6+For+Entertainment+Purposes+Only

Questions: What makes a good story? What makes a television or show entertaining? Why do we love a hero?

**Historically Speaking:** Between 2000 B.C. and 44 A.D., the ancient Egyptians entertained themselves with plays re-enacting the murder of their god Osiris -- and the spectacle, history tells us, led to a number of copycat killings. The ancient Romans were given to lethal spectator sports as well, and in 380 B.C. Saint Augustine lamented that his society was addicted to gladiator games and "drunk with the fascination of bloodshed."

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(Source: Center for Media and Public Affairs, 2001)
Leverage Season 3 Finale

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When is violence justified?
The Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA), which has studied violence in television, movies and music videos for a decade, reports that nearly half of all violence is committed by the "good guys." Less than 10 per cent of the TV shows, movies and music videos that were analyzed contextualized the violence or explored its human consequences. The violence was simply presented as justifiable, natural and inevitable -- the most obvious way to solve the problem.

FACT: 88 per cent of the children surveyed could identify the Arnold Schwarzenegger character from the film //Terminator//. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) reported that the //Terminator// (character) seems to represent the characteristics that children think are necessary to cope with difficult situations."

[|Top Grossing Films of 2010] [|Toy Story 3 Garbage Incinerator]

Video Games [|America's Weekly Chart]

While some games have educational content, many of the most popular games emphasize negative themes and promote:
 * the killing of people or animals
 * the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol
 * criminal behavior, disrespect for authority and the law
 * sexual exploitation and violence toward women
 * racial, sexual, and gender stereotypes
 * foul language, obscenities, and obscene gestures

To Do: In small groups, generate a list of your top 10 list of their favorite video games.

As a whole group, pick one of the most popular games on the list and deconstruct it.
 * 1) Is violence a component in this game?
 * 2) What types of rewards are given for completing certain tasks?
 * 3) What elements of the game increase realism for the player?
 * 4) What real life consequences of violence are ignored?

To be possibly added: song/lyrics--violence--deconstruct.

Response and Evaluation: Though we like to be entertained, what do we need to remember when we engage with more violent media?