Mentor Text Analysis – Manuel

NewYorkTimes publishes “I Make Video Games. I Won’t Let My Daughters Play Them.” By William Siu, California signed legislation that would require social media companies to make sure new products won’t be harmful to minors. The focus is on social media apps, Though video games spend much more time playing than engaging in social media. The author cites a recent Common Sense Media report that found that kids in the United States spend more time playing video games than engaging in social media. The author also cites the World Health Organization’s definition of “gaming disorder” and refers to a recent study that followed adolescent video-game players for six years. Additionally, the author mentions China’s recent bans on video games and livestreaming due to concerns about addiction and mental health, which is a policy decision that was likely informed by research. The text incorporates storytelling, it starts with a story about the author’s experience with making video games, which makes it more relatable and engaging for the reader. The article is structured in a way that follows a narrative arc. It starts with an introduction and sets the stage for the topic, then it progresses to the main body where the key points are discussed, and finally, it ends with a conclusion that summarizes the main takeaways and provides a sense of closure. This narrative structure helps to keep the reader engaged and interested throughout the article. The text is approximately 1,300 words.The primary audience of this opinion article seems to be parents and individuals interested in the potential harms of video games, particularly on children.The author, a former gaming entrepreneur and a father, is sharing his personal experience and concerns about the addictive nature of video games and their potential negative impact on young people. The article also mentions recent legislation in California and China’s regulations on gaming as a backdrop to discuss the need for greater awareness among parents and ways to address this issue.William Siu concluded with working with two kindergartners and saw how technology and games could help them learn. “Even so, I believe there is a lot more waiting for kids beyond that screen”.

What aspects will you emulate (look up the word) in your project? How will you do this?

The entire thing however I don’t like how he shows his evidence like the part about china’s laws like where did he find that or how some of the referring evidence is a small note with a link. There were some points that I feel he could have explored more on how addiction is cultivated in gaming or more of what the companies do to make the most effective game looping (make people play over and over again).