Recent comments made by the White House have revived a debate from the ’90s that many people thought was long over. The recent shooting sprees that have happened in public locations and schools have been blamed on violence in the media, or more specifically, violent video games.
The debate over whether video games inspire violent acts was sparked by two major events in the ’90s. The first of these was the release of Mortal Kombat in the arcades, which was so violent that it led to the Congressional hearing that inspired the creation of the ESRB. The second of these was the Columbine High School massacre, which caused a media outcry over the supposed involvement of games like Doom in the planning of the attack.
There have been several other incidents over the years that have revived the discussion over violent video games, such as the release of the titles in the Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty series. It seems like every major jump in the quality of graphics also inspires a new debate over whether video game violence is becoming too realistic.
Video games are certainly not the first victims of this, as violence in movies and TV shows has also come under scrutiny in the past, especially if there was any tangential link to a real-life crime.
There have been numerous studies over the years that have tried to find a link between violent acts and violence in the media. As of the time of writing, there has never been a definitive link that has been discovered that connects violent video games to real-life violent behavior, despite the hundreds of studies that have been made.
Video games have become the most profitable form of media in the world. You can now carry entire libraries of video games in your pocket, either through handheld consoles or on your phone. The entire history of the medium can be enjoyed on a personal computer, which includes both the best and the worst that gaming has to offer. There are countless hours that have been poured into games like World of Warcraft, which has led to the creation of virtual societies outside of our own, where anyone and everyone can live as equals. The reach of gaming as an industry has never been longer than it is right now.
If the things that people like Jack Thompson said were true, then millions of rational people across the globe would be inspired to perform violent acts every day. As it stands: the kinds of people who commit atrocities were inspired to do so by other factors in their life. These are the kinds of people who reject (and were rejected by) society, and it is this kind of treatment that inspires the hatred and madness that causes extreme acts of violence.
When a tragedy occurs, it is only natural for people to start pointing fingers. It’s far easier to deal with the pain of a senseless act if there is someone that can be blamed. It’s also a lot easier to blame the media, rather than do anything to cause actual change. These accusations of video games being responsible for violent acts is just another smoke screen, which is brought about by an establishment that is looking for something to blame, other than itself. The Republican Party were not the first people to do this, nor will they likely be the last.
As fans of video games, it is incumbent upon all us to protect the medium that we love and fight the lies that are spread by a mass media that feeds upon peoples fears and insecurities. You can do this by making your voice heard. It’s within your power to hold journalists and politicians to task for spreading lies and misinformation about gaming.
