Extra Credit Blog (Violent Video Games)

In the event of the Newtown and Navy Yard shootings, violent video games have become a hot topic for debate. Murderers of the respective shootings, Adam Lanza and Aaron Alexis were both reported to have played many hours of Call of Duty, sometimes up to 16 hours at a time. Lanza was 20 when he committed his crime and Alexis was 34 when he shot 13 people.



Wonder if they were like this playing violent video games as children......

As a child growing up, I definitely grew up around various violent video games, playing everything from those multiplayer games to first-person shooters. I always felt like they allowed to be whoever I felt like at the time. The games don't have many restrictions to what I wanted to do.

This is how I looked whenever I was playing.

Just kidding.

The average age of a gamer is 30 years and 61% of gamers are below the age of 35. 26% of games bought in 2012 were M, or Mature, rated games. Clearly, people love their violence coming from video games. Most parents wish their children would stop playing these types of games because they're "distracting" and could possibly drive their children to insanity. Those parents probably wish their children did something else more productive than sitting on their ass shooting a bunch of virtual people. I found this video that I feel explains how violent video games do not really cause violence among people. The person defending violent video games makes a great analogy with people and violent video games, saying "Crazy people play violent video games, but that doesn't mean violent video games make people crazy".

Anyways, here's the video on a debate on violent video games.

Hopefully, people understand where I come from in believing that violent video games aren't as harmful as people make them to be.

The question:

Do violent video games cause aggression out of people to the point where they become murderous? Or are violent video games merely an activity where people can get away from real life?

"The War Against Boys" Reactions

Please post your comments/reactions to the reading "The War Against Boys" here.

Also, you must respond to at least one other person's post in a way that is meaningful and extends the conversation.

Is Google Making Us Stupid AND 17 Minute Video Discussion

Please post your discussion questions/comments here.

In your question(s)/comment(s), you must make a connection to both the video and the essay. You may do this by drawing on both in ONE question/comment, or you may post two separate questions/comments, each focusing on either the text or the video.

Please choose engaging ideas that we can discuss and expand on during Thursday's class in a meaningful way. We will use your posts to guide Thursday's class.

YOU ALL WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION. I WILL SIMPLY ACT AS A GUIDE/MEDIATOR.

Feel free to connect to any past discussions, readings, or videos.

Have fun! :)

Analyzing Images

Post your images here. Either a link or the actual image is fine. After you post your image, you must respond to at least 2 other students' images with analysis using the handout you received in class.

Your image can be an advertisement, photography or artwork. You may not include memes with words, nor may you use video. Be sure to answer the questions below as thoroughly as possible. Analysis responses should be a minimum of approximately 2 paragraphs at length.

If your responses are longer than the maximum allowed characters for the post, you may break your response into 2 posts, but be sure your audience can identify that both posts belong together (perhaps include a cue such as "cont..." at the top).

Also, each image may only have a MAXIMUM of 2 responses (thus, nearly every image should have a response). If an image already has 2 responses, pick a different one. Again -- first come, first serve. I will post a couple of images so that there responses can be spread about, and feel free to post more than one image. If you post more than one image, however, do so in a separate post; thus each post should contain only one image, so we are clear on which images are being analyzed.

Here are the questions listed on the handout:

1.     What appeals or techniques are used in the advertisement/image? (Advertising techniques are listed on handout). Explain.

2.     What is the advertisement’s/image's demographic target audience? Explain your answer. (Demographic categories can be found on handout.)

3.   What is the advertisement’s/image's psychographic target audience? Explain your answer. (Psychographic categories can be found on the back.)

4.  How does the ad/image appeal to thinking and reasoning (logos), establishes the trustworthiness of the advertisement and product or image (ethos), and/or plays on the audience’s emotions and desires (pathos) in order to achieve its purpose. This question has three parts

5.  Put it all together. How does the ad/image work overall? How does all of the above come together in an attempt to persuade you to think, feel, and/or act a particular way? Explain your answer.

6.  Evaluation. With the techniques, target audience, and purpose in mind, explain how the advertisement/image is effective or ineffective. This is your judgment, but it must be supported with evidence.

Also, I encourage you to draw on information, ideas and quotes we have discussed and read in class. You may cite the authors and texts we've read in class in your analysis. For this reason, you may want to choose an image that reminds you of something from our texts and/or discussions -- though this is not necessarily required. 

Your images should be posted no later than Sunday, by 11:59 and your responses (2) should be posted no later than 10pm on Monday.  

To get things started, you may respond to this image:

Have fun!

Arora "What Do We Deserve?" Discussion

After reading Namit Arora's, "What Do We Deserve?," post a quote you find interesting and/or salient (meaningful) and then a discussion question/comment to follow.

    ^This post is due by class time on Thursday (8am)

Respond to at least 1 other post and engage in a MEANINGFUL conversation with the author (not simply along the lines of "I agree" or "this is so true" or "great post" or "I disagree"). Respond to the author by extending or complicating their ideas.

   ^This is due by Monday at 9:00pm

You must both post and respond in order to get full credit for the discussion.

**Throughout your posts, make connections to your life, the world at large, connect ideas to other texts we've read or videos we've watched or ideas we've discussed. Go beyond the Arora's text with your observations, questions, comments, responses, etc. 

Discussion posts for Thursday, 10/10

Post your discussion questions/comments/concerns for Thursday's class (10/10) here.

Due by 11:59 on Wednesday

Essay 2 THESIS ASSIGNMENT

Click Here for the Thesis Assignment for Essay 2.

Here is the actual link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TwJQs9pDDbsq5w8X2jb99Ua8e4xgP5GXeVdZaDvfkX4/edit?usp=sharing