Finding the Middle, The Right Way

Douglas A. Gentile takes a very moderate approach to the issue of whether video games are harmful or helpful in his article “Video Games Affect the Brain—For Better or for Wose.” Instead of picking a side and defending that side, Gentile goes the middle route and asserts that video games are both good and bad. He tried to persuade the reader through the use of logos that both sides of the issue have valid points that should be considered and that moderation is key.

Gentile acknowledges the validity of results from experiments and research for both the pro-video game and anti-video game sides of the and draws from both pools of information to conclude that there are five aspects of video games that determine whether or not the consequences of “gaming” will be positive or negative. These five aspects are content, mechanics, structure and context of games, and the amount of play time. Gentile analyzes both positive and negative claim cites scientific research and experiments for both sides of the issue. By acknowledging the opposing views he gets the reader to consider both sides of the issue, weigh them evenly as they lie side by side. By breaking down the polar ends of the issue into aspects of video games that apply to both sides Gentile leads the reader down a chain of logic that is simple, easy to understand, and most importantly, reasonable. He starts by summarizing the arguments both supporting and opposing video games, then he explains about the different aspects of video games that determine whether they will end up having a positive or negative effect. Then, at the end of his chain of logic, Gentile comes to the conclusion that there is no answer to be found on either end of the spectrum, but in the middle.

Gentile provided enough information to support both the pros and cons of video games as to leave little doubt that he did his research and is not leaning toward one side or the other. For example, he says that video games help establish faster neuron pathways, promote healthy social skills, and enable professions such as doctors, surgeons, and military personnel to perform their jobs better. He then contrasted the positives to the links between video games to obesity, attention problems, difficulty in school, and aggressive behavior. Gentile used trusted scientific evidence and statistics to back up his examples. He used information that is likely to be trusted when discussing and he effectively uses numbers and statistics to support both sides of the video game argument.

The language that Gentile used is straightforward and clear, therefore eliminates any loaded, ambiguous, or misleading words. He did not use many adjectives but stated facts without too much fluff that could provoke and emotional or unreasonable response. He gave exact numbers when citing evidence from experiments and studies (“In a study of 1595 students…”). Gentile used numbers and percentages and let those numbers speak for themselves instead of using phrases such as “the majority of people,” or “many adults,” that are vague and open ended.