Violence and negative social themes in TV serials

My parents are totally addicted to the Tamil Soaps that are aired on SUN , Jaya etc.Starting from 12 pm , their retired life is ruled by these serials.Lunch happens between one of these.The short period in the afternoon is utilized to quickly whip up a dinner for the family so that after 7pm till 11pm they can watch their favorite stories uninterrupted.

I found this a big pain when I came to visit my parents.I felt really bugged that they could not give up half-an-hour for me. My days in Bangalore would be spent watching these sopas with them - mouth open in shock.

"We will miss what's happened you know and find it hard to follow ..." they would say apologetically. I had to time my calls to India according to which serial was not playing!!

The other day I called home and was really surprised to get a very earger-to-talk-mother on the phone.I asked her tongue-in-cheek about certain lives going for a toss if she talked too long with me and she said , to my amazement , that she has stopped watching any of the serials.Dad and she took the decision to do so.I was happy but curious to know the reason.She told me that the level of negativity , violence and brutality shown in these everyday soaps had made them so sick of the whole thing that they decided to stop watching.

I was not surprised at all.I remember my late mother-in-law was similarly addicted to such serials and when I used to sit with her and watch atrocities committed by daughter-in-laws or mother-in-laws against each other , I felt very uncomfortable.

These soaps play right into the living rooms of families.At times even children watch these.There is no rating which says who can watch the serials.These serials are all about families - but families which plot against each other and murder one another - poison each other and even sell children !! These are shown to as "normal" happenings in "families". Most of them literally teach new ways in which to commit crime !

I personally feel that seeing such things numbs the minds of people and maybe desensitises them to the extent hearing about a murder somewhere does not make them feel shocked anymore.They are used to it.Maybe that is why we see middle-class families so easliy committing murders.A techie kills his wife slitting the throat like he was always used to it ! Have we not read such stuff wondering how one can even think of harming someone let alone do it ? I am sure these unmoderated soaps are responsible for all this.Such continual , day-to-day negativity can harm the psychological well-being of people.Seeing happy and positive things makes you want to live and do good things in your life.It makes you feel motivated.Negative thoughts and actions cannot do so.

Violence does not have to be bombing , killing etc - even thoughts , plots , behaviors which are brutal can be termed violent.Then how can these be suitable for children ? And how can watching these be good for people?

Like my parents ultimately felt , maybe others too will stop watching soaps with negative social themes and soon some good may prevail.Who knows ? At least , I am happy now !!