Violence in Video Games

Violence in video games: good or bad?

Violence has become the source of anger throughout parents all over the world. It is believed that many different forms of violence have begun to affect children in negative ways that seem unimaginable. Mainstream media was once sought to be the great evil behind this horrific occurrence, but recently, the attention has shifted to one of its siblings, video games. The controversy of violence caused by video games has been around for some time now and the argument seems to be fairly one sided. Countless numbers of adults believe that violence in video games is bad because they teach children how to engage in violent acts, it gives them a false sense of reality, and it leads them to believe that they can do what they want without any repercussions. Although there are many reasons of why they are bad, they can also be good because video games are simply a source of entertainment, they stimulate the mind, and they can help relieve a tremendous amount of stress. Is it possible that video games are being discredited, or are they truly just malicious monsters lurking in the shadows?

Arguments have sparked over the different effects that video games have, not only children but anyone who actually indulges in the act of playing. One of the most highly discussed subjects relates to the subconscious effects that violent video games have on the mind. Parents worry that their children are learning lessons that contradict with the morals of real life, causing them to behave in ways that frighten people. Many studies have been done in order to prove this theory and researchers have found that if an excess of time is spent on playing violent games, eventually “[children might] become fearful of the world around them” (Gallagher n.pag.) In a sense, violent video games seem to bring out the inner demons that children suppress deep within themselves and it forces them to act out in ways that nobody could ever foresee. It is bad enough that...