Critique on Do Video Games Kill? This article “Do Video Games Kill” by Karen Sternheimer addresses the wide spread idea; video games are the cause for “young killers” (210). Sternheimer believes concern for the influence video games may have on youth is spiraling out of control. She put most of the blame for this out of control concern on the media. She also writes some about politicians and the Juvenile Justice system.
Courtney Kemp Mrs. Cooley Eng 3133-06 15 February 2012 Video Games Cause Violence: Fact or Fiction “Do Video Games Kill?” by Karen Stenheimer was a very interesting article. The main goal of the entire article was to inform the reader that congress has blamed the video game companies for violence that happens on a school campus. The article gives many examples to why video games are a threat to the younger generation. It also shows why the games lead to violence in the school setting. I personally do not agree with the article.
Summary of Do Video Games Kill by Karen Stemheimer In the commentary, “Do Video Games Kill”, Karen Sternheimer brings to light an interesting and incredibly controversial subject; are video games to blame for youth gun violence? She maintains that due to many biased opinions; political, religious and advocacy groups, the media have failed to provide ample information to the public resulting in the inability to form an educated opinion, in turn causing a mass hysteria resulting in tougher security guidelines in schools, stricter juvenile laws and far less personal and parental responsibility. An incredibly popular first person shooter video game, Doom, is ripe with gratuitous violence. So much so that it has been blamed for several mass shootings, perpetrated by middle-class, white, young-adult males. The media, politicians, advocacy groups as well as the FBI are steadfast in claiming that the only rational explanation is that of the individuals falling prey to the aggression inciting video game.
Individuals entering the armed forces have to play certain video games to wear down their guard to killing other people. Games such as this are used to develop a person’s “will to kill” by doing the task over and over again until it feels natural to the individual.These types of games are often referred to as “murder simulators” (Grossman). The school shooting at Columbine High School also happened as a result of two boys playing a video game known as, Postal. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were known gamers and on April 20, 1999, they decided to act out all the terrors they had been playing in their video games. The two boys murdered twelve students, one teacher, and injured 21 other people.
Rhetorical Analysis of John Leo’s article, “When Life Imitates Video” Throughout his article, John aims to convince his audiences that violence in gaming has an adverse effect, rippling through children and jeopardizing their well-being. From the beginning, he utilizes vivid imagery to portray horrifying scenes into the Colorado massacre. Along with a chilling description, he indicates that two shooters indulge in the simulated killings which desensitize themselves to actual violence. His purpose is to demonstrate greater correlations between playing murder games and aggressive actions. To further strengthen his insight, he cites Los Angeles Times that address their aggressive behaviors by imitating murder-violence modeled on the game.
16. Increasing gun control laws won’t work as proven here as Alexis was using a shotgun he assembled, and later, a pistol that he took from a downed security guard. His peers knew he had a very bad addiction for violent video games involving guns. The fact that he was an anti-social 35- year-old man increased theories that video games have an influence toward gun violence. Aggression is the reason behind gun-violence and video games bring that aggression out,”(Studies Suggest Complex Link Between Guns, Violent Video Games).
In his essay, “Video Games Are Responsible for Increased Youth Violence,” author Ron Moten uses his experience working with troubled teenagers to uncover the negative effects of violent media. The problem he identifies is that violent media is responsible for desensitizing youth to violence, hence increasing crime in our society. Motten assumes his readers are educated and sympathetic, but uninformed of the threats posed by violent media. His purpose in his essay is to raise awareness of a connection between violent media and increased crime in society and to convince the audience that violent media needs to be regulated by laws. To achieve his purpose, Moten mainly uses ethos to appeal to his readers.
Marissa Vidales Professor Giedd ENGRD 310 28 March 2015 Killology David Grossman, once a professor of Psychology, Military Science, and a former U.S. Army Ranger, founded the recent study of “Killology.” His study investigates the causation of the root to violent action, crime, and the healing process victims of violence must undergo. His article, We Are Training Our Kids to Kill, indicates a child’s delicate demeanor is persuaded by a more erratic behavior exposed through aggressive media and/or propaganda (centering videogames). The question is, do the stems of violence root from the constant ferocious bond between videogames and children? Grossman’s ideology is plausible given the multitude of knowledge, originating from his attending
Effects of Violent Video Games on Children's Behavior Leslie De La Rosa COM/156 University Composition and Communication II October 28, 2012 Monica Desir Effects of Violent Video Games on Children's Behavior In 1999, students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold began firing weapons at fellow students and teachers at Columbine High School, killing 12 students and one teacher. One of the reasons blamed for their behavior was playing the video game Doom. Other violent acts and deaths have been blamed on other video games with a high content of violence, such as Manhunt and Grand Theft Auto. This started a national debate on several topics including the effects that violent video games have on our children. Violent video games can lead to an increase aggressive behavior in children if parents do not make it clear that the behavior exhibited in these games is inappropriate.
The two shooters were avid gamers; they were fans of the game Doom. This game consisted of one player trying to fight off demon like characters. The levels in the game were called episodes. The third and final episode was titled “Hell.” Their fixation on these video games and the violence in them desensitized them to the point of them plotting out this horrible massacre and acting out in aggression. Just like these two kids, Michael Hernandez mimicked his killing from something he had seen.