Preview

Violent Media Is Good for Kids

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1070 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Violent Media Is Good for Kids
VIOLENT MEDIA IS GOOD FOR KIDS
By Gerard Jones

In our class book Practical Argument, I chose “Violent Media is Good for Kids” by Gerard Joneson page 36. In this article Jones states and tries to prove that violent media is undeniably good for children. He challenges this by saying what he believes also how he grew up too passive because he was sheltered from the media. Upon hearing that the media has "lofty messages of pacifism and tolerance" (par.2), his mother had borrowed some comics for him to read. After reading the comics, he said that he followed Hulk for a while then switched to "more sophisticated heroes", in (par. 3) and "finally found my own lead along a twisting path to a career and an identity." (par. 3) Later on, his son was afraid to climb a tree, so Jones read the stories of Tarzan to his son. About a week or so, his son was climbing trees. In (par. 4) Jones has given other examples of children who used violent media to overcome their stressful and hurtful lives. In modern years, there has been dispute about whether or not children should view, or listen to violent media. In "Violent Media is Good for Kids" Gerard Jones says that we should. "When we try to protect our children from their own feelings and fantasies, we shelter them not against violence but against power and selfhood." Jones is right to say this; violent media can help kids if it is used in the right way rather than being abused. He does not include statistics to back-up his arguments and that is a downfall of Jones's article. He does however include examples as to why he believes that violent media is good for children. His examples maybe far-fetched, but when you think about it, he has a good point violent media is good for kids if used in a specific aspect. Therefore, instead of trying to keep the kids away from the media we should teach them how to use it correctly so that it is productive rather than



Cited: Laurie G. Kirszner, Stephen R. Mandell. Practical Argument A Text and Anthology. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin 's, 2011.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Gerard Jones’ “Violent Media Is Good for Kids” found in our text, Practical Argument, Jones argues that children should not be sheltered from violence. Gerard Jones discusses his own experiences growing up in a home that banned any violent media. He was a scared, introverted child in desperate need of help understanding the feelings he was taught to bottle up. When a few Incredible Hulk comics somehow made it past his parents and right into his eager hands he was a child reformed. The stories of the violent brute known as The Hulk gave Jones an outlet for his internal rage. Consequently, he became braver and happier with his new so called “fantasy self”.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cited: Wood, N. V. (2012). Perspectives on argument. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.…

    • 536 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In reading “Violent Media is Good for Kids”; by Gerard Jones, he doesn’t argue against the fact that some harm has come from violence in the media. However the author does convey the fact that he has first handedly seen the positive effects of well managed use of violence in different mediums. Mr. Jones has reinforced my view and opinion on violence in the media by informing me to the efforts of him and his colleague to help children use their natural feelings in a positive manner and find an enlightening outlet.…

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Violent Media Is Good For Kids,” Gerard Jones takes his position on how the comic books violence has led him to further develop as a person and inspire his career as a writer. In fact, he talked about how the Hulk led him out of passivity and loneliness as a young kid. But this is only about one person and not everybody else. Nobody is the same in this world.…

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gerard Jones, in “Violent Media is Good for Kids,” expresses personal experiences about how violent comic books can often help children break through their shells of self-isolation. Because Jones largely discusses his own opinions, I feel the essay should provide more statistical evidence to support his thoughts. Although I agree with his point that children do need to have an outlet to express their underlying rage, I think a boundary of how extreme we can allow children to stretch this idea needs to be set.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Violent Media is Good for Kids,” the author Gerard Jones claims that violent media is good for children because it prepares them for violence in reality and teaches them how to control with rage. He argues against people’s view of violent media being negative influence on children. This view suggests that it is important to keep children away from violent media because it promotes imaginary gun battles, killing, blood, and violent fighting. In response, the author argues that such violence in media can give children a tool to master their rage.…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Gerald Jones’ article “Violent Media is Good for Kids” contained in the book Practical Argument he uses logos to present his argument that the censorship on the emotions of children. The censorship of children from their own emotional tendencies is preventing them from exploring and understating themselves. Jones provides example of this by describing a little girl that had been acting out her anger in her writings and drawings. Adults that interacted in her life attempted to control the violent acts that she wrote about causing her to act out more. With the help of the little girls’ she was encouraged to express herself in her writings. This led to the girl to become more self-confident about herself and to channel her anger better.…

