Video Games & Violence

Long gone are the days of Tetris and Pacman. Today's video games have life-like images with graphic sexuality and violence. The controversy of regulating video games took center stage after two avid gamers killed 13 people in the infamous Columbine shootings but, since then, the debate has sputtered. Supporters of regulation wonder why the move-like rating systems that would stop minors from purchasing violent games are not enforced. Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman co-sponsored the Family Entertainment Protection Act (FEPA) to enforce age-appropriate video games sales, but FEPA never passed in the Senate because the courts have declared it unconstitutional. The connection between video games and violence remains debated as regulation is stalled by constitutionality.

In Defense of Video Game Violence

eclectic gamer - Much has been made about the crassness and audacity of violence in gaming, and while most gamers rush to defend their hobby, few can articulate what it is they are defending. Pundits who would like us all to live back in the 60’s cite the “protect the children” argument when promoting or passing legislation. Typically that kind of myopic reasoning has led to bogus feel-good laws that serve no other purpose than to allow a politician to point to something during an election cycle. The only concrete evidence we have concerning video game violence and children is that it leads to a mild increase in aggressive behavior in children who already...

Violence is Contagious

Katie Parker - But is waiting for scientific proof the only way to know for sure if something is harmful? Certainly not. First off, sometimes common sense and your gut feelings are all you need. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that all people are born with the "light of Christ" that helps us know right from wrong. Sometimes we as humans successfully ignore this innate understanding, but this is a gift from our Heavenly Father that we should pay attention to. In addition, our Church leaders have told us repeatedly to avoid such violence. For the Strength of Youth, a booklet given to all youth in the Church to refer to for guidelines...

11.27.07

10:05 AM -

Forget violence

AlexVA - Look, a link between violence and video games is difficult to prove. Furthermore, children are exposed to violence constantly through gaming and television however 1 in 3 of those children are not likely to commit a violent crime. That number is different for weight problems in children where 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese largely because they are parked in front of the television occupied for hours with these games. The sad thing is that virtual play has replaced physical play for America's youth and is creating a culture of inactive, overweight children who rely on electronic mediums rather than their own imagination for entertainment.

11.26.07

12:30 AM -

Movies / Games. What's the Difference?

JackAttack - Here's what I don't get: Little Jimmy is 12 years old and he goes to see a Rated R movie. He can't get in by himself. Fine, I get it. The same little Jimmy goes to buy Grand Theft Auto (Yeah GTA!) and it's easy as (like) Sunday morning. So why are the gaming age laws unconstitutional and the movie laws aren't?

11.23.07

11:57 AM -

Do you really think....

StickyWicket - that a society degrades because of watching video games? I know a ton of great people that play tons of violent video games and wouldn't hurt a fly in real life. The real problem is things outside of the realm of video games. Cultures of violence have nothing to do with video games of violence.

11.22.07

10:39 PM -

Another example of the society's moral degredation

matt - I don't understand how someone can say that five-year old kid beating a prostitute to death with a baseball bat doesn't have SOME form of negative influence on that kid. Where is the innocence? Has the value of innocence been completely lost on society? Or do we value freedom - for child and adult alike - so much that we are willing to compromise a child's purity of mind? In a healthy society, with a healthy family structure, the state would have no role in dictating this. Leave it to the parents to choose how to raise their children. But in a society where the family is disintegrating and most parents don't step in to play the role of a parent, then who IS going to play that role? But, then again, that's a whole other problem....

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