Article 1: A Boy’s Life by JoAnn Wypijewski

JoAnn Wypijewski is the author of A Boy’s Life. Varies sites provide important information about Wypijewski. These websites list various works and her writing style:

JoAnn Wypijewski is an independent journalist and columnist for Mother Jones magazine. For eighteen years, from 1982 to 2000, she was an editor at The Nation magazine. She has written for that magazine, as well as for Harper’s, CounterPunch, The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian of London and other publications. She is the editor of several books including Painting by Numbers: Komar and Melamid’s Scientific Guide to Art, which was called “a wonderfully tricky work of art” by The New York Times editorial page, and The Thirty Years Wars: Dispatches and Diversions of a Radical Journalist, 1965-1994, the collected work of Andrew Kopkind. Wypijewski lives in New York City, where she has been active for tenants’ rights and preservation of the Lower East Side since 1980. She is one of the founders and president of Kopkind, a summer project for radical journalists and organizers based in Guilford, Vermont, and dedicated to the memory of Andrew Kopkind.

Source: http://www.lannan.org/lf/bios/detail/joann-wypijewski/

A brief description of the publication she works for:

Mother Jones is a nonprofit news organization that specializes in investigative, political, and social justice reporting. Why should you read or support us? Because “smart, fearless journalism” keeps people informed—”informed” being pretty much indispensable to a democracy that actually works. Because we’ve been ahead of the curve time and again. Because this is journalism not funded by or beholden to corporations. Because we bust bullshit and get results. Because we’re expanding our investigative coverage while the rest of the media are contracting. Because you can count on us to take no prisoners, cleave to no dogma, and tell it like it is. Plus we’re pretty damn fun.

Source: http://motherjones.com/about/what-mother-jones

Based on this information, Wypijewski delivers articles that are based on sensitive issues that are not easily discussed in society. In the description of the publication she works for it seems that there is a great sense of freedom to express things as the “way they are”. Wypijewski’s article was published in Harper’s Magazine. “Harper’s Magazine provides readers with a unique perspective on politics, society, the environment, and culture.” (harpers.org/harpers/about) This organization has been involved in several controversies concerning some of their articles. Some of the articles have been criticized for having misleading information. One of the articles deals with AIDS denialism (Peter Duesberg) and has been struck down by scientifically backed data. Regardless of a few hurdles, Harper’s Magazine is a publication that has received multiple awards and has been in circulation for approximately 160 years. This helps give Wypijewski’s article credibility.

The primary audience for this site is people who are well informed, have higher education, and want to learn more about politics, society, the environment, and culture. The demographics for this site are illustrated by nextmark.com:

Median Age 44.8; 38% Female, 62% Male

HHI $80,000; $400,000 plus net worth

81% professional/managerial; 21% top management

72% own their own home; home valued $215,000 on average

96.8% college educated; 55.6% post graduate

63.4% have a valid passport

90% have purchased via mail or telephone

Source: http://lists.nextmark.com/market;jsessionid=3F206BE5B76BD5F551EA211F4C 59B35F?page=order/online/datacard&id=93172

Harper’s Magazine may make assumption about their audience based on education, career, and political standing. Making these assumptions will help Harper’s deliver material that coincides with what the readers expect from this publication.

The primary purpose of this magazine seems to be inline with public advocacy. In other words, it urges readers and writers alike to advocate for a position or social issue. The source’s purpose is inline with the site’s purpose because A Boy’s Life raises issues about taking a stance on “what it takes to pass as a man.” The information from this source can be described as valid, credible, consistent with other information that I am finding, balanced, comprehensive, relevant, current, and controversial. The information Wypijewski provides is valid and credible because she provides information she has obtain from court documents, police reports, and personal interviews. She uses this information to gradually reach at questions of what are some of the motive behind Shepard’s death. This information is consistent with other findings, because articles such as Creative Player Actions in FPS Online Video Games by Talmadge Wright and War and Video Games by Nicholas A. Perry touch on similar issues of what manly behaviors are perceived to be. This information is balanced and comprehensive, because the author provides virtually all sides of the argument including the context in which Shepard’s death takes place. She establishes that this information is relevant and current by touching on issues of homosexuality and male identity. These issues are highly debated today and this adds to the controversy of the article.

Article 2: War and Video Games by Nicholas A. Perry

Nicholas A. Perry is a senior in the Honors Program at the University of Rhode Island. This paper was written for the Digital Commons at the University. The Senior Honors Project “allows undergraduate students to pursue independent research, scholarship, and creative work under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. It culminates in the production of the student’s own substantial creative work.” (digitalcommons.uri.edu) The affiliation with the school and his standing as an undergraduate student may raise doubts about certain issues. These doubts may arise based on the credibility of his videos. Though this may present itself as an issue, Perry substantiates his information by providing sources from the likes of The New York Times and other scholarly sources.

The intended audience for this site is mainly people who attend or teach at higher education institutions. Therefore, the demographics for this site can be classified as people that are done with higher education or are in the process of finishing it. I think the author of the source is making assumptions that are based around the age of the audience, because he touches on an issue that is primarily impacts people under 40 years of age.

The primary purpose of the website is to provide works that are related to public advocacy. The sources purpose is in line with the website’s purpose because he provides information that show his stance on how he feel about the negative impact of video games on war.

The source’s information is valid, consistent, biased, comprehensive, relevant, current, and controversial.

Putting the Sources into Conversation

For many years raging debates have taken place concerning the liberty of free speech.  This issue has further been complicated by the creation of new public spaces. One of these new public spaces is the world of online gaming. The interactions that take place in online gaming shed light into transgressive behaviors that are conducted by the players. Though these behaviors are usually orally expressed, they still create profound impacts on the way people interact with one another. In her article, A Boy’s Life, which was published in Harper’s Magazine, JoAnn Wypijewski addresses issues on what it takes to be a man through Shepard’s case in Laramie. Wypijewski explains that, “Wussitude haunts a boy’s every move.” She makes this statement in attempt to identify one of the many reasons men act the way they do and one of the probable causes of Shepard’s death. This can also be one of the reasons that players act the way they do. From Wypijewski’s point-of-view, online players may be trying to prove their manliness by expressing themselves that are degrading toward others. Though stirred by social justice and the cultural upbringing of the assailants, the author is able to offer a virtually unbiased account on what social factors it takes to be considered a man.

Nicholas A. Perry a Senior Honors Projects participant, author of War and Video Games published in the Digital Commons at the University of Rhode Island, adds to Wypijewski’s argument by stating that, “Masculinity is defined by taking action, and violence is an acceptable response in boys and men.”  Even though Perry is an undergraduate student, he substantiates his information by providing sources from the likes of The New York Times and other scholarly sources.

…