Article Reviews

Article 1: Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?

I found this article to be particularly interesting coming from Marilyn Manson’s perspective. Before reading this article, I had a certain stereotype set towards him as a person. However, after reading and reflecting on his insight, I regret jumping to conclusions about him. His article was very insightful. We can’t really put blame for the violence that people act out towards one specific thing. People will find inspiration for violence from anywhere. Some are prone to violence, just like some are prone to drug or alcohol addiction, for example. I agree with his stance that we cannot put blame purely towards music, television, or movies (the entertainment industry). It is not one particular area that contributes towards acts of violence. There is a predisposition, there is a background that also attributes to the violent acts that are happening in our world. 

Article 2: Everything Quinten Tarantino Really Thinks About Violence and the Movies  

While reading this, I have drawn the conclusion that I don’t agree with it being qualified as an “article.” It is but a list of quotes from Tarantino, prefaced by one small paragraph. I think this article could have had much more impact had the quotes been incorporated into an actual article with the author’s thoughts and such put in as well. That being said, I did like that it was so many quotes, as we could see how Tarantino remains steadfast in upholding his opinions on violence and his effect-or rather lack thereof, on the general public. He maintains that one can enjoy watching violent movies without acting enjoying being violent themselves, which I thought was an excellent point. However, this writing is better described as simply, “A List of Tarantino Quotes.”

Article 3: Violent Media Poisoning Nation’s Soul

Out of all the articles, I preferred this one out of the three. I thought it was well-written, and appeared to be semi-objective. It grasped my attention the most, possibly because it was related to the ratings of movies, which I find interesting.  The author goes into how bloggers should not shy away from stating the levels of violence in movies, and that the public should acknowledge that violence in movies sells. While he has admitted to also sugar-coating his thoughts on movies, he believes that this is something that should not be happening. Violence in movies is becoming more acceptable, therefore desensitizing the public, including children, to violence.