MB, Higher Moral Stand in Movie and TV Industry

MB, Higher Moral Stand in Movie and TV Industry

The Muslim Brotherhood’s commitment to an ethical and moral individual and society is significant, as the amount of gun-related, sex-related and violent crime escalate . There is a noticeable link between violence and corruption and the messages that are portrayed in films and other forms of media.

Some people argue that to stem the tide of violence and perversion in society, gun laws should be tightened to make guns less readily available, while others feel that the culture of violence fed by the film industry should be changed.

In films and video games, violence and perversion are often portrayed as not only acceptable, but glamorous and frequent viewing tends to desensitize people . The use of guns and violence in conflict situations or even the random use of aggression is becoming common practice. Films and TV shows have a significant effect on how people think  and these days, the media is lowering the threshold to violence and aggression in people who, ordinarily, may not be violent at all. Violent video games actually reward the player for his or her aggression, while films glamorize sadism, aggression, sexual deviancy and violent behavior.

Research conducted by the American Psychological Society that violence seen in movies, television, and video games can increase the risk of people acting aggressively both immediately and over a long period of time .

Movies and television programs teach people that violence is the best way to solve problems and with the increasing amount of time that people spend watching films and TV programs the effect is steadily increasing and this is manifested in soaring crime rates.

The importance of introducing morality into film production is also relevant in terms of the widespread use of pornographic material and the question of whether this has rewired the male brain , affecting man’s judgment and causing him to find it difficult to control his impulses. Experts suggest that pornography desensitizes men sexually. There is also data indicating that the effect of pornography on the brain is very similar to other addictive stimulants like drug use and gambling.

The Brotherhood advocates decency, morality and ethics in the every day life of the individual, on the societal level, in the political arena and in media productions through Ikhwan Cinema. The MB addresses issues like morality and corruption. Ikhwan Cinema also aims at endorsing locally-produced films that reflect the status quo under the Mubarak regime and the determination of the people not to return to oppression and corruption.

Those who produce movies and TV shows have a great responsibility and directly influence how people think and behave. At the same time, the principle of ‘supply and demand’ is relevant as producers will only make films and shows that people want to watch. This means that individuals and organizations, by educating people about the harmful effects of unethical and immoral media, can change the kind of material that is produced. In this context, the stance of the MB in wanting to reward and facilitate tasteful, artistic and ethical films, not sadism, violence, immorality and corrupt practices, is highly significant.