    • 226 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Academy of Pediatrics also offers some advice in this regard. They believe that media education can make a child “less susceptible to the bad effects of watching violent TV” (Bar-on and Rich). By educating the children about what goes on in their TV we put them at an advantage of being able to decipher what is good to watch and what’s not so good.…

    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Annotated Bibliography

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Foster Segal, Carolyn. “Copy This.” Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 307-10. Print.…

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    “Violent Media is good for Kids” is an article which attempts to persuade the reader that violence (if used in the correct manner) can help children more than it hurts them. Famous comic-book author Gerard Jones claims that gory video games, comics, and cartoons may do a thing or two in helping to increase a child’s self-confidence. Jones says ‘creative violence’ can help by “giving kids a tool to master their rage.”…

    • 1095 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In my opinion media shouldn't be held responsible for corrupting the society because there are many other factors which contribute to the corruption of younger kids in a society. Television, Music and video games are held responsible all the time when something goes wrong in a society regarding the kids. Factors like personal issues and lack of understanding and also the miscommunications between kids and the adults are other reasons which add up to the reasons for the "desensitization" of younger audiences. Regardless, media does have a negative impact on the society, especially the children`s, due to the popularity of media that is presented and promoted in our everyday life's. It allows younger viewers to believe that the media is more genuine than actual reality, therefore creating aggressiveness and attitude changes in youngsters, creating major impacts on the future of the society.…

    • 973 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Confliction

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In “Violent Media is Good for Kids,” Gerard Jones states and tries to prove that violent media is indeed good for children. He attempts this by saying that he believes, he grew up too passive because he was sheltered from the media. Hearing that the media has "lofty messages of pacifism and tolerance,” his mother borrowed some comics for him to read so he could learn about independence. After reading the comics he said that he followed Hulk for a while then switched to "more sophisticated heroes, “and "finally found my own lead along a twisting path to a career and an identity." Later on, his son was afraid to climb a tree, so Jones read the stories of Tarzan to his son. About a week or two later, his son was climbing trees. He also gives other examples of children who used violent media to overcome their stressful and hurtful lives. "When we try to protect our children from their own feelings and fantasies, we shelter them not against violence but against power and selfhood." Jones is right to say this; violent media can help kids if it is used in the right way rather than being abused. In recent years there's been dispute about whether or not children should view, or listen to violent media. In "Violent Media is Good for Kids" Gerard Jones says that we should. "When we try to protect our children from their own feelings and fantasies, we shelter them not against violence but against power and selfhood." Jones is right to say this; violent media can help kids if it is used in the right way rather than being abused. He doesn't include statistics to back-up his arguments and that is a downfall of Jones's essay. He does however include examples as to why he believes that violent media is good for children. His examples my not be credible, but when you think about it he has a good point: violent media is good for kids if used the right way. So instead of trying to keep the kids away from the media we should…

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Paragraph 11,12. Jones identifies that every aspect in the trashiest pop-culture story can help with the development such as in the comics. Pretending to be superheroes with superhuman powers helps kids negotiate the conflicts between the inner self and the public self as the learn socialization. Jones also said that it is very important to identify comics as “creative violence” because during the process of growing the kids are getting trust in themselves by imagining that they are superheroes and with the superpowers that they have they can apply it against life’s…

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The APA clearly states that children should not be watching TV due to the massive amount of violence shown on TV today. Research has shown that "children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others; may be more fearful of the world around them; and may be more likely to behave in aggressive or harmful ways towards others" (161). It articulates in the APA that children who apparently watch a lot of TV are less prone to violent acts and are less sensitive to viewing them. Also something researchers notice was chidden who were in elementary school and watched violent shows tend to have a higher level of aggressive behavior when they became teenagers. What scientists are recommending now is that parents should actually sit down with their child and at least watch one episode of the show that their children is watching so, they are aware of what their children are watching and they will be able to talk about it with them.…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    An article called “Violent Media is Good for Kids,” that was written by Gerard Jones, a renowned comic- book author, is arguing that violent media can be helpful for children, rather than be harmful. He talks about how parents don’t take the time to look at how helpful violent media can be for their child. Violence can encourage children to learn how to reach for their own inner power that they may have never been able to find before. Children as they grow up can learn the positives and negatives of violence, which can help them later on in their future choices. As for with “creative violence-head bonking cartoons, bloody videogames, playground karate, ty guns- give children a tool to master their rage”, this term is correlated to the idea…

    • 2033 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays