Ever since their conception, video games have contained violence; violence being to cause pain or death onto other beings. From early video games to the most advanced, violence plays an important role. Early games like Wonder Boy and Space Invaders contain violence. Space Invaders involves shooting and killing as many alien as possible. Wonder Boy has our hero killing monsters that vanish upon death. The hero is also subjected to violence as enemies swing swords, and throws rocks at him. The degree of violence in video games is based upon personal preference.
Does violence in video games contribute to violent act committed by teens? And, what makes teens turn to violence? Being exposed to violence everyday, kids become blunt to it and it becomes a normal thing. It a defense mechanism, a form of denial says Dr. Peter Nieman, a Pediatrician. Video games are seen as fantasy but really help to make violence more acceptable in our society says university of Toronto Sociologist Walter Podichak. There are still many questions whether some video games are more violent than some comic books or some cartoons.
It’ s a problem for some kids who are not connected and are dealing with violent images, they may think this is an appropriate behavior. If they ave access to a gun, you may see a problem says Det. Sgt. John Muise, of the Ontario office of victims of Crimes. (Source 3) Examples of violent video games and their content In modern day popular video games like Goldeneye 007 (James Bond) bad guys no longer disappear when they are killed. Instead, they react to there gunshot wound by hopping around, rolling around, or just dieing , but the body and the blood remain.
In other games like Unreal Tournament and Half Life gore plays a huge factor. In these games when characters get shot or brutally beaten large sprays of blood squirt out, even when explosives are sed body parts fly all over. (Source 4) Games like Max Payne, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Grand Theft Auto 3 are rated for mature and are to be sold to anyone under the age of seventeen, yet they are flying off the shelves at high speeds. Within the first three months of its release Grand Theft Auto 3 sold almost 2 million in North America alone.
GTA3 witch sells for about $50. 00, cast the player as a thug who does favors for the Mob. The player can: . Carjack any vehicle, including a cop car . Run over or shoot carjacked victims . Beat up anyone who crosses your path, including cops, edestrians and little old ladies, and steal their money, or if a player feels like it kill them . Pick up prostitutes (when you do your money rate goes down but mysteriously your health rate goes up, and when your done with them you can beat them up or even kill the and get your money back. Source 5) Uses for violent games Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman, a former professor of Psychology at West Point, argues first person shooter video games are murder simulators which over time teache a person how to look another person in the eye and snuff their life out. Games like Doom a first person shooter game, have been dapted by Military organizations like the Marine Corps to train soldiers in the Corps. (Source 6) Some critics say Paintball is no different than first person shooter games.
Paintball is a game where groups of people divide up into two teams and hunt each other in the woods with guns that shoot little balls filled with paint. But, Paintball has limitations witch include your endurance, stamina and the rules and guideline of the game. In first person shooter games like Quake there are no limitations or boundaries. The more xtreme and brutal you are the more likely you are to win. (Source 6) Some think there is more to it Recent and past news stories could bring one to believe that playing violent video games lead to mass murder.
Video games are violent, some music is violent, some movies and books are violent even life is violent. Desensitization to violence makes people think less about it not lead to violent behavior. There has to be more to it than just playing a violent video game, here must be an ambition to kill. In video games the characters just walk over a gun and ammunition and are able to use it. When you stop playing the game and do not find a gun at your feet the fantasy of the game is broken. You have to take action to find ammunition or a gun.
Source 7) In defense of violent video games If violent video games are to be blamed for the increase of violence in our society then why is there not an increase in physically fit children. Sports video games sell just as well if not better than violent video games, but we are told that the upcoming generation is just a bunch of ouch potatoes. Nearly one in three of Americas six to eleven year olds and one in five twelve to seventeen year olds are overweight (at least 20% heavier than the ideal weight for their height).
Let just say that a child is good at playing video games Baseball, and then tries to play it for eal, he/she will find that it is not the same as sitting in front of the TV mashing buttons. The child would usually make one of two responses (1) give up playing for real and go back to the video game, (2) practice, work hard and get better at the real thing. The second choice requires mbition to play Baseball. (Source 7) Douge Abshire, 25, objects to people who blame video games for school killings. ese children weren entirely stable to begin with, yes it possible that the games could be a catalyst to problems they already had. He continues responsibility should lay at the feet of the parents, mental ealth professionals, and school guidance counselors not games. or not giving these children the attention they needed to begin with. (Source 5) More than one cause of violence Violence comes from multiple causes rooted in children.
During the time a teenager falls away from child like thinking and ways and becomes and individual, dependant upon himself more than adults. Teen boys are looking for ways to express their masculinity. Many have no father are positive male role model in their lives. So, they look to TV, movies, music, and video games witch provide more models then need of violent male behavior. Family attitudes also help shape teens to using violence. In a house that uses capital punishment, children learn that violence is an acceptable way to deal with anger and disagreements.
Also if the models use racial, or ethnic terms for certain people they usually come to see these people as inferior to themselves. Teen gangs are attractive because only their rules matter. Gangs provide violence to protect the group or boost there reputation. (Source 1) Though the level of realism has increased, it hard to say whether or video games have become more violent over time, since the main goal of most ideo games from all time is to kill everything that gets in your way.
There for you would have to conclude that video games have always contained a high level of violence, but now realism and gore levels are catching up to the violence in games. (Source 4) Video games are just the surface of something much deeper, a convenient scapegoat for those who do not want to probe deeper into the problem of where the mbition to kill comes from. Violent entertainment is very popular in our culture. Why is this? Answer this question and there in lies your answer to why kids kill. (Source 7)