What Dominates Children in American Culture?

American culture is dominated by the media which is causing children to become lazy, violent, and less stimulated mentally. Children are influenced by everything that touches their lives. So it’s no surprise that the media plays a major role in molding children. In The Twilight of American Culture, Morris Berman believes that Americans are affected by the decline in the schools systems and are less motivated to read challenging books for stimulating their brain, instead they choose to spend hours watching television and playing video games.
Since parents tend to use the television to babysit their children, instead of spending time to get them active, is causing children to become lazy. Obesity is on the rise in American among children. Since children are constantly watching television they are no longer getting adequate exercise.
Although television and video games are not one hundred percent responsible for causing children to become aggressive, it still plays a role in forming their aggression. Some children can already have aggression problems, however by watching the violence portrayed in video games and television, they become more willing to express that aggression out on others. Watching too much television can also cause children to become less mentally stimulated. Children would rather receive information instantly instead of taking the time to develop their own view by reading. Berman explains that because kids watch so much television their attention span is decreasing. He also expresses the surprise that some college students he interviewed had never taken the time to read a novel.
The media is affecting children lives in numerous ways. Although Berman main argument is that the American culture is becoming illiterate mostly because of the education system, I disagree to some degree. I believe that the main cost starts at home, and causes effects that expand beyond illiterate children in American.