Alamer |1 Hussain Alamer Kirsten Foster Co150.400 23 Nov, 2013 Violent Videogames on!

t "n#rease $otential %or Crime "n re#ent &ears, terri'le tragedies and mass s(ootings (ave seemingl& 'e#ome routine, 'ut one #ommon t(eme is t(e general age o% t(e s(ooters t(emselves. )oung teenage to earl& t*enties. +(is (as lead ,eo,le to loo- %or ,ossi'le ans*ers to t(e 'e(aviors t(at t(e& are seeing, somet(ing to ma-e t(e (orri%i# ma-e sense. .ne ,ro,osed reason is t(e overall in#rease in violen#e in t(e media. /ut t(e most #overage and sus,i#ion is not %or movies or songs t(at #ertainl& #ontain 0uestiona'le #ontent, 'ut rat(er t(e 'lame (as %allen on violent video games. 1ust li-e all ne* %orms o% entertainment and te#(nolog&, t(e mi#ros#o,e is no* on video games and *(& t(e& ma-e ,eo,le violent. Ho*ever, alt(oug( violent video games #an negativel& a%%e#t t(e mental (ealt( o% adoles#ents and &oung adults, t(ere is little ,roo% o% real *orld e%%e#ts in t(e %orm o% violen#e. /& loo-ing at t(e %a#ts *e ma& ,revent t(e ,erse#ution o% a media %orm t(at gives ,leasure and %un to man& &oung adults, adults and t(eir %amilies. 2& goal is to #(ange t(e attitudes (eld '& ,arents to*ards video games and ,romote a more 'alan#ed vie*. Video games are not t(e #ause o% violen#e in our so#iet&. 3it( t(e advent o% video games in t(e late si4ties, " dou't t(at an&one (ad reason to start loo-ing at ar#ade versions o% 5$ong5 as a ,ossi'le e4,lanation %or t(e Kent 6tate 7iot 6(ooting o% 1890 :/er-o*it;<. As ,art o% t(e #ounter#ulture, video games #ertainl& #ould (ave lead t(ose students to ma-e irres,onsi'le de#isions and 'egin to riot. /ut t(at doesn!t sound rig(t does it= +(e same #an 'e said toda&. Alt(oug( t(ere is s#ien#e su,,orting aggressive t(oug(t ,atterns in t(ose *(o ,la& VV>s

Alamer |2 :>entile<, t(e %a#ts don!t line u, *it( an& #onne#tion 'et*een t(ose *(o ,la& video games and t(ose *(o (urt ot(ers. "n less &ou t(in- li-e t(e 'ogus email, 5/read "s angerous5 *(i#( (umorousl& states, 5?more t(an 80 ,er#ent o% violent #rimes are #ommitted *it(in 24 (ours o% eating 'read.5:/ar'ara< 6o, as t(is ,roves, #oin#iden#e does not ,rove #ausation. /ut *(at else (el,s add veri%ia'le ,roo%= +a-e a loo- at t(e statisti#s. Nearl& 5@A o% Ameri#ans ,la& videogames, 'ut 81A o% videogames are rated 'elo* 5+een5 and ,arents are involved nearl& @8A o% t(e time :5Violent Video >ames5B52edia Violen#e5<. 3(at t(is means is t(at VV> are a small ,er#entage o% t(e games, ,la&ed '& a small ,er#entage o% t(e ,o,ulation, and are monitored t(e maCorit& o% t(e time. 6o t(e #laim t(at ,la&ing violent video games is a ,relude to a violent a#t Cust doesn!t ma-e sense, t(e odds are against it. +(in- o% it t(is *a&, i% ,la&ing violent video games *as a -no*n reason %or violen#e, *ouldn!t *e 'e seeing more instan#es o% violen#e in t(e *or-,la#e, s#(ool and at (ome= "n realit&, *it( more video games in a #ommunit&, as seen '& more video games sellers, t(e rate o% violent #rime a#tuall& de#reases :3ard<. "n addition, *it( more t(an (al% o% t(e ,o,ulation o% Ameri#a ,la&ing videogames, t(e ,ro'a'ilit& %or violen#e *ould (ave to 'e (ig(er, and &et it isn!t. +(is is 'e#ause t(ere is no #onne#tion 'et*een t(e t*o. Violen#e doesn!t stem %rom violent video games, as most o% t(e ,la&ers are in a se#ure enoug( mind to understand t(e di%%eren#e 'et*een %antas& and realit&. 3(en *e ta-e a loo- at t(e ,eo,le instigating violent 'e(avior, even i% *e #an relate ,ast (istor& o% ,la&ing violent videogames, t(ere is one ot(er #ommon denominatorD t(e& all (ave ,s&#(iatri# ,ro'lems :1a##arino<. Again, *(& are *e 'laming video games t(at ma-e u, onl& a %ra#tion o% t(e total, ,la&ed less %re0uentl&, and ,la&ed '& normall& #om,etent ,eo,le and grou, it into a 5(a;ard5= +(e trut( is, t(e %a#ts and s#ien#e onl& ,oint to t(e ,la&ers t(emselves 'eing t(e #ul,rits. Video games don!t -ill ,eo,le, mentall& unsound ,eo,le do.

