Video Game Violence and Children

Is the link between violent video games and outward violent acts clear or is there more to the story? Let's open up the channels of discussion and hear from both sides of the issue.

About Video Game Violence and Children

The issue of video game violence and children has really come to the attention of mass media lately, and this is possibly because video games are more realistic than ever before.

Realism in video games is at an all-time high. It's absolutely astounding to think that only 20 years ago, we were amazed by the colors in Tetris or the sharp animations of popular Nintendo Entertainment System titles like the original Super Mario Bros. Times have changed considerably.

Trained to Kill?

By far, the single most criticized genre is the first-person shooter. Games like Halo, Counterstrike, and Doom have been cited as "creating" or "training" serial killers for their mass murders. This is because games like this put the player right in the middle of the action, getting them to see everything from the main character's eyes as they slaughter their enemies. The chainsaw gun in Gears of War and the violence in Resistance: Fall of Man demonstrate this all too clearly.

Too Much Gore?

In addition to classic video games like Quake and Doom, there have been a series of fighting games that have elicited a fair amount of controversy, the most notable of which is Mortal Kombat. This was because the game rewarded you for ripping out hearts, tearing off heads, and forcing geysers of blood to spew from your opponent. It is said that this desensitized young children to the violence being depicted. As such, they would not have the same aversive reaction that they normally would if they were to witness an atrociously violent act in real life.

Jack Thompson

One of the most public figures who has been attacking the video game industry for its apparent irresponsibility and over-the-top violence is Jack Thompson. Thompson is an American attorney and activist, and in addition to attacking the video game industry, he has also spoken out against the sex and violence shown in movies, rap music, and other forms of entertainment. He describes himself as a Christian conservative and a Republican.

Many die-hard supporters of the video game industry see Jack Thompson as an enemy and an opponent to their hobby. They have proclaimed that many of the things Jack Thompson says are unfounded, citing that Thompson jumps to conclusions without any substantial evidence. With the Virginia Tech massacre, for example, Thompson was quick to say that the murderer probably played video games, particularly Counter-Strike. Later, we found out that Seung-Hui Cho did not play games. Unfortunately, this did nothing to mar Thompson's reputation in the eyes of his supporters.

Do Video Games Teach Kids to Be Violent?

At this time, the best answer is that the conclusion is unclear and still up for debate. That said, violence has been around for longer than the existence of man, and try as we might, it will never be something that we can eliminate completely. The media once blamed rock music, saying that artists like Marilyn Manson and Metallica transformed teens into devil worshipers and suicidal individuals. They've also said that rap music breeds violence, and so do violent movies. Video games are just the next industry to feel this pressure.

Speaking from my own experience, I've played a lot of violent video games in my day and so have a lot of my friends. We've all listened to rap and rock music, as well as watched violent movies with excessive swearing and suggestive scenes. Despite all of this, none of us has ever committed a violent crime and I have no reason to believe that we ever will. This is because we have a firm and clear understanding that the virtual worlds of video games and the real world where we live and work are not the same. There is a definite distinction between the two, and it is up to the parents and guardians of children to teach them this.