Violent games, the curse or solution of modern life?
Sunday, 16. August 2009, 06:59:28
I'm sure you've come across different accusations that games were the main reason for someone to behave violently. Or that someone committed a crime of any kind because of the game? I did. Several times. And again today. So, i've decided to write something on this topic. I'll break this in few points for easier understanding...
Picture taken from game Soldier of Fortune 2 by Raven Software
Are games really affecting our lives?
Do they encourage us to act violently? My personal opinion is "no". Basically common sense is telling us that games don't increase violence. How did i come to that conclusion? It's quite simple actually. We just have to go in the past. Lets say before the year 1950. In that time, no one had a personal computer (PC) at home. No game consoles. No portable devices. No violent computer games. But wait for the great "wtf"... People were still killing others, raping, stealing stuff, torture others, fight with each other and so on and so on. Wait, no. That's not possible.
The past...
Well, if we look in the past, violence and crime existed just like it does today. With a one major difference. At that time, there were no violent computer/video games. At all. What does that tell us? The games are NOT the reason for violence AT ALL. They might encourage violence for a very small number of people, but those were prone to violence anyway and would be just a matter of time when something (something other than games) would provoke them. But that's again solely based on personality of each individual and mostly on their understanding of good and bad. I know that killing someone is very wrong, so i'll not do that no matter how many violent games i play, or how many of them i'll play in the future. It doesn't matter at all.
Violent games, the solution of modern time.
Although most of politicians and media want to convince you that violent games are pure evil sent from the Hell itself, that's not really the case (again in my opinion as a long time gamer). In the past when someone had urge of beating someone, he just did that. But today, technically speaking, we actually advanced in this field. When you get the urge of beating someone, you simply run game Manhunt, beat few virtual "people" with bat or a metal pipe, shut down the computer and go for a beer with friends after. Isn't this a better way of manifesting violence? No one is harmed, yet the effect is very close to a real thing (i imagine) considering the great advancements in game graphics, sound effects and physics. But politicians and media want the exact opposite of this. They want to ban violent games. And this is just wrong.
Age regulations
However, even though i just can't agree with most of politicians and media and their vendetta against violent games i have to agree on one thing. Age ratings on games are not there for nothing.
As someone said on some forum. There is a logical connection between age and understanding of the content being played. A 8 year kid cannot really properly and perfectly understand what's good and what's bad. They understand a bit already but still, their understanding is certainly not on a level of an adult. They might interpret the game content completely wrong. So yeah, i still think the violent games should be properly regulated, instead completely banned.
Parents play a major role
Although age restrictions weren't involved in my very case, since i've actually started with games quite late. I've good a prehistoric C64 II when many of others were running first Pentiums. And i was also thought to be good from very early ages of my childhood. And this is the thing i also want to point out. Parents. Government shouldn't be the one who controls what kids are playing. Parents should be the first responsible to control what kids are able to play and what not. And even though some take time to control that, many don't care. For as long as their kids aren't bothering them.
Now that's where government should act if they have to. Instead banning violent games they should advise parents to take greater part in educating their kids about what's right and wrong and that parents also take active part in controlling what kids are playing and how they respond to that later. And that's the link which is currently missing in my opinion.
If you have any other view on this topic as a gamer or a parent, let us know here.
Otherwise spread the right info and not the typical media bashing that we see everywhere. Because in the end, ALL the games look bad regardless of their content.
Picture taken from game Soldier of Fortune 2 by Raven Software
Are games really affecting our lives?
Do they encourage us to act violently? My personal opinion is "no". Basically common sense is telling us that games don't increase violence. How did i come to that conclusion? It's quite simple actually. We just have to go in the past. Lets say before the year 1950. In that time, no one had a personal computer (PC) at home. No game consoles. No portable devices. No violent computer games. But wait for the great "wtf"... People were still killing others, raping, stealing stuff, torture others, fight with each other and so on and so on. Wait, no. That's not possible.
The past...
