Zachary Nichols Summaries

Violent Video Games: The Effects on Youth, and Public Policy Implications

Violence in the media has shown aggression in kids who watch the media with violence in it. Violence in video games has shown to be bestsellers for video gaming companies. Studies have shown no direct influence however from these video games though they may be linked through correlation as opposed to causation. The first “first-person shooter” game was created in 1992 and played on Nintendo and Sega consoles. Video games were required to adopt a ratings system so that consumers would have an idea of what the potential risks were for buying a certain video game.  Studies have shown “playing violent video games can indeed cause increases in aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.”  Only about half the parents who buy the video games use the rating system even though they don’t fully understand how it works. The video game industry has fought congressional bills against the restriction of “M” rated games.

Weinstein, Tarantino and the standoff over movie violence

             
Harvey Weinstein, a movie producer, declared that he is getting away from producing very violent movies.  He has gone back on violent movies as not to be a hypocrite for what he actually believes in. However, media violence has never been a direct factor causing violence.  It has merely only been a risk factor alongside many other factors that take part in causing crime.  There are pretty much two viewpoints on the subject. Either you think that movie violence tempts society or that it doesn’t. The author is curious of what the reason is for society craving media violence as it has been around forever.  Many statistics were given for guns owned in America compared to other countries and to crime rates with guns involved.  Though media violence is around there have been lower crime rates involving guns in the last decade.  The author clearly still wants to have the national conversation of media violence.

Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?

                Marilyn Manson is the author of this article for the Rolling Stones. Manson said that many people have blamed his music for the way people act. Many people had used Manson as the scapegoat because of many of his songs. However, Manson claims that the media is mainly to blame for most of these tragedies happening.  Even without the media normal people are to blame as well because people are the ones who are unknowingly fueling the story for the media by involuntarily wanting to hear the news.  The media uses these shootings as ways to build their publicity. What may build as publicity could very much turn the antagonists of the primary news story to become idols for many other individuals out there watching.  The people who commit the crime are the scapegoats of society even though they need to take responsibility for their actions.  Manson also says that the shootings aren’t the only issues at hand.