Little personal space and TV violence causes aggression

JAKARTA (JP): Teenagers are destructive because of factors ranging from lack of personal space to excessive exposure to television violence, observers say.

Noted film critic and military observer Salim Said, retired police general Koesparmono Irsan, and film director Slamet Rahardjo explored here Thursday the roots of social unrest from their individual perspectives.

Each offered a discussion an explanation for why young people joined aggressive activities like the street rallies that were prevalent during the recent election campaign period.

About 100 people, mostly researchers and educators, attended National Institute of Sciences' discussion.

Salim said an absence of local arts festivals forced people to turn to street rallies to express themselves.

"Arts festivals give people room to be creative," he said. "Taking part in cultural exhibitions and arts performances could reduce people's aggressiveness."

He said many youths took part in street rallies for fun and to be creative, not because they supported political parties.

He said he believed that if there were more arts festivals, there would be fewer people in street rallies.

He also criticized television stations whose staple sex and violence broadcasts limited viewers' choices.

"Teenagers need an alternative channel to improve their appreciation of art," he said.

He said state-run television station TVRI should offer more cultural programs as a way of returning people's television taxes.

He said people had abandoned TVRI because it was so undecided about whether to offer quality cultural programs, or commercial ones.

Salim is also Jakarta Arts Council's head, he called for the government to give more funds for local cultural festivals, to increase appreciation of local culture.

Slamet Rahardjo also said excessive television violence was to blame for teenagers' poor cultural tastes and their aggressive tendencies. He said a recent item on the news about a petty thief who was seriously beaten up, was an example.

"To murder or rape is sadistic. But those who broadcast violence in a detailed and continuous manner are more sadistic," he said.

Koesparmono is a National Commission on Human Rights member, he said population growth and the subsequent reduction in physical and emotional space was to blame.

"They have to jostle in public transportation. They sometimes risk being killed as they hang out of bus doors," he said.

"There is increasingly less room for self expression as well," he said.

"Combine this situation with the widening social gap, and you'll find teenagers who are inclined to aggression." (11)