Reading and Responding to Arguments (Ch. 2)

Complete Exercise 2.1 (p. 36) regarding Gerard Jones’ essay, “VIOLENT MEDIA IS GOOD FOR KIDS” (pp. 36–39).
Respond to the four (4) items in the section entitled “Identifying the Elements of Argument” (p. 39).
1. Jones's thesis is that violent entertainment helps people express their inner thirst for power.
2. Jones supports his thesis with the story of how the Hulk prompted his own transformation into a more confident child, how his son is experiencing the same transition, how Jones's theory is supported by the research of Dr. Moore, how children are bound to feel rage and need an outlet for it, and how two girls were helped by being able to tell their own violent stories.
3. Jones identifies the opposing argument as the harm that violent entertainment can do in encouraging "real-life violence," but refutes it by saying many more people are helped than hurt by media violence.
4. Jones's concluding statement says that when (all) parents suppress their children's natural aggression they are hindering their children from developing self-confidence and other parts of identity.

Complete Exercise 2.3 (p. 42) regarding Gerard Jones’ essay, “VIOLENT MEDIA IS GOOD FOR KIDS” (pp. 36–39): Highlighting.
Complete Exercise 2.4 (p. 42) regarding Gerard Jones’ essay, “VIOLENT MEDIA IS GOOD FOR KIDS” (pp. 36–39): Annotating.

Complete Exercise 2.8 (p. 51) regarding Gerard Jones’ essay, “VIOLENT MEDIA IS GOOD FOR KIDS” (pp. 36–39): Writing a Critical Response.
According to Gerard Jones, violent media can actually have positive effects on young people because they provide an outlet for kids to vicariously express the natural aggression and desire for power that everyone has. Jones also believes that violent media are a positive influence on children because he has witnessed what he considers positive transformations of multiple young people who were enabled to tell their own violent stories. Jones makes some good points. For example, he says that modern culture "cultivates fear and teaches dependency." I have definitely seen this as a trend with the families for which I nanny. I also support Jones's statement that all children will feel rage; I have never encountered someone who has never experienced a desire to express anger in moments of frustration. However, I have also seen kids find more positive ways to deal with anger than through violent media. On the other hand, I have seen some children very negatively affected by violent media, and believe that Jones is incorrect in believing violent media helps many more people than it hurts. All in all, I found Jones's argument too one-sided and disagree with his conclusion that youth violence should not be discouraged.