COM 101
Essay 2 – Are We Desensitized?
LENGTH: 2 -3 Pages (aim for the very bottom of the 2nd page at least)
DUE DATE: Rough Draft: Thursday, 10/1 on BB Final Draft: Tuesday, 10/13 on BB

ASSIGNMENT:
With our current section of articles, we’ve been discussing the concept of whether or not the younger generation (a.k.a. you guys) has been desensitized to things going on in the world. We’ve talked about this potential problem through a few different perspectives. We examined the argument about whether or not we’re desensitized to violence or death due to violent media, like video games. Then, we discussed whether or not we’re desensitized to suffering due to a feeling of helplessness, such as the belief that we can’t change things like economics or the government. Finally, we talked about technology and whether or not it has, in a sense, desensitized us to one another in the way that we interact thanks to new technologies like social media and cell phones.

So, for your second essay, you’re going to answer the question of whether or not you believe the current generation is desensitized. However, in order to keep the paper focused and short (since it’s only 2-3 pages), choose just one of the perspectives to argue with or against. The perspective you choose will also determine which articles you use in your essay (you must use AT LEAST ONE). It breaks down much like this:

Violence/Death – Narvaez, Jones, Eler
Helplessness/Ineffectiveness – Leonhardt, McClelland, Nestle
Interaction/Motivation – Turkle, Gladwell, Eler

You can bring in other examples as long as they are personally chosen; you will not be using other articles or authors. You can use one of the articles in your subgroup, two, or all three – it’s up to you.
PAPER FORMAT:
Aside from your name, please make sure that your paper adheres to the following guidelines:

* Centered