TA: WATCOs for Research C

I’ve finally decided on a topic for research C. Online gaming has become a problem that has led to tragic deaths every year. Recently, there has been a move to place warning labels on these games. These are my possible WATCO ideas:

WATCO legalizing and enforcing addictive warnings on video-game related deaths?

WATCO implementing addictive warnings on online gaming populations (how else do I say, “the numbers of people who play the games?)

WATCO requiring a legal age in order to purchase online games on gaming populations?

WATCO banning online games on the gaming industry?

WATCO of requiring warning labels on game addictions?

WATCO of online games on mental health?

WATCO of online games on sociability?

WATCO of requiring warning labels on the gaming industry profit?

WATCO of providing rehabilitation centers for online gamers?

Some of these would probably be fairly difficult to write about. I see the fourth one as almost impossible seeing that one can’t ban something because it is harmful to society (if that were the case, alcohol, cigarettes, and media would be extinguished!). These ideas just came while typing—so some of them aren’t so great. I think I like the effects on gaming addictions. What would help game addictions the most? Tax dollars that build rehabilitation centers (like the government does for drug addictions) or warning labels? I’m assuming there will be more information on labels (I could use cigarettes for an example), or the effect of warnings on game addictions. Now for a better WATCO….

FW: Violent Media, Porn, Bloody Video Games...if you think that ruins childrens' minds, maybe you should check out Kindergarten

I heard there was a Stress Management Class available to BYU students. It is two credits every week of lying down on a mat and listening the relaxing music. Neat eh? I need to check into it because the stress of trying to get good grades rules my life. Its as if I was programmed to think that school grades control my life--ever since that tragic kindergarten-day. I remember getting a "fail" on knowing my address when I was merely 5 years old. Even then, my family had just moved to White Fish, Montana, and I didn't even have time to memorize it. Little sympathy was shown to me and my feeble mind, and since then the scar has remained in my mind. Never would I settle for anything for less than my best. Now, sometimes that doesn't equate to what my professors think is an "A," but I really try my best. I remember walking home in biting cold wind that day in 1989, and vowing to never let the school system beat me. I will beat it. That's all there is to it.
I don't even remember the name of my teacher. I don't even remember the name of the school. I can't even remember who my friends were at the time. What I DO remember is seeing that nasty yellow paper, with "pass" check markds in every box, EXCEPT the phone number and address boxes. Permanent. It was written in ink. Never to be forgotten.
I bet they still send that to wherever I apply now in life. Maybe that's why Harvard hasn't sent me my full ride tuition yet. Maybe that's why Stanford refuses to look at my application. Kindergarten. Oooo. Aargh. The word strikes ice cold in my heart. Never will I forget the tragedy done to me that day.
I guess the title of the blog was more of an attention grabber. I guess I should tie this into it somehow. (Steps on soap box) "If you think violence, porn, bloody video games, or bad language have an effect on your childrens' minds...don't be fooled. The strongest influence they will ever feel is that first report card which stamps their heads with success or failure."

RA: Rated M for Mature

This is just a quick rhetorical analysis about the video I shared in my presentation. Sadly, it wasn’t working, so I guess we can all just act like we saw it. You can see at Google Video under, “Rated M for Mature.”

The short clip is about how video games are becoming more violent. The first moments have a “Rated M” sign come over, and a man’s voice describes how video games have now been linked to more frequent violence. Surprisingly, it followed similar “making the contract” techniques we learned in this class. It presents a situation and lures the viewer in to see what is going on. PATHOS is clear—as it informs the viewer of the seriousness of the situation (graphic content always works).

It does present plentiful graphic video games—but fails when presenting its ETHOS. The video does interview a bunch of hard core gamers. But that is it. Just a group of hard core gamers. No opposing side. The video thus becomes slantingly biased. There are no strong statistics or evidence provided by anybody. Just a few opinions about how games are cool and shouldn’t have an effect on society.

Aside from that, things were fine. It correctly brought the issue forward Sadly it only continued to address the side of the gamers, without correctly informing the public of the other side.