Are video games really the cause of violence? Video games have always been a great landmark in the history of the human race and how great and advanced they’ve become since their creation. Video games also have their own timeline and certain points in time in which major controversy has arisen. Newscasters have made full reports on how video games are the major contributor to thoughts and actions of violence in the minds of all who have purchased them, either being adults and all the way down to children of all ages.
Even though newscasters and reporters may be seen as respected and credible sources this topic has always pinned video games as the culprit but they were never the ones to blame. Video games have always existed way before these news reports of violence and video games were ever given attention and it wasn’t until certain games were released that everyone started saying that video games are bad for or children.
When the game Mortal Kombat was first released in 1992 and the sudden implement of major blood and violence was seen in the gaming industry many people began to complain because anyone could pick up this game without knowing what they were going to see. This led to the implement and creation of a rating system for video games just like the movies which categorized games with letters and was mandatory for all games to have a rating. The simple ratings are ‘E” for everyone, “T’ for teen and “M” for mature. When purchasing a game that is not suitable for the age a parent has to be present with the child in order for it to be purchased.
Many parents still blame video games for exposing their children to violence when their the ones buying it for them and not even checking the game to see of it s safe for their children. The media has focused on these very few games that involve violence and has made them the face of video games without even taking notice of the countless innocent games that are still available. It is like me going to the movies and only watching the “saw” movies and saying that the movie industry is only filled with disgusting, violent, and gratuitous images and that it should not even exist.
Parents should really be the ones to blame because there are the ones that should be protecting their children from harm and keep a close eye on what they’re doing. Parents still put up the excuse that video games have made them rebellious towards their parents and its due to them playing those bad video games. Not only have parents been complaining about their children but there has also been the recent shootings in the news that have brought adults into the mixture of the victims of video games. In the year 1999 on april 20th two students started a school shooting on a normal day which led to the deaths 15 people and many injuries.
This was yet another story in which the media could seek their teeth in and blame it on video games. To this day it is still not proven that these two students were influenced by video games. After the shootings the police found the journals of the two perpetrators and found out that the result of the shooting was due to them being social outcasts and bullying form the other students. Even with these hard facts pointing towards different influences leading to the columbine shooting the news and congress still blame video games and wish to ban them from people’s homes.
According to a small article on the “American Psychological Association” website it comes to prove how video games can actually provide learning, health and many benefits. As quoted from the article “A 2013 meta-analysis found out that playing shooter video games improved a players capacity to think about objects in three dimensions just as well as academic courses designed to enhance these same skills” (Bowen). Most studies and reports today have actually gone the distance as to connect any unrelated and horrible news to video games.
Not to long ago the latest installment of Grand theft auto was released and the ews reported its record breaking sales. At the same time the D. C. navy yard shooting had also gained a lot if attention. Many reporters hurried to uncover many things about this shooter and what caused him to commit this act of violence. Well it was discovered that we was a skilled video game player and would sometimes immerse himself into the video games and of course yet again the news pointed the mighty finger at video games and saying that he learned to shoot and practiced and perfected how to kill through all the first person shooters that he played.
NEWS FLASH: just because he plays the video games that somewhat mimic what he did doesn’t me he learned it from the video game. If I am playing madden and my character catches a 50 yard touchdown pass, I sadly will not suddenly be able to do that on a football field. To add more to prove that video games wasn’t the cause if this the shooters dad has even gone out to say that his son had anger management problems related to post-traumatic stress brought on by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and also complained about the Navy and being a victim of discrimination.
Video games are not the major contributors and are the exact opposite and were created as a break from the stresses of life and weren’t made to control peoples mind into making kill and commit many crimes. I have always loved video games and I can personally say that they have actually mad me a more social person when it comes to conversations and knowledge. They have also connected many people in the real world and has made the world a place in where we can accept other people for who they are and not on they have done
