...Mobs Even though sexism has been fortunately eradicated in many areas of society, and not something that we noticed in our daily lives, it is unfortunately something that takes place. Women are often objectified throughout the social medias, such as video games, and it can have fatal consequences for the victims. There is no doubt that cyber bullying is a big problem. One of those who couldn’t tolerate it anymore was Anita Sarkeesian. She launched and online fundraising campaign on the Internet, called “Feminist Frequency”, to create awareness of how we use the women as a sexual stereotype in videogames. This is also the theme or topic of the speech, that she held at the TEDxWomen event in 2012. _______________________________ Anita Sarkeeshian begins her speech by telling the audience a little presentation about herself, who she is, and that she for four years has run a video web series on YouTube, about sexism and women’s representation in the social medias. Sarkesshian is a women feminist, and a really independent woman, who also have been punished for her opinion. She is extremely well spoken and organized, and has some amazing points, that she through the speech shows. Her main focus in the speech is the video gaming industry, as she says: “It is no secret that the video game industry boasts some of the most sexually objectified, stereotyped and downright oppressive portrayals of women in any medium“ (Page 1 lines 13-14). The gaming industry was the reason why she...
Words: 912 - Pages: 4
...Merveille I. Kazimoto June 28, 2015 English Writing 112: College Writing Prof. Fadia Hasan Gender and Video Games The contemporary society has grown to be more liberal, offering women more freedom than ever before. One of the 21st century’s instrumental defining medium—video games—is experiencing sharp growing pains. Whether video games are a technology product or a cultural experience, one thing that both video games developers and enthusiasts vividly agree upon is that the way we talk and write about video games has gradually changed over the last few decades. Female representation (or should I say: underrepresentation) in video games has, for a long period of time, been a heavily debated and controversial issue, with the most trending argument being that the portrayal of female video game characters, as well as the treatment of female gamers, is frequently sexist. One of the prominent literatures that keenly scrutinizes the culture of video games and its effect on the social construct is Maja Mikula’s essay “Gender and Videogames: The Political Valency of Lara Croft”. In her essay, Mikula accuses video games of poor portrayals of gender and being extraneously violent. She writes, “Her body is excessively feminine-her breasts are massive and very pert, her waist is tiny, her hips are rounded and she wears extremely tight clothing (9)… she is clearly shaped by the desire to embody male sexual fantasies… (15)”, questioning whether “Lara Croft is a (genuine) feminist...
Words: 1638 - Pages: 7
...many individuals, many of whom are associated with the video game industry. Initially sparked by feminist criticisms of video gaming, Gamer Gate eventually escalated into a fiasco of hateful tirades, threats, and violence. In this paper, we hope to illuminate the factors which contributed to Gamer Gate evolving into its final form and Gamer Gate’s ultimate impact onto the industry that birthed it. To objectively describe the components of this extremely polarized conflict, we must sift through the bountiful amounts of opinionated material related to the matter, until we can depict Gamer Gate’s progression in an unbiased manner. What is Gamer Gate? The phrase Gamer Gate can refer to multiple things. The overall controversy known as Gamer Gate, in essence, is a polarized debate that began with criticisms of the videogame industry's misogynistic culture. In response to these claims, individuals amassed under a Twitter campaign of the same name to slander critics of the videogame industry and those that spread those claims. Eventually, slander became threats and these threats metamorphosed into a fiasco of indistinguishable muckraking that shook the video gaming industry to its core. Advocates of Gamer Gate and its crusading supporters rally against a supposed unethical reporters. They engage in a variety of extreme actions against anyone or anything they deem to be their opposition. The Role of Feminism and Sexism For many years, gaming was considered to be a “boy” activity...
Words: 5257 - Pages: 22
...recognizes sex as the “raw material” of the bodies of female and male human beings, while gender pertains to the roles and functions those human beings have in society and the culture of which they are a part of. Rubin states that sexism is the general phenomenon in which females become “domesticated women”, or workhorses for men. Rubin wrote her influential essay The Traffic in Women in 1975, yet her definitions of sex, gender, and sexism are still applicable today. The issues that Rubin addressed are demonstrated in particular in today’s media, which reinforces gender inequality and objectification, through the depiction of women as hyper-sexualized, weak, and unskilled. This negative depiction of women exists especially in the gaming community, in which many have criticized the negative portrayal of women as sexist and severely problematic. Video games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption portray women in an almost exclusively violent and sexualized manner, which serves to reinforce the never-ending sexism and gender biases that society has upheld for centuries. Society as a whole can change the perception of gender and how women are perceived, but leaps towards progressive ideas need to be made first, starting with the video game industry as a whole. Throughout history, women’s roles have primarily been domestic – staying home and being responsible for the care of her husband and children. As Warnke points out (4), this is not a result of sex but, rather of gender...