Alamer |3 .% #ourse *e #an see (o* someone mig(t use t(is in%ormation a'out mass murderers and t(eir entertainment (istor& to sa&, 5/ut loo-, t(e& ,la&ed violent videogames and t(e& 'e#ame violentE5 "n 1a##arinoFs arti#le, 5+raining 6imulationD 2ass Killers .%ten 6(are .'session *it( Violent Video >amesG, t(e aut(or s(o*s (o* mass -illers are al*a&s lin-ed to VV>s . +(e aut(or ,rovides some s(ooting #ases '& murderers *(o *ere a#tive video gamers, su#( as Harris and Kle'old, t(e Colum'ine 6(ooters. +(e t*o -illed 12 %ello* students and a tea#(er in 1888 and *ere re,ortedl& o'sessed *it( t(e video game H oom.G Ho* a'out 6eungIHui C(o, t(e 23I&earI old *(o -illed 32 ,eo,le at Virginia +e#( Jniversit& in 2009= A##ording to t(e 3as(ington $ost, (e *as a 'ig %an o% violent video games, s,e#i%i#all& HCounterstri-eG :1a##arino<. /ot( #ases *ere rooted in t(e emotions o% t(e -iller to*ards t(eir ,eers and t(e *orld. For Harris, *(o ,la&ed H oomG, (e e4,ressed t(at (e *as %rustrated, not (a,,&. "t #ouldn!t 'e an& more #lear t(an *(at *e see in Harris!s ,rivate Cournal, H" (ate t(e %IIIing *orld.G :Cullen<. For t(e Virginia +e#( s(ooter *(o ,la&ed HCounterstri-eG, (is un#le said t(at C(o, 5didnFt sa& mu#( and did not mi4 :*ell< *it( ot(er #(ildren.5 :Klein%ield<. And &et it is not Cust t(ese &oung men *(o *ere 5#onditioned5 as some #riti#s mig(t sa&, 'e#ause t(e Jnited 6tates militar& uses violent videogames too. VV>s give soldiers a ni#e simulation %or real *ar, a##ording to t(e arti#le 5$la&ing *arD (o* t(e militar& uses video games5:6(a'an<. A 0ui#- note (ere to m& readers, s(ouldn!t *e e4,e#t our militar& to 'e trained ade0uatel& to deal *it( *ar time t(reats= "% t(ere *as one grou, o% ,eo,le *(o s(ould 'e using violent video games it s(ould 'e t(em. "t ,rovides 0ui#-, e%%e#tive, lo*I#ost training to ,re,are t(ese &oung men to serve t(eir #ountr& and is moderated '& an entire s&stem o% trained individuals %rom ,latoon leaders, all t(e *a& u, to t(e generals t(emselves. /a#- to t(e main ,oint t(oug(, ,s&#(ologists sa& murderers are #onditioned to -ill %or several reasons, not Cust '& ,la&ing violent

