Violent Video Games: Influence or Innocence?

When video games are mentioned, most people think of teenagers. In a like manner, people tend to look at violent video games as teenagers’ main source of violence. They seem to believe in the likelihood of a kid bringing Call of Duty gameplay into real life. Since video games and the people who play them vary in many different factors, it is extremely difficult to arrive at a simple yes or no answer as to whether violent video games make people violent. However, when considering that the question is if video games lead to violent people, I believe the answer is no. The sole act of enjoying violent video games will not lead to a violent mindset. Violent video games do not necessarily make people violent since there must be multiple factors

For example, a child might have some anger issues or medical conditions of the sort that increase aggression on its own. Violent video games cannot do the same. In a like manner, a kid who plays violent video games and lives in a dysfunctional family or neighborhood where aggression is common will have a much higher chance of becoming violent than a kid who only plays violent video games. These huge factors put much more weight on the person’s violence level than video games. If anything, video games would only give them a tiny shove. This idea can be compared to seeing people use drugs on television. The media itself will likely not cause the viewer to begin abusing drugs. However, if the viewer already lives surrounded by family members or a community that does abuse drugs, then the media might have a small effect on them. Even with two factors present, it is rare that violent video games will affect violence levels as much as to turn the person into a murderer (Anderson 29). If one were to say that feel good games made people philanthropist-like, most people would probably deem that idea a stretch. The most that genre of games would do is probably leave the player feeling all warm inside, but few would actually act. This is how I view the idea that violent video games make people violent.

People could have different ideas as to what is considered violent. Pushing and shoving could be violent acts for some, while violence to others could mean punching or acts that cause physical injuries. Rushton claims that even Pac-Man could be considered a violent videogame (qtd. in Ferguson 326). This is just an example of how different people hold different definitions of violence. Like people hold different definitions of violence, they also react differently. This is just like how sad commercials might not affect everyone the same way. Not everyone is super susceptible to emotionally reacting to media. The effects that videogames do produce are partially invited by the consumer. As Ferguson states, people choose their media at their own will (327). This means that people who play violent video games actively select the game either in hopes of relieving any bottled up emotions or to simply enjoy a competitive game. If the reason is not the latter, violent video games are not at fault for being an outlet to people that are searching for one. Any other media can become that outlet and be led to believe that it caused the violence. The fact that people actively select their media means that those people who do get affected by the violence in video games must have had some form of early aggression or something along those lines since they reached out for something violent and in turn became more violent themselves. The