"Space Bound:" Eminem’s Latest Violent Music Video

Eminem has released yet another controversial music video, this time for “Space Bound.” The video is very graphic and violent, much like his previous controversial video for “Love the Way You Lie,” which featured the same director as “Space Bound” and helps to explain the violent pattern. The two music videos share in graphic violence of a specific form: domestic violence. Eminem’s first violent video received a lot of flak for its extremely provocative topic. Not only that, Rihanna, who co-stars in the video, is herself a real-life victim of domestic violence. Now the domestic violence of this latest video is even more disturbing than the last because it is paired with suicide.

In “Space Bound,” Eminem strangles his cheating lover (Sasha Grey) and then fatally shoots himself in the head. There is a strange dual concept in the video because the scenes keeping switching between normal and nonviolent to extremely violent ones. So, it may be that Eminem is only having visions of him killing his girlfriend before killing himself. However, the video could be interpreted in many different ways, thus adding some complexity to the violence.

It’s getting a little old and annoying that so many music artists employ strong negative content in their videos. It seems that these videos can be appreciated only for their artistic value and not for any joy derived from them. Perhaps people can find an entertainment value in the music videos; they are like mini-movies, after all. Yet the videos are a reminder that such negativity exists in the world and that there is little we can do about it.

Many parenting groups have negative opinions about the music video. A spokeswoman for Mothers Against Violence, the most outspoken group so far, said, "People who do this are really quite evil. Children are influenced by the things they see. If we feed violence, it becomes strong. Like an addiction. It's all about the money with these videos. Eminem isn't thinking about the families affected. It's selfish – it comes to a point when selfishness becomes evil."

Yet what exactly do they expect? Eminem does not sing for children; he sings for adults. It is obvious that his music videos will cater to adults. Furthermore, it’s the responsibility of parents to oversee what their children watch or do. It is certainly not the responsibility of the media to control what children watch or do. And if violence is taken out of music videos just for the sake of children, then violence will also be taken out of music videos for adults. For parenting groups to suggest that artists must always think about the children, and not the adults, is absurd and immature. Adults can choose what they want to watch, even if it is completely violent or negative. If that’s what floats their boat, then let it be. Members of parenting groups cannot parent everyone, but they can parent their own children. Their mission is ridiculous and foolish. They are the ones that have some growing up to do.