Argument Analysis of the Article on Violent Media - Paper Example

The essay Violent Media is Good for Kids by Gerard Jones talks about the benefits of various forms of creative violence such as bloody video games to children. Unlike the numerous critiques against such violent media, Gerard claims that violent media is beneficial to kids. Moreover, the author gives an account of his encounter with material that preached pacifism and tolerance to a young audience. He, however, derived pleasure in the violent scenes as contained in these materials and these were beneficial to his effort to overcome loneliness and fear.

It is in the authors interest to demystify claims that nothing worthwhile can come from violent media. Often, children are afraid to venture into the unknown thanks to their parents efforts to shield them from looming dangers. Gerard observes that children are entrapped by feelings of powerlessness.' Regardless of the amount of parental protection or their status in the society, children have feelings of rage (Jones, Gerard). Since the world is naturally uncontrollable and incomprehensible, children are terrified at the thought of mastering it. Thanks to violent media such as imaginary combat, children can put the rage that they had initially harbored into useful use. Evidently, the author targets parents to young children. These parents hold a different opinion from his hence the use of several examples to substantiate his claims. For instance, the author gives the example of the little girl who evoked other parents concerns over her obsession with stories of people being stabbed with knives. It is a story with a happy ending with the sole intention of persuading those that associate violent media with negativity to jump ship.

The author uses first person narration to air his views. He begins the essay by giving an account of his personal experience to not only hook the reader but also to emphasize the validity of his opinions. He goes further to narrate his sons experience with violent media and proves its efficiency. In his narration, Gerard uses real-life examples to dispel any feelings of doubt. He incorporates personal experiences in his narrative to gain his audiences attention and utmost trust. For instance, the case of an older girl who enjoyed gangsta rap so much that it saw her through a chaotic family situation and the adolescent stage informs readers that this essay is not fictitious (Jones, Gerard). These personal experiences are in the authors favor since his audience witnesses the benefits of violent media through these examples.

Interestingly, the Gerard refuses to consider the arguments against his claim. Despite his efforts to meticulously defend his stance, he devotes a few lines from the entire essay to mentioning the ill that accompanies violent entertainment. He acknowledges that violent media has steered some individuals into committing real-life violence. However, Gerard seems to disregard this negative influence. He deems them as non-issues since every wrong-doing that is instigated by violent media is countered by hundreds of benefits of the same violent entertainment. Therefore, a reader is inadequately trained on the opposing viewpoints.

One of the rhetorical techniques in this essay is the allusion. The writer likens his son to a Power Ranger; one of the five characters in the American superhero film titled Power Rangers.' Here, Gerard pays homage to this movie that enabled him to overcome the fear of tree-climbing. A persuasive tone overrides the essay. From the beginning, the author preaches that violent media is instrumental in helping children to overcome their fears. His paragraphs urge parents to dare to allow their children to engage in violent entertainment. For instance, the line every aspect of pop culture story can have its developmental function (Jones, Gerard) indicates pessimism on the violent medias potential for positive influence; inherently persuading people to embrace the same. The author demonstrates appeal to ethos when he seeks to prove his credibility and mastery of the topic under discussion. He indicates that violent media worked in his favor and empowered him to write action movies that have since been turned into action figures and computer games. This technique works in his favor by building the readers confidence in his believability and prowess. An appeal to pathos is displayed when the author narrates his personal experience with fear and loneliness. The essay is bustling with stories of emotional events with the intent to evoke sympathy and understanding. He invites the reader to the ills that characterize the world before the discovery of violent media. Through pathos, Gerard captures the readers attention and orders that the subject matter is treated with the deserved seriousness. The writer demonstrates an appeal to logos through factual citations. He gives an account of real-life experiences. Additionally, the writer he indicates his efforts in conducting a study on the use of violent stories as a means of catering to childrens developmental and emotional needs. This way, his arguments are logical and believable to the reader.

All in all, I do not subscribe to Gerards school of thought. It is unfair for a parent to expose their children to any form of violence; media violence included. Children should be shielded from any negativity until such an age that they are capable and free to choose what to watch after much reasoning. Research indicates that kids who are introduced to various forms of violence are more likely to exhibit violent behavior by imitation. They may want to attempt dangerous stunts that may cause them bodily harm thanks to intense media exposure. Therefore, violent media is not okay for kids.

Work Cited

Jones, Gerard. "Violent Media Is Good For Kids." Mother Jones, 2017, http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2000/06/violent-media-good-kids-0.