Words: 1646 - Pages: 7
...Rebecca Lock Section – 021 Tuesday, March 25th 2014 The area of interest that I will be looking through is violence and sexism. The object of this focus will be the game “Grand Theft Auto V”. The game is described as an open world, action –adventure video game. The player may use various explosives and firearms to fight enemies including running over people with vehicles (Rockstar North, 2013). The first common sense claim is that the game “normalizes” violence. This means actually leading people to be more violent through desensitization. The second common sense claim is that the game’s depiction of women is misogynistic in nature. Therefore leading people to hate or dislike females through the game’s supposed misogynistic undertones. The game represents various females throughout the game as, strippers, prostitutes, typical “bimbos”, and long-suffering nagging housewives. Our responses to cultural and media influences vary greatly from person to person, and the conditions in which they are encoded in (O'Brien & Szeman, 2014, p. 94). This can lead to varied and different responses from individuals who view the same media or cultural phenomenon (O'Brien & Szeman, 2014, p. 94). With regards to violence in video games and media in general, how many consumers of these types of images and media are actually violent? Millions of people experience games and media like this every day, wouldn’t these millions have a cause to be more violent than a normal person? A dominant-hegemonic...
Words: 1340 - Pages: 6
...globe. Video games for instance, have existed since the 1940s. However, game developers have subsequently introduced Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games or MMORPG, where players interact in real time and across borders for collective game activities. It has become whole new platform that facilities geographically separated gamers to interact and form close bonds. Subsequently, it results in new problems evident worldwide. Most adolescents like to spend at least part of their free time playing video games. But for some, what starts out as innocent recreation can become an addiction. Soon, friends, family, school, and even personal hygiene are neglected as nearly every spare moment is spent playing the game. But what makes a game addictive? Are there certain characteristics that make some games more addictive than others? As with any addiction, video game or "gaming" addiction is usually a multi-faceted issue. For starters, video games are designed to be addictive. Not "addictive" in the clinical sense of the word, but game designers are always looking for ways to make their games more interesting and increase the amount of time people will spend playing them. They want you, once you log in or pick up that controller, to never want to stop playing. Consequently, games are designed to be just difficult enough to be truly challenging, while allowing players to achieve small accomplishments that compel them to keep playing. In that respect, the design of video games is similar...
Words: 1095 - Pages: 5
...globe. Video games for instance, have existed since the 1940s. However, game developers have subsequently introduced Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games or MMORPG, where players interact in real time and across borders for collective game activities. It has become whole new platform that facilities geographically separated gamers to interact and form close bonds. Subsequently, it results in new problems evident worldwide. Most adolescents like to spend at least part of their free time playing video games. But for some, what starts out as innocent recreation can become an addiction. Soon, friends, family, school, and even personal hygiene are neglected as nearly every spare moment is spent playing the game. But what makes a game addictive? Are there certain characteristics that make some games more addictive than others? As with any addiction, video game or "gaming" addiction is usually a multi-faceted issue. For starters, video games are designed to be addictive. Not "addictive" in the clinical sense of the word, but game designers are always looking for ways to make their games more interesting and increase the amount of time people will spend playing them. They want you, once you log in or pick up that controller, to never want to stop playing. Consequently, games are designed to be just difficult enough to be truly challenging, while allowing players to achieve small accomplishments that compel them to keep playing. In that respect, the design of video games is similar...
