I personally don't know what to say about violence in video games - is it bad? I think so, to a degree.
I think it's immoral to sell violent video games to younger people who are more easily influenced by them, purely for a profit. Games such as: Doom, Quake, Halo, and Resident Evil as well as the controversial Grand Theft Auto series. However, older generations (teenagers and up?) have the common sense to not be swayed by these products.
I found this good website which answers some myths about violence in the media scientifically, and this is an interesting fact:
Myth 6. There are no studies linking violent video game play to serious aggression.
Facts: High levels of violent video game exposure have been linked to delinquency, fighting at school and during free play periods, and violent criminal behavior (e.g., self-reported assault, robbery).
It also states that it is reasonable to assume that some parts of the population are more susceptible to being influenced by the violence in the media.
On a personal level, most of my (very geeky) male friends play these very violent video games, and I have never seen them influenced by it. They play fight, but so does everyone who thinks that Neo is a role-model. At an earlier age we were all exposed to things as simple as Power Rangers, and that has had an effect, because we almost 'recreate' that kind of nonsense fighting in jest. But they don't genuinely pretend to hack at each other with swords (at best, it's carefully choreographed plastic light saber battles in the garden)
2 comments:
In ancient times there were Tragedies, which were good if all characters or most of them dies in the end, during medieval we loved to burn heretics, later we cut heads and hang people for public entertinement, in 20th century cinema provide violent movies, in 21th century violent games took lead. Probably nobody who played GTA became a gangster, but he loved killing cops in the game, just like he would love identify with Rambo, or whith Creon from Sophocles's Antigone. There is some kind of violent beast in humane soul which desire violence, better watch it or do it in the game than for real.
What about a kids? I remember as a kid I always played war or ninjas, or some other preending to be violent, this beast is also in children's nature, I recommend you a novel 'Lord of the Flies'.
I agree with most of what you wrote, this is just a different view over the problem: games aren't bad - we are;)
The violence in video games are quite bad. However, I do believe that ever individual has a choice to make. They can either choose to play them or not.
An individual can not absolve themselves of their responsibilities and blame video games for their choices. Parents have to be more vigilant in choosing video games for their children. They are clearly marked with the age ratings. Yet they end up into the hands of children who they are obviosly not suited.
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