--Original published at Anneka's Blog
Video games have been the child’s game since its creation several decades ago. The once stick control, 2D animation, and box consoles have now evolved into motion sensors, realistic highly and detailed animation, and portable devices. As new systems and games are created and delivered to the hands of waiting fans, parents are becoming more concerned with the violence that has become increasingly common in video games. The graphic displays of death, shooting, and war have become increasingly realistic with the advanced animation. Video game criticism has risen on the claim that children have become more violent due to participation in such games.
Having grown up with video games and seen some of these violent games via my relatives, I can understand parents and the community’s concern with these games. Although I do not have any experience with video games with central themes of war, violence, and gore-like Call of Duty-I have had my share of violence. I cannot tell you how many hours I played Super Mario Bros. killing Bowsers, Kooplaings, and Goombas, and dying a fair amount of times myself. My sister and I would yell at the screen, and sometimes a remote got thrown in the process.
While I think there is a positive correlation between video games and violent behavior, I do not think that it is solely the cause of violent tendencies in people. Like we learned in class, a person is shaped by not just environment or genetics, but a mixture of both. Playing violent video games for days per week is going to have an effect on people, but there are also other environmental factors, such as living or parent situation, and genetics that can be altered and turned off or on. From my last “First Impressions” post, MAO-A violence gene is one gene that is passed down by the mother and can become active with a traumatic experience.
I do not think banning video games will fully solve this problem. As with many illegal laws, people find ways to skirt around them. It is up to the parent primarily if they will allow their children to play these games, but I do not believe children should be introduced early on. Developing young children will not understand fully the concepts of violence and war and its effects and are still learning proper behaviors and manners. There are age ratings for videos games that show the maturity needed to understand and play. Giving a seven-year-old a game meant for 18-year-olds is not beneficial. Monitoring children as they play, setting playing length, and researching game age restrictions, are ways to minimize the effects of violent video games.