Paul Schierling

May 3, 2016
Prof. Padgett
ENGL 102: Rhetoric and Composition
Proposal
Inquiry: Does multimedias sensationalizing of violence play a part in the rise of terrorism?
Proposed thesis: As the rate of violence material is published through the news, movies and
video games increases, so does the rate of acts of terrorism; there is a positive correlation
between the attention on violence and the mortality rate due to acts of terrorism.
Today there is a growing attention on violence. With so much media attention on this
topic, the question arises, are people being exposed to proper stimuli. From news coverage to
blockbuster movies, to the hottest video games; the media has a heavy hand on the public's
perception of reality. Are people becoming desensitized by hearing about murder and scandal on
the nightly news and morning post, and is this desensitized environment where crime and
violence prevail? Over the past decade, movies have taken a darker tone, while presenting
increased gun content matter. Do the commercial films, seen by millions of Americans,
encouraging society to mimic the behavior presented? Video game companies have found a
formula that sells. Video game companies these days rarely rarely stray from the violent, shootem-up style games. Does the menacing content of video games these days inspire the player to
carry the pattern in the game into the real world? The news, film, and videogames have the
power to not only present information, but to enact social change. With this power, and a
continual presentation of villainous content, one could say that the media is breeding a
generation desensitized to the seriousness of violence; that is the position that this essay will
follow. Many acts such robbery, rape, and fighting are becoming a bigger problem on college
campuses. Is this because every new class of students could have a damaged conscience to
violence; possibly due to increased exposure to the more dismal and sinful matter?
A report of both republicans and democrats says that roughly 80% of both parties
believes that the morality of the American population is only fair to down right poor, where 40
years ago only 33% believed that. With the elimination of religious studies in public school,
students are no longer learning concrete moral values. With more single parents, children are
now left alone to television and the internet to learn moral values through questionable sources.
Porn and violent video games have been built into multi-billion dollar industries that are present
nearly all American lives. This article provides the issue, American immorality, and identifies
five major factors that contribute to it: public schools, parenting, peer pressure, commercial
industries, and religion. The article provides a sense of unity by showing a bipartisan agreement
on the issue, as well as statistics that back up his claim. My research question focused primarily
on the outside influences of media while the Fox News article focuses on that in addition to more
religious and social aspects. But, both of our articles agree in the sense that there is a decline in

American morality through the media. This article can back of the problem in my essay while
using more in-depth article to help define the source of the problem.
Violent movie characters who engage in sex and drinking are no longer contained in Rrated movies and are now quite apparent in PG-13 rated movies. This is showing that the
modern film rating system is not longer significant, given that R-rated movies and PG-13 rated
movies are sharing similar messages. Factors in the rating of movies range from violence, sex,
language, and drug use. The purpose to rate films is to guide parents in taking their children to
films. With the rating systems value decreasing, children will be taken to movies that may not
be best for their emotional development, but, more importantly, their moral development. The
article provides important information on movie rating and how the come up with the ratings.
Addition article will further support the claims made in this article. Film, a major portion of the
media market, provides one of the largest sources of easily accessible violent activity. This
article supports the first part of my thesis that the information present has taken on a more
violent and immoral twist, while the second half of the implications, can be found in a second
article. The issue surrounding this article is that it comes FOX News; an organization that is
historically republican, mat cause most readers to develop a more political connection to it, than
a logical one.
The time and attention that major media puts on past acts of violence are now showing
that it sparks future acts of violence. Today, when an initial story surfaces about a terrorist attack
or any violent attack, people believe that it will be followed by future related acts. In the past
15 years, the amount of causalities resulting from violent attacks has increased by 400%. One
attack reported in the New York Times of a foreign country was followed by a week of increased
crime of 11%-15%. The major values of this article are centered around the amount of media
attention that violent acts receive. Also, this article, more importantly, talks about how these
article of acts of terror, almost inspire future terrorist. This article strongly supports my thesis, it
agrees in what the problem is, as well as what the source of the problem is. This articles author
believes that there are many violent acts, acts due to the media's infatuation with crime related
articles.
This question allows for me to look a problem that I believe is damaging this countrys
ability to achieve peace. This question is researchable because it has drawn attention from
multiple credible researchers due to many related incidents; by connecting related events, this
research question can be either proven or rejected. All the sources that Ive read agree that there
is growing violence. The articles dont disagree on the problem but address it from different
influence of multiple industries. All the article, by suggesting that there is a problem, say that
there needs to be a solution, and by addressing my research question, I hope to find a possible
solution. My research question is now specific and direct; the parts can be calculated with
number and proven with tangible proof.

Work Cited

CBS. "Violence in Movies Prevalent Whether Its PG-13, R Film: Study." CBSNews. CBS
Interactive, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2016.
Doward, Jamie. Media Coverage of Terrorism leads to Further Violence The Guardian.
Guardian News and Media, 01 Aug. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
OReilly, Bill. The Decline of Morality in America. Fox News. FOX News Networks, 27 May
2004. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.