Synthesis Essay

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Synthesis Essay

The article, ‘Violent Media is Good for Kids’ by Gerald Jones advocates that violent media is not solely harming children, rather it is also proving to be instrumental from a psychoanalytic and emotional perspective. Violent media assists in the release of some significant emotions and this process is vital for the strengthening of confidence and self-esteem in many kids. In the contemporary world, the adults constantly shelter their kids against violence which renders them unable to face reality and detach their true feelings from the society. Jones also propounds his increasingly controversial argument in which he maintains that violence and its forms in media are actually doing more good than harm and if the effects are harnessed properly, many children can blossom into dynamic citizens of the society. The writer further depicts his own experience of childhood and goes on to deploy his son’s story in the pursuit of attaining some credibility on his perspective on this sensitive matter CITATION Jon00 \l 1033 (Jones). In conclusion, Jones asserts that for the healthy development of a child, entertainment based on violent media, for instance, toy guns, karate, and videogames brimming with violent graphics is necessary.

In the second source, ‘When Life Imitates Video’, John Leo strives to address and respond to those arguments which are contextually defending violent video games. In this article, a multitude of instances of school shootings is presented whereby Leo makes his case and stresses on the need for an explicit action against violent media CITATION Leo99 \l 1033 (Leo). Stating the examples of two school shootings, Paducah, Ky and Colorado massacre, Leo opines that the potential psychological effects of various violent video games mirror the hostile military strategies. The author of this article does not believe that violent media is just another source of entertainment rather he places specific emphasis on the fact that this a larger problem than many may think.

In the first source, there is a sheer lack of pieces of evidence in author’s point of view, and the readership is largely unconvinced with his argument. The second argument is backed up with specific and poignant examples, making the latter case stronger in its convincing ability.

As far as the undecided parents are concerned, there is a high correlation between violent media and video games and the resultant violent behavior in children. Although parents are primarily responsible for keeping an eye on the forms of entertainment that their children are indulging in, the social and popular culture also plays a pivotal role in shaping the tendencies of children regarding entertainment. Parents are highly dependent on sources other their own upbringing for the betterment of their children and videogames is one true example of this source. During the most part of the day, parents are busy in their own struggles and are unable to take productive time out of their busy routines for their children. Resultantly, the society as a whole becomes chiefly dependent on these easy sources. Many children who are not able to release their emotions adequately in their childhood also depend on violent media to vent the deep-rooted frustration and rage.

Parents should always have an adequate amount of knowledge which takes a leap beyond conventional wisdom before allowing or forbidding violent forms of entertainment, specifically violent video games to their children. Children have impressionable brains and if they are only left with video games all through the day, this will undoubtedly have adverse effects on the well-being of the child. Additionally, this will also pose a barrier between the maintenance of a healthy relationship between a child and his parents. A priming effect, whereby exposure to a specific stimulus strengthens and fortifies responsive attitudes to subsequent stimuli of the same nature has been observed in many children who spend a larger portion of their day playing video games. Thinking about specific instances of aggression from a violent video game, a significant portion of the child’s grey matter gets primed by aggressive and violent thoughts. Consequently the child’s responses get highly serious even in the case of a mild provocation. Similarly, parents need to know that over-exposure of their children to a fantasy world, where violence is a common occurrence is also dangerous. Children began to think that aggression and violence are appropriate responses and they will not hesitate indulging in disputes and conflicts over petty issues.

Viewing this issue through another lens, it can be argued that video games are instrumental in developing many skills in children. Learning how to be comfortable with computers, spatial skills and agility, hand-eye coordination and practical thinking are some of the skills and attributes that can be developed in a child through graphic stimulation and video games. If the children are having a quality time with their parents are not facing any domestic, health or academic issue, then spending a reasonable amount of time in videogames can prove to be beneficial. Therefore, the undecided parents can do a multi-step assessment of their child’s mental health, so that they are able to decide the intensity of video game that their child can handle. After the mental assessment, parents need to carefully evaluate the video games which have violent elements in them but are also trendy in the popular culture. If the parents are satisfied with the potential effects a particular game will have on their children, then they can allow them to play it under adult supervision. In time, the parents should monitor their children’s behavior and look for any instances of aggression or violence. Video games simultaneously have merits and demerits and parents should take all the aspects of this matter into consideration before taking a decision.

Works Cited

BIBLIOGRAPHY Jones, Gerard. "Violent media is good for kids CL Alfano and AJ O‟ Brien." Envision in Depth (2000): 496-498.

Leo, John. "When life imitates video." US News & World Report (1999): 14.