A Harmless Pastime?

 

 

By Sophia Lisikh

“A gunman who killed 22 people and injured 24 others at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, on August 3rd 2019 made a fleeting reference to video game soldiers.”

“The young men who opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, were video gamers who seemed to be acting out some dark digital fantasy.”

“Criminologist Ray Surette of the University of Central Florida researched video game-playing habits of 249 inmates in a county jail…finding that the degree of immersion in (violent) media did predict copycat crime.”

Notice anything similar? It would be bold indeed to claim that the heightened exposure to violent media in our days is the driving force of all global crimes. However, there is no denying the fact that the negative influence of violent video games is far too often overlooked. With more and more statistics supporting the suspicion that these games are the underlying cause of the increased psychological and physical problems of children and adolescents, it is alarming to consider that there are an average of 2.5 billion video gamers around the world! If that wasn’t bad enough, more than 90 percent of these games designed for children 10 and older are violent, which is why there is an urgent need to put an end to their steady growth in purchases.

Some would argue that video games, including violent ones, are “a harmless pastime,” and would go so far as to state that they even provide a therapeutic, if not safe, outlet to cope with anger. In fact, 70 percent of parents honestly believe that video games have a positive influence on their children’s lives, especially when they are used in healthy moderation. But scientists show otherwise.

In the beginning, the individual’s behaviour is neutral and even relaxed due to the release of stress hormones; however, these coping mechanisms cease to work at some point, reversing the system. In other words, these video games begin to trigger the release of dopamine in the individual’s brain that reinforces behaviour, similar to an addictive drug. This addiction can become dangerous as it stimulates problematic psychological and physical arousal along with more anxiety and stress. With regards to moderation, about 80 percent of high school-age boys say they play video games, most of which are violent, and perhaps up to a third of these boys have a habit of playing up to 10 hours a week or more.

Is this what we are calling “healthy moderation”? I believe that we should bring more awareness to the destructive consequences in regards to the individual and those around them. It is evident from the events presented above that violent video games play a significant role in violent behavioural patterns. Of course, this is not to say that any child who plays superhero video games will grow up to be a mob killer. But it is nevertheless important to realize the long-term consequences such activities may have in relation to agitation and aggression.

Countless modern studies have found that exposure to violent media and partaking in violent entertainment correlate with aggressive behaviour, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, and physical arousal, as opposed to neutral video games. For example, an experiment published in JAMA Pediatrics looked at 3,034 children who had a habit of playing violent video games and found that they were associated with “long-term, self-reported aggressive behaviour regardless of parental involvement, age, sex, or initial aggressiveness.”

It was also observed that playing violent video games promoted acts of bullying, fights in the playground, and risky behaviour. This is due to a phenomenon in which the player begins to act out what they witness in these virtual games in real life. Given brain research, it is known that our brain sometimes does not distinguish between reality and fiction. Furthermore, any video gamer would know that performing more violence in a game rewards you with more points, new achievements in the game, and a higher level. This is why it comes as no surprise that witnesses of gory, bloody, and at the very least disturbing scenes would eventually communicate violence to some degree.

With regards to risky behaviour, it can be noted that video games which display smoking, drinking, drugs, use of profane language, inappropriate sexual content, and rebellion (e.g., breaking the law) promote such behaviours as cool and “on trend” to the typical teenager. Teenagers in general are at a vulnerable age, as their interests, personality, identity, morals, and individuality begin to form. Being liked and accepted by their peers becomes more important than ever before, and if the majority are under the strong influence of such games, it would be difficult not to follow the crowd. In one popular video game called Grand Theft Auto V, players in the fictional world of San Andreas commit crimes and attempt to evade authorities. And this was the third best-selling video game in late 2019!

Doesn’t this say something about the moral values that are being taught to each coming generation? Is it in vain that parents teach their children obedience to the law, prudence, and citizen duties? What about compassion, love, care, and respect? Much evidence points to the fact that violent video games desensitize players, instils lack of empathy, and displaces moral values. If the whole world immerses itself in such games, who will have the heart to feed the hungry, visit the sick, organize fundraisers, take action, or spread love and kindness? As cliché as it may sound, who will “make the world a better place”?

Furthermore, it has been researched that violent video games are strongly linked to depression. Picture this: a dark and hauntingly gloomy city in ruins, disfigured bodies scattered around, people with weapons running wild, the sound of gunshots engulfing the air, blood is everywhere, the police are chasing you, and you’ve got nothing left to do but to die or to kill. Now, would such an experience (even if virtual) bring about dreams of roses and butterflies? Just reading about such things is already terrifying enough!

In the above study by Susan Tortolero, director of the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention research at the university of Texas, it was observed that being a victim of violence, or even simply witnessing violence, is associated with mental health problems. No kidding! In addition, she made a unique discovery in which she notes that playing for more than two hours a day of violent video games is much more interconnected with depression than playing nonviolent video games. Moreover, being at the core of such an intense and gory atmosphere may heavily impact the individual’s psychology and sleeping habits.

Depression, anxiety, and stress can work as a chain reaction that might trigger insomnia, which in turn could result in poor academic performance, which results in lower grades, which risks lower self-esteem, which can result in more depression, which risks greater dependence on these games (as distraction), and the cycle restarts.

In summary, I believe that there is an urgent need to educate society on the detrimental consequences of violent video games, as they negatively impact not only individuals, but society as a whole. In addition to stimulating violence and aggression, violent video games impose a flawed view of moral values through exhibitions of risky behaviours and are correlated with several mental health problems.

By perhaps making anti-video-game ads (as with cigarettes), re-designing the packaging of these games, or labeling them with clear warnings for the parents, we can gradually begin informing buyers and the general public about the side effects of these games. If we can bring more awareness to the dangers associated with violent video games and if parents express a greater interest into what environment they are surrounding their children, all of us can ensure a brighter, safer, and better future for the generations to come.