Shooting. Killing. Vehicular mayhem. Sexual conquests. Teenagers can experience it all through today's almost-anything-goes breed of video games, primarily among those rated "M" for mature. "There is no doubting the fact that the widespread availability of sexually explicit and graphically violent video games makes the challenge of parenting much harder," said Sen. Hillary Rodham, who asked the Federal Trade Commission last week to investigate one of the most violent titles, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."
(Yahoo.com)
During the last several decades, electronic interactive games have emerged as one of the most popular forms of entertainment, particularly among adolescents. In 1998, revenues totaled $6.3 billion in the United States. Ninety percent (90%) of U.S. households with children have rented or owned a video or computer game, 2 and young people spend an average of 20 minutes per day playing video games. Video games are the second most popular form of entertainment after television.
Although research has pointed to the constructive uses of video games in such fields as education and medicine, there are trends in game playing that some observers find disturbing. A 1998 survey revealed that 80% of the video games preferred by young people contain violent or aggressive content; of these, 21% depict violence against women. A survey of 900 fourth graders disclosed similar results: 50% of the respondents chose games with fantasy or human violence as their favorites.
Researchers have raised concerns about the potential link between playing violent video games and subsequent aggressive behavior. A number of studies have shown such effects, with younger children being particularly susceptible to influence. In fact, recent studies show that after playing a violent video game children can become desensitized to violence or act hostile to others.
Many social scientists have hypothesized that we should expect video games to have an even greater impact for the following four reasons:
- Children are more likely to imitate the actions of a character with whom they identify. In violent video games the player is often required to take the point of view of the shooter or perpetrator.
- Video games by their very nature require active participation rather than passive observation.
- Repetition increases learning. Video games involve a great deal of repetition. If the games are violent, then the effect is a behavioral rehearsal for violent activity.
- Rewards increase learning, and video games are based on a reward system.
While the research base conducted on video games is small compared to that conducted on television, early results are showing that the concern is indeed warranted. Anderson & Bushman have conducted a meta-analysis of 35 different studies of violent video games (2001). A meta-analysis is a type of study in which researchers analyze the results of other studies to see if there are similar patterns of results; Anderson and Bushman showed that there is a consistent pattern of results in five areas.
- Exposure to violent games increases physiological arousal.
- Exposure to violent games increases aggressive thoughts.
- Exposure to violent games increases aggressive emotions.
- Exposure to violent games increases aggressive actions.
(http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/walsh.html)
CounterPoint...
I don't have a counterpoint. A videogame is just a video game. It doesn't tell me what I can and can't not do. It does play with your mind though. All the fun makes you forget about reality. It's not reality, and maybe that's why people like it. Especially in young children, because when you like eleven years old girls start to look "hot" or "cootie-free", and something downstairs happens and you really don't know what to do. Your best friend make Dave can't help you because he's going through the same thing, and Suzy. Well, little Suzy is taller than you, smells better than you, wants to be her boyfriend, and not so little any more. You notice her chest is grow something thing, and the next thing you know your a deer in headlights.
Honestly, I don't think video games are the main problem with kids. Kids are just being kids, specifically during adolescences. They're going to be sporty, they're going to bully, or become a hermit, or the Van Wilder of Junior High or Middle School. What's the underlying problem is not video games itself, but parenting. Yes, parenting is where the issue is central. Parents don't discipline anymore. Frankly, I don't see a lot of parents being involved these days. I'm not saying that there aren't involved parents, but when you think of the hoard of day-care centers reaping the benefits of 10-12 hour days with one's kids at consulting-level fees and the Federline's on TV visualizing the new wave of parenting skills, no wonder why kids turn out the way they do. They're either spoiled or abandoned.
Again, I'm not saying that all kids are abandoned, but media is no help either. There is a certain "invisible hand" in economics, and curtaining there is one in parenting as well. I know that if my son or daughter is out-of-line, I'm not going to give him or her "timeout". Tough love baby! I'm not going to hit my child, but pedagogical disciplinary actions will be used. Yes, scare tactics will be used. Oh yes, I'll bring back the boogie-man and the monster in the closet. No, I don't mean Michael Jackson, but as much as I would like to spoil my kid with abercrombie, sports, knowledge, and respect, there is a certain level of cast system that needs to be put in place. Respect, above all. "Thank you's", "Yes, Maim's", or "Yes, Sir's". Will be part of my kids regular vocabulary. My kids will learn how to type on the typewriter first before then get on the computer. They will learn cursive before they will type too. There are a lot of archaic knowledge that should be emphasized to children, like the Latin language and “Reading Rainbow”, unfortunately to older teenagers as well. I don't consider myself part of the "entitlement generation,” that magazine quotes of my age bracket because I don't feel entitled to anything.
I'm completely grateful for everything in myself. So should my children, and you, the reader. I think we lose that in the thick of things, especially when we see the fast car, fast women, and the fast changing world. We all change, but there are core compentiences we have to learn and there foundations in place that stand the test of time. In other words, loving and giving your child everything is fine, put Mom always said it should be in moderations. I'm not a parent yet, or even in the immediate future, but I know as a parent, I am the "invisible hand". I have supreme remote control power. I weld super diaper changing strength to megaphone chanting, sideline-running soccer dad ability and stamina. So take it Rockstar Games. So take it "Britney". My schwartz is bigger than yours. My child is and will always be the Jedi knight and he or she will not succumb to the dark side. My child will faultier because I do acknowledge my child will not be perfect, but in my eyes he will be. And will yours.
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