Alamer |4 videogames. As 1a##arino #ited %rom r. >entile, H" understand ,eo,le *ant to loo- %or a #ul,rit, 'ut t(e trut( o% t(e matter is t(at t(ere is never one #ause.5 He goes on to sa& t(at it is a mi4 o% t(ings, not Cust one, so *e #annot de%initivel& ,oint to somet(ing li-e video games. 3(en man& %a#tors #ome toget(er, t(en &ou #an see a true ,redile#tion o% %uture violen#e. 6o, are VV>s a good measure o% *(et(er or not someone *ill 'e#ome violent= "t seems not. Ho*ever, some aggressive tenden#ies *ere re,orted in one age grou, in ,arti#ularD #(ildren and &oung adults. /ut *(&= +(e ans*er to t(e ,revious 0uestion is #onte4t. Are all games suita'le %or minors or even teens= Certainl& not, and as ,arents -no*, t(ere is a rating s&stem in ,la#e to (el, -ee, mature and violent games a*a& %rom &ounger ,la&ers *(o ma& not 'e a'le to (andle t(e violent #ontent a,,ro,riatel& :>entileB /us(man<. 3e also -no* t(at minors are una'le to di%%erentiate 'et*een real *orld and %antas& :>entile<. 6een as, H6tudies o% games *it( violent #ontent also tend to demonstrate trans%er o% learning to realI*orld situationsG :>entile<. +(e aut(or goes on to s(o* (o*, a#ross man& #ountries, t(e t(eme is t(e same. C(ildren *(o ,la&ed more violent video games *ere more li-el& to a#t out aggressivel& in s#(ool and e4tra#urri#ular a#tivities, as re,orted '& 'ot( ,eers and tea#(ers. 6o *(& does t(is matter= "t ,roves an im,ortant ,oint a'out *(et(er or not #(ildren #an tell t(e di%%eren#e 'et*een *(at is real and *(at is not. .ne su#( arti#le t(at dis#usses t(is is C(ris C(ant(am!s, 5+(e Auto'iogra,(i#al /lur /et*een Fantas& and 7ealit&5. He 'rings u, t(e valid ,oint t(at o'served a#tions, or sel%Idire#ted a#tions, in real li%e ma& not 'e easil& se,arated %rom t(ose t(at are imagined. /e#ause t(e 5#ognitive o,erations5, or (o* a ,erson mentall& does somet(ing, in #(ildren is mar-edl& underdevelo,ed, it is ,ossi'le t(e& #annot 0ui#-l&, or easil& distinguis( *(at is a,,ro,riate in a real *orld s#enario, versus *(at t(e& *ould do i% t(e& *ere ,la&ing a video game. +(is is interesting 'e#ause it again s(o*s t(e ina'ilit& o%

Alamer |5 #(ildren to ,la& a video game, #onsidered imaginative ,la&, and se,arate it %rom (o* t(e& ,la& in t(e real *orld. Alt(oug( most older ,la&ers o% VV>s #an se,arate t(emselves %rom t(e *orld o% t(eir game and t(is *orld, it ,roves t(at #(ildren #annot. +(us it s(ould 'e e4,e#ted o% guardians to ste, in and -ee, minors and &out( a*a& %rom VV>s, or at least (el, t(em navigate t(e dangers o% overuse '& 'eing ,resent during ,la&. $er(a,s, i% ,arents monitor t(eir #(ild!s 'e(avior #losel& and #ontrol t(e amount o% VV>s 'eing ,la&ed, t(e result *ould 'e t(at t(eir #(ildren #an 'e entertained *(ile 'eing ,rote#ted %rom an& negative e%%e#ts. >entile, a leading #(ild ,s&#(ologist, is a su,,orter o% t(is ideolog&. As seen in (is arti#le, H$arents s(ould re#ogni;e t(at video games #an (ave ,o*er%ul e%%e#ts on #(ildren, and s(ould t(ere%ore set limits on t(e amount and #ontent o% games t(eir #(ildren ,la&. "n t(is *a&, *e #an reali;e t(e ,otential 'ene%its *(ile minimi;ing t(e ,otential (arms.G 2oving %or*ard *e see t(at t(ere are *a&s %or ,arents to mitigate t(e negative e%%e#ts touted '& t(e 'iased #riti#s o% VV>s. 3e (ave all 'een led to 'elieve somet(ing a'out violent video games t(at *as in#orre#t. +(e& in %a#t do not lead to violen#e an& more so t(an 'eing a ,art o% a #ounter#ultural movement, or gro*ing u, in t(e #it&, or even eating a sli#e o% 'read. /& 'rea-ing do*n t(e reasons (o* violen#e o##urs in relation to violent video games, it is easier to see (o* *e #an 'e misled. 3e no* -no*, t(roug( e4,ansive resear#( in t(is area '& ,s&#(ologists >entile and /us(man, t(at #(ildren are sus#e,ti'le to violen#e a%ter ,la&ing violent video games. Ho*ever, *e also -no* t(at t(roug( ,ro,er moderation and limitation '& ,arents or guardians, t(ese violent a#ts are negated. 3e also -no* t(at %or t(ose mass s(ooters *(o *ere lin-ed to ,la&ing violent video games, t(ere *as a (istor& o% mental insta'ilit& or ot(er %a#tors t(at trul& led t(em to ,er%orm t(eir (orri%i# a#ts. "t is not Cust a stead& diet o% video games t(at leads a ,erson to violen#e. As a %inal ,oint it must 'e

Alamer |K as-edD do &ou t(in- t(at sim,l& '& ,la&ing violent video games you *ould 'e ,rone to start atta#-ing ot(ers, or ,lanning some dar- deed= " *ould (a;ard a guess t(at &ou, m& reader, *ould sa& 5no5 and sim,l& '& t(is &ou (ave dissolved mu#( o% t(e argument against violent video games and t(eir e%%e#ts. 3e need to move %or*ard, e4em,ting maltreatment o% violent video games %or t(ose *(o are a'le to ,la& t(em res,onsi'l&. 3e #an do t(is '& -ee,ing #(ildren a*a& %rom games t(at e4#eed t(eir emotional #a,a#ities, and ,roviding ,ro,er ,s&#(iatri# ,revention %or t(ose unsound ,eo,le *(o mig(t ot(er*ise use t(em as an e4#use %or t(eir 'e(avior.

