Does Violence lead to Violence?

In times of crisis, such as the Columbine Massacre, Connecticut school shooting, or Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, people are fearful and devastated and thus quick to find reasons for these catastrophes. One such reason may be influence from the media. I believe that video games do not lead to or cause violence. In today’s world, people turn to any excuse to blame for violence. With the amount of readily available technology, the American population tends to blame violence in video games for discord in the country. Similar to many assumptions, the belief that video games lead to an increase of violence is false. Most of this incorrect knowledge has been based off of stereotypes.

Many people have a stereotypical view of the everyday “gamer”. Studies have shown that the average video game player is 35 years old and has typically been playing for about 12 years. Out of all of these gamers, forty percent are women (Cause Children). Video games have developed into a massive form of entertainment for players of all ages. For younger video game players, parents are able to set controls on game consoles, allowing them to decide what games their children can and cannot play. This allows parents to monitor their children’s gameplay and to not allow access to anything they may deem inappropriate. To establish safety, ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) created a ratings system based on a game’s content, such as “Everyone”, “Teen”, or “Mature” (ProCon). Later, in 2009, the Federal Trade Commission conducted a survey that discovered that 87 percent of parents were “satisfied with the computer and game ratings” established by ESRB (Cause Children). Video games lie on the same standard as other forms of entertainment, such as movies, music, art, or literature, in that not everything is appropriate for all ages. While people may want to blame violence on video games, they may first want to look at their awareness towards their children’s gaming habits and behavior.

No direct correlation has been made between violence and video games. If violent natures were caused by such games, then there should be a direct relationship between the two. Between 1995 and 2008, the rate of juvenile murders has dropped 71.9% and juvenile violent crimes have dropped 49.3%. During this same time period, the sale of video games have quadrupled (ProCon). Likewise, in the past twenty years, reports of robbery, rape, and murder in the United States have dropped while the increase in home video game devices have increased (Cause Violence). James Twitchell, an English Professor and advertiser, once told the media, “It seems doubtful, from the point of view of the species history, that the human brain, which came of age in the Olduvai Gorge, can be turned to the jungle at such speed simply by watching flickering pixels on a nineteen-inch screen” (Cause Violence). Humans can not simply have a mental break down from playing video games. For example, in Japan, the hub of the video game world, rates of gun-related homicide are two hundred times lower than those in the United States (Cause Violence). In 2005, Japan experienced 73 murders, while the U.S. had 2,279. Video game sales in the United States, per capita, were precisely $5.20 compared to $47 in Japan (ProCon). Despite these statistics, people still turn to video games as something to blame or contribute to the problem of violence.

Many people are against the distribution of violent video games because they believe that the games reward players for violence, thus increasing violent behavior (ProCon). While this may be true, players are aware that they are playing a game. Mentally sound players have the ability to distinguish reality from gaming fantasy, therefore provoking no thoughts of violence in real life. While a video game may dictate the type of violence, it does not cause its occurrence. Without video games, violent-prone youth would still lash out (ProCon). A game controller or device with colorful buttons is much different than using a real weapon on real people. If a crime is committed from someone “acting out a video game”, there are always other unaddressed issues in their lives. In the media, people only hear about the few incidents involving violent actions instead of the thousands of other non-violent gamers. Roger Ebert, a critic and journalist, wrote, “There was a time when books were vilified as the devil’s handiwork. The first radio and motion pictures were a ‘corrupting influence’. Television was deemed to be the death of society. Throughout mankind’s history, each new means of expression has been castigated as the cause of evil in the world” (Cause Violence). Allegedly, people have sought for something to blame for injustice and crime.

Violent video games may seem like an easy way to exploit violence in the United States, yet research has proven time and again that there is no direct correlation between the two. In 2004, the Secret Service conducted a poll that discovered that one-eighth of school-based attackers displayed more interest in violence in their own readings and writings than in video games (ProCon). Similarly, video games may also provide a safe, controlled aggressive outlet for young adults. A study in 2007 showed that 45% of male gamers play video games to help relieve their anger, and 62% claim that it “helps me relax” (ProCon). Society looks to point fingers at anything that may cause violence or a flaw in the American society, but video games have received far too much unjust scrutiny.

People tend to blame violent video games for much of the destruction and violence among children and young adults, but they do not stop to consider the stereotypes they are basing their arguments on. The average gamer is not a pre-teen boy holed up in a dark basement shooting virtual people for hours, but rather, a middle aged person who could be either male or female. Throughout history and from tracking sales, statistics have shown repeatedly that when crime and violence rates increase, video game purchases have dropped, showing no direct relationship between the two. Many worry that video games reward violence, but in actuality, they help players relieve stress in a safe, virtual environment. Those who place all cause for violence on video games are simply looking for something to blame. By taking a step back and looking at the whole picture, society may come to see how close-minded and obsolete their views truly are.

for those who want to see some of my sources or to read more...

Bernhard, Nicholas. "Video Games Don't Cause Violence." - Boulder Daily Camera. DailyCamera, 19 Jan. 2014. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.

Gallagher, Michael D. "Video Games Don’t Cause Children to Be Violent." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 10 May 2010. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.

ProCon.org. "Video Games ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. ProConorg, 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.