Violent Video Games
Violent video games today may influence younger, more impressionable, and or weaker-willed players, but in general, the average gamer will know better than to let data on a plastic disc tell them how to live their lives.
Alright, so…by a show of hands, how many of you in this room believe that violence in video games should be restricted, or “toned down”? *survey the votes* How many of you believe that violence in video games is the most influential factor in causing teens to commit violent crime? *survey the votes* In that case, I hope I can change the opinions of some of the people in this room today with what I say.
Now, there are two common and frequent misconceptions as far as violent video games. Number 1 – “in almost all violent crime committed by teens or young adults, the offender was influenced by violent video games.” Number 2 – “the influences of the child are entirely the child’s own fault – none of the blame rests with the parents or parental figures.”
In complete contrast to that first common misconception, most of the violent crimes in America – committed by teens or young adults – was not influenced entirely by video games, if even at all. As a matter of fact, a significant amount teenage crime and violence is a result of bullying in their community, especially in schools. Almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. In a recent national survey of students in grades 6-10, 13% reported bullying others, 11% reported being the target of bullies, and another 6% said that they bullied others and were bullied themselves.
Now, you might not think that the bullying has any significance on teenagers, but it does. I’m sure we all remember the infamous tragedy at Columbine back in 1999, don’t we? If not, let me remind you of something – 13 people, including 12 students and 1 brave teacher, died that day, and many more were wounded, shot
Alright, so…by a show of hands, how many of you in this room believe that violence in video games should be restricted, or “toned down”? *survey the votes* How many of you believe that violence in video games is the most influential factor in causing teens to commit violent crime? *survey the votes* In that case, I hope I can change the opinions of some of the people in this room today with what I say.
Now, there are two common and frequent misconceptions as far as violent video games. Number 1 – “in almost all violent crime committed by teens or young adults, the offender was influenced by violent video games.” Number 2 – “the influences of the child are entirely the child’s own fault – none of the blame rests with the parents or parental figures.”
In complete contrast to that first common misconception, most of the violent crimes in America – committed by teens or young adults – was not influenced entirely by video games, if even at all. As a matter of fact, a significant amount teenage crime and violence is a result of bullying in their community, especially in schools. Almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. In a recent national survey of students in grades 6-10, 13% reported bullying others, 11% reported being the target of bullies, and another 6% said that they bullied others and were bullied themselves.
Now, you might not think that the bullying has any significance on teenagers, but it does. I’m sure we all remember the infamous tragedy at Columbine back in 1999, don’t we? If not, let me remind you of something – 13 people, including 12 students and 1 brave teacher, died that day, and many more were wounded, shot