I think Ishmael went sour when his cassettes were melted some of his anger leaked out. It could have been fuel to fight
ReplyDeleteand kill in the army.
In the army he was also exposed to violent war movies like Rambo. Ishmael's friend even tried out some of Rambo's moves on the battlefield. This just goes to show television affects your actions and lives.
Ishmael is told continually that the rebels were responsible for his parents death, so he starts thinking that all the time. All that's on T.V. is war movies, so he doesn't get the chance to think about other things besides war and death. That would cause him to want to fight the rebels...all the drugs didn't help either. The drugs made them not care about who they were killing, and it made them focused on killing.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with City Strider. I think people can be influenced by music, but only if they're really stressed. If people listen to "bad" music, like rap or hip-hop, they're not goning to just go and rob a bank. I listen to lots of different music and I'm still the same. If someone listens to a bunch of music that talks about killing and says it's cool, and if that person is in the war (like Ismael) they might really want to kill people. Also, Television could do the same thing. I think that if a kid has never been touched by war and they listen to music about killing, they probably aren't going to go around shooting people. That shows that music and television can, and connot change actions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with City Strider, gingerbear, SCHLEKAT=D=D, and Alli! That is true that people's bad actions can be influenced by music, tv, and video games when they're under a lot of stress because they can't tell the difference between the right and wrong choices. They are told over and over that they have to fight and kill every single rebel because they all were a part of the departure of their families. A lot of the things that they have seen or heard or experienced is pretty much burnt into their minds all until they have been rehabilitated.
ReplyDeleteIshamel is told over and over again that it's the rebel's fault. Dead family? The rebels. Dead friends? The rebels. Your pet kitty died? The rebels. You stubbed your toe? Obviously it was the rebels. After enough of this even the strongest of wills will break. It's just to much to fight. You just plain stop.
ReplyDeleteHe is basicly told over and over to kill the rebels, because they killed his family. On the television the children are always watching war movies like Rambo, and First Blood. The veteran soldiers use the war movies to give the children the sense that war is a good thing, and to erase the fact in thier brains that killing is immoral. It's basicly erasing the line that they know between right and wrong. What keeps them fight ing is the movies, drugs, thier own friends (in the sense that they keep fighting and think it's fun), and the older soldiers. It's a very sad thing.
ReplyDelete