Alamer |9 Works Cited /er-o*it;, Ld*ard . Something Happened: A Political and Cultural Overview of the Seventies. Colum'ia Jniversit& $ress, 200K. 2@3 ,,. $rint. /us(man, /rad. 5 o Violent Video >ames $la& a 7ole in 6(ootings=5 CNN. Ca'le Ne*s Net*or-, 03 1ul& 2008. 3e'. 12 Nov. 2013. /us(man, /rad 1., $(. . 53(& o $eo,le en& Violent 2edia L%%e#ts=5 Psychology Today. 6usse4 $u'lis(ers, MMC, 1@ Fe'. 2013. 3e'. 12 Nov. 2013. C(at(am, C(ris. 5+(e Auto'iogra,(i#al /lur /et*een Fantas& and 7ealit&5. eveloping !ntelligence. 6#ien#e/logs MMC, 12 1une 2009. 3e'. 20 Nov. 2013. N(tt,DOOs#ien#e'logs.#omOdevelo,ingintelligen#eO2009O0KO12Ot(eIauto'iogra,(i#alI'lurI'et*OP. Cullen, ave. 5At last *e -no* *(& t(e Colum'ine -illers did it.5 . N.,., 20 04 2004. 3e'. 1@ Nov. 2013. >entile, ouglas A. H+(e L%%e#ts o% Video >ames on C(ildrenD 3(at $arents Need to Kno*G Pediatrics for Parents" $ediatri#s %or $arents, "n#., 2012. 3e'. 24 .#t. 2013. >entile ouglas A. HVideo >ame A%%e#t t(e /rain I %or /etter and 3orseG The ana #oundation, +(e ana Foundation, 23 1ul&, 2008. 3e'. 04 .#t. 2013. 1a##arino, 2i-e. 5!+raining 6imulationD! 2ass Killers .%ten 6(are .'session *it( Violent Video >ames.5 #o$ News. F.Q Ne*s Net*or-, 12 6e,t. 2013. 3e'. 12 Nov. 2013. Klein%ield, N.7. 5/e%ore eadl& 7age, a Mi%e Consumed '& a +rou'ling 6ilen#e .5 . +(e Ne* )or+imes , 22 04 2009. 3e'. 1@ Nov 2013. 2ead, Core&. "ntervie* '& C(aun#e& eVega. daily%os.com. Kos 2edia, MMC, 2013. 3e'. 12 Nov. 2013.

Alamer |@ 52edia Violen#eIVideo >ames.5 &edia 'iolence('ideo )ames. R+(e Mion S Mam' $roCe#t, 2004. 3e'. 21 Nov. 2013. N(tt,DOO***.lionlam'.orgOmediaTviolen#eTvideoTgames.(tmP. 2i--elson, /ar'ara. 5+(e angers o% /read5. snopes.com. Jr'an Megends 7e%eren#e $ages, 3e'. 11 Nov. 2013 N(tt,DOO***.sno,es.#omO%oodO*arningsO'read.as,=,rintU&P . 7am,ur, 6te,(en. 5Lvolution o% Video >ames.5 *u++le.com. /u;;le.#om, 03 1ul& 2008. 3e'. 12 Nov. 2013. 6(a'an, Ham;a. 5+(e Atlanti#.5 The Atlantic. +(e Atlanti# 2ont(l& >rou,, 10 .#t. 2013. 3e'. 19 Nov. 2013. 3ard, 2i#(ael 7. 5Video >ames and Crime.5 Contemporary ,conomic Policy 28.2 :2011<D2K1I93. $rint. 5Violent Video >ames and )oung $eo,le.5 Harvard Health Pu-lications. Harvard Jniversit&, .#t. 2010. 3e'. 21 Nov. 2013. N(tt,DOO***.(ealt(.(arvard.eduOne*slettersOHarvardT2entalTHealt(TMetterO2010O.#to'erOviolentI videoIgamesIandI&oungI,eo,leP.