Mind of a Maniac

Media Literacy & Video Games

There are large barriers in terms of diversity and equity within the gaming industry.
The image of ‘hard-core” male game players is one of the main things holding back gaming companies from making games specifically designed for women
Gaming publishers have yet to deviate from their target audience of “ single, white male aged 24-34”
The many more hours that men out in gaming by the time of middle school are prime qualifications for the digital gaming industry
Girls like games that have more problem-solving and multiple ways to win (“What Games Made by Girls Can Tell Us,” 131)
“It is too often assumed that women who do not buy computer games or choose particular titles are making an informed decision rather than one in which they simply have not had the access to experiment. . .” (“Becoming a Player,” 62)
The average gender overlap across all listed motivations was 87 percent (“Maps of Digital Desires,” 89-90).
if game publishers want to expand their prospects beyond the over-saturated “hard-core” market, they’ll need to design games which provide diverse play-style opportunities for all players. (Are Boy Games Even Necessary)
There are efforts of academics to partner with designers to create games which can appeal to girls, develop their sense of self-efficacy, and help them learn programming and other STEM skills. (“What Games Made by Girls Can Tell Us,” 131).
Women make up 11.5% of the industry workforce, with only 10 to 12% of this group employed in executive or creative roles. They also earn an average of $9,000 less than their male counterparts, even with equivalent tenure in the industry (“Getting Girls into the Game,” 164).

Are Boy Games Even Necessary? (2008). Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat. doi: 10.7551/mitpress/7477.003.0019

Kafai, Yasmin B., et al, eds. Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender and Gaming. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2008.

Maps of Digital Desires. (2008). Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat. doi: 10.7551/mitpress/7477.003.0010

Strang, R. (2016, April 5). What Games Made by Girls Can Tell Us. Retrieved from https://toplayishuman.com/2016/04/05/what-games-made-by-girls-can-tell-us/

Walkerdine, V. (2007). Becoming a Player. Children, Gender, Video Games, 152–170. doi: 10.1057/9780230235373_8

Censorship and Political Correctness in ‘This Is America’

Donald Glover’s ‘This Is America’ music video is a direct opposition to censorship and political correctness in the media and music videos. The video opens up with Glover shooting a blindfolded man that’s sitting in a chair. Time Magazine says the video is filled with “metaphors about race and gun violence in America.” For, I think Glover does a great job of being real with his viewers. Political correctness and censorship weren’t going to get the message across. He needed to create something that was going to grab people’s attention immediately and make them think. Something that will make people talk. This video went on to win multiple Grammy’s including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Performance, and Best Music Video. Glover’s willingness to go against the fray and outside the lines is a big reason for the success of this record. If he would’ve played it safe, ‘This Is America’ would’ve been just another record.

Gajanan, M. (2018, May 7). Childish Gambino’s ‘This Is America’: Breaking Down Symbols. Retrieved from https://time.com/5267890/childish-gambino-this-is-america-meaning/

Lebron says Lakers would’ve been “better off trading Kuzma”

On Feb. 6, the trade deadline for the NBA arrived. All over the league, teams are scrambling to acquire the pieces they feel will help them achieve the ultimate victory of winning the NBA championship in June. one notable team in particular that didn’t make any moves was the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers, who have a legitimate shot at winning the title this year, are lacking another legitimate playmaker and sixth man. One player that hasn’t been giving them much production the past couple of games is Kyle Kuzma. Many people believe they should’ve given up Kuzma to get some better pieces back. One of these people is his teammate Lebron James, who said he feels that the “Lakers would’ve been better off trading Kuzma because at this moment he’s not an asset to the team.” The Lakers next game is tomorrow Feb. 12 against the Denver Nuggets in Denver.

Objectives

The biggest objective I have with this class is the want to be able to understand and comprehend the hidden and underlying messages given to us by the media. Most people see the news and take it on face value. There’s no further thinking after the headline. I’m hoping this class will teach me how to take it a step further. Teach me how to take what is being said and be able to understand how its going to affect everything around as well as be able to decipher the hidden messages in the information given.

My first post

I decided to name this “Mind of a Maniac” because my friends always call me crazy. I wanted it be something clever and unique that’ll catch people’s eye. The title came to me from two different places, both having to do with music. The first was a song entitled “Mind of a Maniac” by Lil Boosie. The second is a song lyric from Dr. Dre in the song “Natural Born Killaz” with Ice Cube. He says, “journey with me into the mind of a maniac; doomed to be a killer since I came out the n*tsack.” I’m not deeming myself as a killer, but I thought it was a clever verse and a great way to start out the song.