Batman The Brave and The Bold is an animated series about superheroes who team up to conquer various villains around the world. They fight, they torture, and they kill (or so we are led to believe). Rarely is Batman punished for his physical crimes. Actually, in most cases he leaves the scene or is rewarded. Perhaps this is because he is supposed to be a "good guy." Although, for a good guy, he's just as violent and threatening as the bad guys (click below to see).
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fights are on an entirely different end of the spectrum. These men prepare and train and, obviously, are real people. They bruise, they bleed, they break. We see the sweat and the physical damage happen instantly. Also, we see the reaction of the crowd - fear, excitement, nervousness. It is very different from an animated fight.
However, the amount of violence is comparable.
Within the first few seconds of Batman, punches are thrown and swords are pulled out. This is similar to a UFC fight where the action begins as soon as the referee says "Let's get it on!" Physical violence is by far the most common type of violence featured in both shows: punching, kicking, one-on-one attacks. While UFC does not have a "good guy vs. bad guy" role, there are definitely fan favorites, those fighters who you can really hear the crowd cheering for.
Another commonality between Batman and the UFC fight is the intimidation factor. Even though they both go about it in different ways, both try and scare their competitors. In Batman, it's with subtle phrases like, "You want chaos? Outsiders assemble!" or images of an enormous army heading towards Batman's location. UFC fighters intimidate their competition through their main entrance. Their name comes across the screen in big, bold letters, their flag is displayed, music plays, and, in some cases, pyrotechnics are used. Their facial expressions are strong, aggressive and focused. On the voiceover we hear the panel discussing their past wins and strengths while footage of old fights is played.
Another intimidation factor that exists in the UFC world is the sounds: the crowds, the hits and kicks, the referee, and, for the television viewers, the panel's commentary. These things do not exist in cartoon violence. This is one of the first noticeable differences between the cartoon and the fight. UFC fighters are surrounded by people. This could be their greatest triumph or their weakest link. The fans cheer and shout out advice but also boo and taunt. Even the referees offer some verbal encouragement towards a more action packed fight.
Of course, the most important difference is the reality of injury. While Batman can be covered in melting bronze and frozen in place in a large ice cube, he walks away without a scratch. He doesn't bleed, he doesn't break, and he never seems to get weak, despite numerous fights and even being outnumbered 10 to 1. UFC fighters, on the other hand, do bleed and break and get weak. They quickly are stitched up in the corner or suffer through the oozing blood in order to earn their titles. They become scarred.
In the instance of Rizzo versus Couture, a small scratch on the nose, after several punches, resulted in blood covered bodies. They sweat. They shake. Their skin turns red after a few kicks. The link below shows footage from the fight - you can hear the cheering crowd and referee and, obviously, see the physical violence they inflict on one another.
It is this reality that is concerning to the violence shown in cartoons. Cartoons are made, largely, for children. They watch these action shows and see that you can fight your way to the top and not get in trouble, instead you get rewarded. They see no broken bones or bloody noses but an indestructible figure who only seems to get stronger in each episode. Modeling theory would suggest that children would mimic the behaviors they see on TV in real world situations. Furthermore, desensitization theory suggests that after viewing these action cartoons or referreed fights that the audience would become less effected by seeing a real life fight. This could lead to serious injury if no one is affected enough to stop the violence going on around them. I know of a high school student who goes to a public school in Jacksonville where he says fights happen weekly but, for the most part, people just stand around with their camera phones waiting to see who wins. Are teenagers that desensitized to violence already? Disinhibition theory says that the more an audience sees something the more likely the would be to engage in whatever viewed activity, this could also be applied to media violence. According to cultivation theory, heavy media viewers may develop "mean world syndrome" based on the violence they see.
Bottom line, television violence is always going to affect different audiences in different ways. Children may see it as more "real world" than a thirty-year-old woman would. Teenagers with violent tendencies may use violent media to model behavior after or, conversely, teenagers without violent tendencies may be so sensitized that they have no interest in violence and change the channel. The average twenty-something male would be more interested in a UFC fight than a hero saves the world cartoon scenario. Young adults and mature adults alike are more likely to see an action cartoon or a wrestling match as a form of entertainment than a source for what reality is like. There is also a difference in how girls and boys may react and be influenced. Presumably, males would be more entertained and likely to tune in than females.
Mediated violence is becoming even more popular and, with all the news types of media, more common. We can now record or buy episodes and watch as many times as we like (I did for the purpose of this blog!). And as we become more and more desensitized to violence, networks and studios will only increase the drama and the blood. Even music videos are becoming more violent. It seems that, even in today's society where so many violent real world activities are occurring, people still want to see the hero defeat the villain.
Mediated violence is becoming even more popular and, with all the news types of media, more common. We can now record or buy episodes and watch as many times as we like (I did for the purpose of this blog!). And as we become more and more desensitized to violence, networks and studios will only increase the drama and the blood. Even music videos are becoming more violent. It seems that, even in today's society where so many violent real world activities are occurring, people still want to see the hero defeat the villain.