Well, if we look in the past, violence and crime existed just like it does today. With a one major difference. At that time, there were no violent computer/video games. At all. What does that tell us? The games are NOT the reason for violence AT ALL. They might encourage violence for a very small number of people, but those were prone to violence anyway and would be just a matter of time when something (something other than games) would provoke them. But that's again solely based on personality of each individual and mostly on their understanding of good and bad. I know that killing someone is very wrong, so i'll not do that no matter how many violent games i play, or how many of them i'll play in the future. It doesn't matter at all.
Violent games, the solution of modern time.
Although most of politicians and media want to convince you that violent games are pure evil sent from the Hell itself, that's not really the case (again in my opinion as a long time gamer). In the past when someone had urge of beating someone, he just did that. But today, technically speaking, we actually advanced in this field. When you get the urge of beating someone, you simply run game Manhunt, beat few virtual "people" with bat or a metal pipe, shut down the computer and go for a beer with friends after. Isn't this a better way of manifesting violence? No one is harmed, yet the effect is very close to a real thing (i imagine) considering the great advancements in game graphics, sound effects and physics. But politicians and media want the exact opposite of this. They want to ban violent games. And this is just wrong.
Age regulations
However, even though i just can't agree with most of politicians and media and their vendetta against violent games i have to agree on one thing. Age ratings on games are not there for nothing.
As someone said on some forum. There is a logical connection between age and understanding of the content being played. A 8 year kid cannot really properly and perfectly understand what's good and what's bad. They understand a bit already but still, their understanding is certainly not on a level of an adult. They might interpret the game content completely wrong. So yeah, i still think the violent games should be properly regulated, instead completely banned.
Parents play a major role
Although age restrictions weren't involved in my very case, since i've actually started with games quite late. I've good a prehistoric C64 II when many of others were running first Pentiums. And i was also thought to be good from very early ages of my childhood. And this is the thing i also want to point out. Parents. Government shouldn't be the one who controls what kids are playing. Parents should be the first responsible to control what kids are able to play and what not. And even though some take time to control that, many don't care. For as long as their kids aren't bothering them.
Now that's where government should act if they have to. Instead banning violent games they should advise parents to take greater part in educating their kids about what's right and wrong and that parents also take active part in controlling what kids are playing and how they respond to that later. And that's the link which is currently missing in my opinion.
If you have any other view on this topic as a gamer or a parent, let us know here.
Otherwise spread the right info and not the typical media bashing that we see everywhere. Because in the end, ALL the games look bad regardless of their content.
WIDGETIZE
Anonymous # 4. September 2009, 12:13
I agree 100% with all you said. And that is something very rare I do. I'm a 20 year old gamer, first violent game I played was Grand Theft Auto (yeah, great start) and then Counter-Strike, I was about 12. I remember many times I was so hateful and instead picking my dad's pistol and popping some heads I did that against poor CS Bots.
Anonymous # 14. October 2009, 06:31
greetings!
i believe violence, as seen in games of this sort, is contagious like a virus. its effect is dependent upon the party receiving it, who is the party, who is the provider and how it is done.
cigarette smoke affects everyone inhaling it. same goes with practically everything we encounter. violent games are no exception.
although such games can be perceived as a tool which can used to channel out negative feelings of this sort, I believe that in reality they assist in preserving those feelings, in exacerbating them and even in developing an unnatural intimacy in us with them. this is because instead of these feelings being rejected and treated accordingly, they are accepted and fed. unfortunately in this way, the person remains violent somehow while peace within is nowhere to be found because that is a fruit of forgiving & loving our enemies.
take care
gs
RejZoR # 14. October 2009, 17:18
What's in the games, stays in the games. But some have problems separating these two worlds i guess. But in this case, i can't really blame games alone, like they usually do (as seen in media and how politicians trash violent games). But then again, FPS games are probably the best selling stuff worldwide. And considering millions of gamers play them daily, few incidents here and there aren't really an issue to talk about. But they always make a big deal out of it each time there is some shooting in some school...