Violent Games
By SinfulFox
@SinfulFox (135)
United States
September 27, 2011 9:28pm CST
What's your take on video game violence - does it help release stress, is it merely just harmless fun, or does it make you more prone to violence outside of games?
Now, I love violent games as much as the next person. The GTA series are amazing, and Manhunt 1 and 2 are gorefully delicious. But I've restrained myself from ever hitting a real person upside the head with a toilet seat, so I doubt the games themselves made me feel more violent.
However, that question seems to be an ongoing issue... So what's it like for everyone else? To me, game violence is like fantasy violence - I can't ACTUALLY go around smacking women with shovels or mowing down crowds with machine guns and flamethrowers. So when I can do it in a video game, it feels more like a stress reliever and sort of an outlet for any built-up anger I might have. In my opinion, it's harmless and yes I enjoy it, so I don't think it's wrong.
The only problem I see that it may have is with younger kids, since they might not understand that the violence is fake. If a child too young to understand the difference between reality and fantasy gets wrapped up in violent games, they might think that type of thing is okay.
But then again, my first computer game was DOOM when I was maybe two years old. And yet I still am not on some planet shooting monstrous aliens with shotguns.
8 responses
@HellsButcher27 (473)
• United States
28 Sep 11
I love video game violence and I agree it is just harmless fun. I can also agree that it is a stress reliever. If parents don't want their kids exposed to it then they should simply not buy it for them. For the teens and adults, It's pure bloody, gory fun. You're right, In real life we can't blast someone in the face with a shotgun, but in a video game we can. It's the joy of doing something that we can't do in reality.
1 person likes this
@SinfulFox (135)
• United States
28 Sep 11
I agree, and I think that's the whole bottom line why we love video games and anything fantasy-related in general - it's something we can't do/experience in reality!
@HellsButcher27 (473)
• United States
28 Sep 11
Yea, and you're right. The GTA series is great and it never gets old. I don't know if you've ever played Saints Row or not but it's great too.
1 person likes this
@ReverendShaggy (415)
• Philippines
28 Sep 11
I play violent video games all of the time for stress relief. My first games were always violent. If you want to be technical Mario was violent, going around stumping on turtles to make them be injured and leave.
There is nothing wrong with violence in video games or movies and music for that matter. Where the problem comes in is parents and them not observing their children and the their behavior. Parents are not instilling in their children any kind of knowledge as they used to.
If a kid thinks it is alright to hit someone with objects because the see it or do it in a video game, then the parent has failed to help that child differentiate between real and pretend.
@SinfulFox (135)
• United States
28 Sep 11
Haha, I never thought about Mario being violent, but when you put it like that! He also slammed his head into many a block... I'm surprised he doesn't suffer from concussions!
But I agree, I think the ultimate responsibility falls on the parent. If a child has trouble differentiating reality from fantasy, or if they just get disturbed or freaked out easily, they probably shouldn't be allowed to play violent stuff. Parents seem to rely on technology and media to teach their children nowadays, and then get all huffy puffy when something's inappropriate.
@HellsButcher27 (473)
• United States
28 Sep 11
Shaggy - I agree, and Now that I think about it Mario was violent lol. I love to smash some faces or blow some heads off in video games.
Stary - I don't think there is anything wrong with violence in the music. Most of the music I listen to is violent. I love some thrashing heavy metal.
Fox - You're right. The responsibility falls on the parents because they let the kids see or hear it. If the child has trouble knowing the difference in reality and video games then they have no purpose playing the video games.
@arnoldream (1332)
• Philippines
29 Sep 11
good for you because you didn't end up like what others are afraid for you to end up, sure enough this violent movies and computer games do contribute much to our kids mind frame of thinking. sadly enough many juveniles have committed crimes because what seems to be bad and violent is just a normal thing for them to do as they were hugely influence mentally and emotionally by these violence in movies and games we adults are very fond of..
@surfer222 (1714)
• Indonesia
28 Sep 11
Yes i think games including violent games are helping for stress release, yes it was harmless fun and no it won't make you prone to violence outside the game. For instance, i used to play a game where if we piss on a pot of flowers we got some points, but in real life i never piss in a pot of flowers. I used to play Counter Strike when i was in college and in real life i never shot anyone in the head. People do violent things even before video games exist, so the problem is not video games, it's the people. Many people who play violent games never done any violent act in real life and many criminal who never play a single video games, so violent people are not related to video games.
@SinfulFox (135)
• United States
28 Sep 11
Hahaha! I've never played a game where I get points for pissing on flowers, lmao. That sounds fantastic though!
You have a very good point there, people were violent way before video games existed, and I highly doubt that legitimate serial killers started out playing Manhunt or Counter Strike or Grand Theft Auto.
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
28 Sep 11
honestly i love playing violent video games and have to say they are my favorite. i don't think they're any more of an influence then movies though when it comes to leaving an influence if it is bad on a person. i think you got to go much deeper then blaming video games or movies though. what about the environment the person is in and the people around them? i think the influence from people is more of an influence then movies or video games ever were. video games and even violent ones can require quick reaction times and can actually help people develop more critical thinking at a quicker pace because it works the brain. basicly it can help people be smarter. shooter games do a good job at this. you also got to look at the intelligence of the human being too to distinguish reality from fantasy. i think if the games are violent enough then young kids should stay away until a certain age. most games were not as violent now as they were when i was a kid so these issues didn't really have an effect on me. i grew up during the 8 bit era so that pretty much shows my age,lol.
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
28 Sep 11
I think it is all depends on age. Younger kids do not define reality and make believe as well as older ones do. I also think it depends on the person. Males seem to like the smashing and bashing more than females.
I don't like to see people fighting and killing each other but as long as there are no people involved, I do enjoy watching buildings and bridges being blown up