Words: 1145 - Pages: 5
...are already disturbed or unhinged. Let’s not forget the man who massacred a movie theatre during the premiere of Bat Man in Colorado. James Holmes opened fire in a movie theater Friday, July 20, in Aurora, Colorado he killed 12 people and injured 58 others. James, with his hair fire red, claimed that he was “the Joker”. The prosecutors have proof that some of these insane criminals reenacted horror films, but still to this day no one has been prosecuted due to the blames of reenacting a hip-hop music scene. On the other hand, we have games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty that are very violent. Research has proved that a person who plays these violent video games, starting with adolescents and kids, have an increase in aggression. He/she may look at violence as normal. James also played violent video games. Though James is studied above due to his reenactment of his Bat Man’s arch enemy, the Joker, he habitually spent time at the hands of a video control system. He was bringing out their inner dark-side that they gained while...
Words: 1436 - Pages: 6
...products, but also the ideal of what one “should” consider standard to be, do, and look like. These societal standards of feminine beauty are nearly impossible to reach though, and as the media glorification of women with unhealthy body types, unnaturally flawless faces, and perfect hair remains, so do the consequences of the desire for these things. Corporate Profit Corporations profit massively from American media consumerism. Advertising in media is one of the most instrumental constructs of our society. We see advertising in our faces everywhere from bus stops, cars, billboards, magazines, websites, and television. According to Kilbourne the average US citizen sees over 3500 ads per day and advertisement is a $250 billion per year industry, just in the States.ibid We also digest these advertisements subconsciously, as most people claim that they don’t affect them personally. American advertisers appeal to women’s insecurities and have sculpted a system where the thinner (and consequently considered more attractive women) sell the most products, because the consumer hopes to emulate the women selling it . This image that they’re chasing...
Words: 1213 - Pages: 5
...This article is a detailed, academically supported body of work, designed to retort the following questions: How and why are semantically sexualised women used as a perceptive marketing stunt’ and ‘what role does the media play in legitimizing gender discrepancies through framing and cultivation strategies? Coaxed by the issue of female objectification in the mass media, the following research was conducted both practically, and theoretically, to overtly annunciate the social and democratic problems associated with advertised female subordination. The relative research involves a semiotic analysis of two sources, coupled with a survey of 40 candidates of varying ages. Furthermore, theoretical mechanisms of media framing and cultivation have been deconstructed throughout this article to uncover the impact of magnified female subordination on the domestic expectations of children and young adults. Through the collection of data, it was able to be conclusively recognized the impact of objectification on social attitudes. Results had shown the many conceptions concerning the female purpose, these include; a woman’s role as a domestic and sexual slave to her male partner. Through the convergence of data, semiotic analysis and academic theory, it may be meticulously understood how female objectification in the mass media is a social complication in the construction of an egalitarian future. ‘Women’s bodies are predominantly valued for its use to others’ Fredrickson & Roberts 1997 ...
Words: 3317 - Pages: 14
...……………………………………………………….3 2.THE HIP HOP GAME/ INDUSTRY ………………………………………………….7 3. UNDERGROUND ………………………………………………………………………..10 5. SAMPLING …………………………………………………………………………………11 6. CREATIVITY IN THE TWO WORLDS ……………………………………………..13 7.SALVATION …………………………………………………………………………………16 CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………………………17 BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION The phrase “Hip-Hop Is Dead” can be found everywhere around hip hop community discussions during the last years. Rapper “Nas” titled his eighth album in 2006 with this statement, and has caused a controversy among rap artists and listeners all over the world. But comparing today`s hip hop music with the roots of hip hop can we really claim that hip-hop is really dead? If so, what are the facts that lead in the death of hip hop? What does its demise mean for the average fan? How to bring it back? Does it mean the genre will go down in irrelevance like what happened in disco music? All these questions will be investigated during this paper, and to understand this complicate statement itself, we should figure out what the statement really means. Maybe it is the fact that most of the genre’s songs and music videos look exactly the same. Maybe it’s the mainstream hip-hop game’s emphasis in ridiculously shinning jewelry, the sexism and the focus on money and women. Better yet, according to Mickey Hess, “hip-hop’s untimely demise could be a result of the cancerous lack of creativity that plagued the general music industry in the last few years”...
