Parental Guidance is Advised:
The Sound of Music (the movie) is much like those Hallmark movies that are safe for the entire family to watch. In other words, there is nothing in there that would be harmful to children.
Horror Movies are different because it contains scenes that could trigger nightmares or irrational fear. These movies often have bloody scenes, death, the most gruesome murders and evil. The gorier the scenes, the more interest people have in watching them. As humans, we seem to have a morbid fascination with "blood and gore." But we never or try not to expose our children to movies that contain violence, foul language or sexual scenes. Horror movies don't often have sexual scenes, as their focus is on evil forces.
Art imitating life:
I used to think that life imitates art, but looking at the world around me today, I think it's the other way around.
Think about it, in a society where racism flourishes unabated, Black and Brown children often witness or are victims of the most extreme forms of violence against themselves or people who look like them. They are exposed to constant rejection of them being able to move about freely. The violence and intimidation meted upon their bodies by police officers is another alarming aspect of the trauma (often daily) that they have to endure. The mental and psychological damage seems never-ending.
Yet, as a society, we don't see this! Instead, we choose to pretend that everything is ok, that Black and Brown children could live healthy, happy lives if only they stopped playing violent games or watching movies that have age restrictions. It is a lie we tell ourselves whilst seeing yet another online video of police brutality.
The video showing the late George Floyd's murder was shared and viewed multiple times, and children saw it because they have social media accounts.
On the other hand, children who live with white supremacists are privy to the hatred their parents' harbour for Black and Brown people. Whilst their trauma is different, it is still a trauma based on hate and anger.
It shouldn't surprise us when young people like Kyle Rittenhouse feel they can take up arms and "defend property" even if that defence involves murder because he was socialized into believing in white supremacy and the violence it takes to maintain that.
It saddens me that people who behave this way can object to a violent movie while ignoring the violence that is so prevalent in society. It is not only hypocritical but cognitively dissonant of them.
We need parental guidance within our society, not only in movies.
Hate breeds more hate!
