Violent Media Is Good for Kids

Violence in media is healthy and beneficial for children—or so claims Gerard Jones, author of “Violent Media is Good for Kids”. It is undeniable that the title of Jones’s essay is straightforward and aptly named, if not confidently bold. But while his claim may boast confidence, it lacks credibility. Jones does do a great job introducing his controversial claim by using passion, persuasion, and personal experience. However, his insufficient evidence and fallacious reasoning fail to support the claim he is making, and therefore weaken his argument. The author starts off his essay by allowing his reader to take a peek into his childhood and see the lonely, passive, and frightened years of his youth. He explains that his shyness and introversion were due to his strict upbringing and feeling of not fitting in at his school. He then goes on to explain how he discovered Marvel Comics, to whom he credits for his blossoming into a stronger individual and breaking out of his shell. Jones describes how he first identified with the Hulk character, who mirrored his “fantasy self” and allowed him to explore a darker side of his psyche that he kept hidden, which eventually lead to the development of his social and motivational skills. He claims that the skills he learned from the violence in these comic books carved the path for his career as an action movie and comic book writer. I do have to give Jones kudos for being able to create a more personal tone to his essay in order to engage the reader and create a connection there by using his own experience. But while I think that his story gave the reader more insight and set the stage for his essay, I also think his claim that violence led him to success might be too controversial to use as solid evidence and is more opinion-based than factual. “They were good for me because they were juvenile. And violent” (para. 2). What about the bravery and strength aspect of superheroes?