Words: 8410 - Pages: 34
...rapping, deejaying, break-dancing and graffiti-writing, has become so popular that it has entered mainstream fashion and modern language. It doesn't stop there. The culture permeates everything from TV commercials to toys to video games. Currently, there is even a hip-hop exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. You name it, and hip hop is there representing. However, hip hop's most potent form is its rap music--embraced by urban Blacks and suburban Whites alike. It is raw self-expression that sometimes features profane lyrics, misogyny and violence. The music, along with rap videos that often present a disturbing mix of rap, hip-hop dance styles, fashion and language, leave many people asking: Is hip-hop culture harming our youth" "The hip-hop culture is just like electricity," civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton told JET. "It can be used negatively or positively. The same electric current that lights up your house can also electrocute you. It is the misuse of hip-hop culture to attack our women and promote violence. We must encourage the proper use of hip-hop culture. We are all influenced by the hip-hop generation." Sharpton, who recently hosted a special summit on social responsibility in the hip-hop industry, labeled gangsta rappers "well-paid slaves." Advertisement "Don't let some record executive tell you that cursing out your mama is in style. Anytime you perpetuate a slave mentality that desecrates women and that desecrates...
Words: 1907 - Pages: 8
...Are Video Games Educational? (based on 27 ratings) By Jayel Gibson Video games. While they may seem like the bane of every parent's existence, they don't have to be—many of them offer unique learning features. And with increased requirements in schools placing unprecedented demands on children and parents, it may be time to start thinking about video games as teaching tools. The learning component of gaming can be optimized with parent involvement. That means understanding what makes a game both fun and educational. What makes a game fun? * Challenge and strategy – this is the core of the game. It includes the objective, the play and the scoring. The game should provide a challenge for its players and allow them to use different strategies to gain a level or win. This is what determines the age group or skill level. * Element of surprise – this is the variation of the game. The element of surprise must be built into the game to provide laughter, excitement, regret or risk. * Replay ability – this is the ability to play the game over and over with different outcomes each time. This is measured by the ‘boring’ factor. If the child gets bored fast, the game lacks replay ability. What makes a game educational? * New information – this is the educational information provided. It may be text or graphics, and is normally unknown by the age group or skill level for which the game is made. * Memorization – this is the part of the game that rewards good memory...
Words: 6233 - Pages: 25
...Nintendo Co., Ltd. (???????, Nintendo Kabushiki gaisha?) is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889[2] by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards.[6] By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel.[7]}} Nintendo developed into a video game company, becoming what is arguably the most influential in the industry, and Japan's third most valuable listed company, with a market value of over US$85 billion.[8] Also, Nintendo of America is the majority owner of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team.[9] The name Nintendo can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven".[10] As of October 18, 2010, Nintendo has sold over 565 million hardware units and 3.4 billion software units.[11] Contents * 1 History o 1.1 As a card company (1889–1956) o 1.2 New ventures (1956–1974) o 1.3 Electronic era (since 1974) + 1.3.1 Handheld console history * 2 Infrastructure o 2.1 Key Executives o 2.2 Offices and locations * 3 Software development studios o 3.1 First-party studios o 3.2 Second-party studios o 3.3 Former affiliates * 4 Policy o 4.1 Emulation o 4.2 Content guidelines o 4.3 License guidelines o 4.4 Seal of Quality + 4.4.1 NTSC regions + 4...
Words: 7314 - Pages: 30
...ROGER B RUEDA WRITING CLASS 10 Kinds of Rhetorical Modes (1) Description Descriptive writing calls for close attention to details. Whether your subject is as small as a strawberry or as large as a football stadium, you should begin by observing your subject closely and deciding which details are most significant. Topic Suggestions: a basketball, baseball glove, or tennis racket a bowl of fruit a character from a book, film, or television programme a child's secret hiding place a city bus or subway train a closet a favourite restaurant a fridge or washing machine a Halloween costume a hospital emergency room a laptop computer a locker a mobile phone a painting a particular friend or family member a pet a photograph a pizza a rest room in a service station a small town cemetery a storefront window a street that leads to your home or school a treasured belonging a vase of flowers a waiting room a work table an accident scene an art exhibit an ideal apartment an inspiring view an item left too long in your refrigerator an unusual room backstage during a play or a concert the inside of a spaceship the scene at a concert or athletic event your dream house your favourite food your ideal roommate your memory of a place that you visited as a child your old neighbourhood (2) Narration At least one of the topics below may remind you of a particular incident that you can relate in a clearly organised narrative essay. a brush with...
Words: 3503 - Pages: 15
