Males begins by saying that kids imitate their elders and they are not influenced by the television. He then proceeds to offer examples of conservatives and liberals who blame the violence rate on the tube. Males provides many statistics to defend his thesis claiming that most violence is learned and enacted in the home. He also presents proof that parents pose a bigger threat to children and teens than that of commercials depicting smoking as cool or television shows glorifying violence.

A useful strategy that Males employs is offering evidence that contradicts his point and then he proves the previous evidence obsolete with new and better pro

Mike Males is a master of providing proof to support his thesis. He relates the trend in how parents act to how their children act. For example he begins his essay with a quote by James Baldwin that states, “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them” (Males 251). Males conducted a Los Angeles survey of 400 middle-schoolers and concluded that most of the children who smoked had parents that smoke. This proves that the most influential people in a child’s life are the adults in it. A valuable example to further prove Mike Males point would be that of how babies imitate their parents in the first years of life. When children are socialized they believe most of the things their parents believe and they partake in most of the activities of their parents eventually. Males’ argument would be stronger if this point had been included.

Readings Across the Curriculum, 3rd ed. Ed.

Some topics in this essay:
Mike Males, Males TV, Alternative Media, TV Guide, Los Angeles, James Baldwin, MA Heinle, Readings Curriculum, Life Mayhem”, Susan Lamson, mike males, boston ma heinle, ackley boston ma, anne ackley boston, katherine anne, ed katherine, curriculum 3rd, 3rd ed, television males, anne ackley, katherine anne ackley, males’ argument, issues readings, ed ed katherine, readings curriculum,