Video Games: The Cause Or The Cure?
Kale Montgomery
Over the decades, many forms of entertainment have been maligned as gratuitous, dehumanising and harmful to society’s youth. The most recent form to come under fire is video games. Governments, parents, media and law enforcement agencies alike have all taken turns in blaming video games for any number of societal problems since they came to prominence in the 70’s and 80’s. This vilification continues today with the scapegoating of games such as the Grand Theft Auto series being the alleged ‘cause’ of essentially every crime a young person can commit from graffiti to mass murder[1].
There are, however, copious positive aspects of video games that go largely overlooked by the masses of overprotective parents and deranged media personalities. Recent generations have been turning to video games more and more from a very young age, and it is at this age that human beings are developing crucial life skills. No true gamer could possibly deny that there has been, at one stage, a challenge that has caused them to doubt their own sanity. This point often comes very early in a gamer’s career, with children going so far as to throw tantrums at the level of frustration encountered. While this may sound like a perfect example of why not to play games, it is quite the opposite, because although kids may cry and scream their outrage, they persist[2]. This sheer focus and determination, some of the most crucially important and sought after skills in today’s society, is imbued in children while they strive for the next level. They learn that by being utterly committed to a goal and persevering to overcome each and every obstacle, that they can accomplish that which they desire most – and after all, is this self-discipline not something that every parent wishes their child to learn? [3]
As children grow older, they will almost intuitively seek out that genre so frequently denigrated: war games. War games are decried by the conservative masses as being destructive and desensitising to youth, teaching them to kill with a remorseless fury. They couldn’t be further from the truth[4]. Many such games are teaching things to kids that most adults find difficult to comprehend – strategy, common sense, logical thinking, and basic and advanced problem solving. The ability to take a tactical approach to a situation holds no limit to useful application throughout an individual’s life. Not only are games able to teach these rudimentary skills, but also more ‘tangible’ knowledge is passed on as well. History and geography – to name only a couple – are recognisable as parts of a basic school syllabus, however, these and many other subjects are often supplanted into a gamers mind during game play[5]. The most common game genre to possess historically and geographically accurate features is none other than war.
War is not the only thing to be decried; another deeply admonished aspect of games in recent years is violence. As previously mentioned, one of the most publicly vilified game series is Grand Theft Auto; where in each game bearing the title one assumes the role of a maniacal, gun-toting carjacker and proceeds on a murderous, mayhem-filled, insanity-fuelled series of missions. It sounds quite ludicrous really, and to be honest, it is. It is not a training ground for young thugs and high school-gunmen, it is a game[6]. Video games such as this which are filled with gratuitous violence are often attacked by censorship bodies and media organisations as driving youth to crime. The main reason for this is that targeting games is simply an easy-out. It is just such a simple option for everyone – including kids themselves who have committed felonies – to cast blame upon games and the developers, rather than the children themselves.
While it is true that an insignificant number of individuals are negatively affected by playing violent games[7], it is no more influential than other entertainment facets such as movies and television. Furthermore, violent video games can in fact provide a safe, positive outlet for teenage aggression[8]. By playing these games, it is possible to vent anger, aggression and stress in a fun, safe environment without causing any actual harm – this can be likened to ‘punching a pillow’. This is explored in a psychological act known as ‘exercising one’s shadow’, wherein culturally or socially inappropriate aspects of one’s personality are explored and unleashed in a suitable environment, rather than in the community.
Community is yet another positive aspect of gaming. Countless online communities have developed on the internet, especially since the early 1990’s with the launch of the World Wide Web[9]. While it is argued that gamers become detached from society and these ‘nerds’ become isolated loners in comparison to bygone generations, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Younger generations are far more socially connected than their predecessors ever were thanks to online games. Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games allow people to play with literally hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously, all over the world. This results in gamers having friends and connections in all societies and cultures, inevitably leading to a greater understanding and acceptance of these different cultures[10].
It is unlikely for the scapegoating of video games to end any time soon – if ever – because they are simply such a good target. Kids are spending more and more time immersed in their consoles and computers, and more are being developed as the years progress. However, despite this ongoing vilification, the positive facets of video games are unmistakable, and will continue to be a powerful and positive influence in many lives.
[2] “Learning by design: Games as learning machines.” April 2004. James Paul Gee. Interactive Educational Multimedia, number 8, pp 15-23. 19 May 2008.
[3] “Video Games and the Future of Learning.” October 2005. David Williamson Shaffer, Kurt R. Squire, Richard Halverson, and James P. Gee. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 87, No. 02: pp. 104-106. 28 May 2008.
[4] “Video Games Influence Children (Skill Transfer: How Ridiculous Is That?)” Sat Oct 30 2004. Matthew Scouten. 18 May 2008.
[5] “Pleasure, Learning, Video Games, and Life: the projective stance” 2005. E–Learning, Volume 2, Number 3. James Paul Gee. 19 May 2008.
[6] “Video Games Influence Children (Where Is The Violence?)” Sat Oct 30 2004. Matthew Scouten. 18 May 2008.
[7] “Video Games’ Influence Is Insignificant” 25th April 2007. Filip Truta. 18 May 2008.
[8] “Video Games Influence Children (Psychological Studies)” Sat Oct 30 2004. Matthew Scouten. 18 May 2008.
[9] “The History Of The Internet, Chapter Two: From ARPANET to World Wide Web” 11 October 2002. Richard T. Griffiths. 28 May 2008.
[10] “Video Games and the Future of Learning.” October 2005. David Williamson Shaffer, Kurt R. Squire, Richard Halverson, and James P. Gee. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 87, No. 02: pp. 105-107. 28 May 2008.
