[DEBATE] Video Game Violence Influence on Children

Imma play the devil's advocate for a sec here.

I love video games, I really do, especially rated M ones. However, even if they aren't making us more violent, they ARE causing a degree of desensitization to it. This isn't to say that TV/books/radio/a rock haven't contributed as well, but in the last couple decades, we've seen the video game industry completely revolutionized. And as those games get more and more realistic, so does the violence in them, sometimes to the point where I question why it's even needed.

On that, I think that it's a bit frightening that 12 year olds regularly handle watching a man (a computer generated man, but a man) ruthlessly execute another one, with extremely graphic blood splatter and everything. That isn't so much on the kids, but on society. I don't yet know exactly what the long term affects are of such violent games, but I am going to go ahead and say that a child should not be part of it. Science tells us that video games have a huge effect on our brains, especially so during a time of such great change as during puberty. The question is not whether this happens, but whether or not it's damaging. And to that question, I would say no, except for anyone 12 or younger. Not to say they will become violent, but there will be some downfalls to exposing them to rated M games so young. I would put the minimum age at around 15, when the brain is MUCH more developed. Overall, you can play games whenever you want, but just please, please, please be mindful that a 12 year old does not have the same mental maturity that you do at 15/16/30.

TL;DR Violent gaming is fine, just be responsible, especially for people as impressionable as kids.

I don't think you can pinpoint an exact age to cutoff M games. It depends a lot at what age you are done with most of your maturing. It can be anywhere from 12-15 usually.

I, and a surprising amount of my friends, have played the game Runescape since we were ~7 and played it for years to the point where it's actually a significant part of my childhood. That game, although not rated M and having very unrealistic violence, had mild fantasy violence. However, I learned a freaking ton from that game with all the quests you go on and the item uses. I can actually say that my vocabulary for different items has increased a lot thanks to playing that game at such a young age. I think games like that where it's just mild fantasy (completely unrealistic) violence are totally okay to play whenever you're old enough to comprehend them. I think that like I said before, however, more realistic games like CoD should wait until 12-15.

I agree with you and what most people have been saying but I have one more thing to add. Desensitization has come up and although I agree that games desensitize all people, it isn't in the way most think. I have found that games/TV/everything else desensitize us to video game/TV/other stuff violence. In a game or show, when something happens, I know that it is all fake and even though it might be disgusting, it doesn't cause an physiological pain to watch. There is a difference between this and real life violence. If I were to ever see something even sort of as bad as some of the stuff fictionalized, I would be completely freaking out. I imagine most other gamers would agree that video games don't make people immune to real life violence but instead affect how we see fake violence and there is a huge difference there. Younger kids though might not see the difference as well. Parents are given every single resource they would need to make an educated decision on whether the game is right for the child. It is up to them to know their child and whether it is right for them.

Now, I do not believe that these games make children more violent. Although this is true, I have heard some children say some pretty dumb things they have heard within the games from things such as online talking etc. This is partly because a majority of the people playing are 17+ and ehem talk like it. This is the only way it could really affect the child in my eyes. Ratings mean nothing to me, its the maturity of the mind and what that individual can handle.

While I applaud you for playing the "desensitization" card, I feel obligated to point out:
The very same news station that will run a story about how "violent videogames are ruining our youth!" are the same ones that will ever-so-casually talk about mass killings, violent uprisings in far corners of the world, and the terrible humanitarian plight of any city or country hit by a big natural disaster - as long as the footage doesn't show American lives being lost, it seems to be fair game these days.
As for the rest of your post about age and development, I just chalk that up to sensible parenting.

Fun anecdote: When I was young, I had no problem equipping my lego figures with all manner of absurdly powerful destructive devices, and blowing each other literally apart. At the same time, I refused to even watch Top Gun because "somebody dies in it."

I've got a little story to share here. This is my story from a couple years ago, about the time I first joined EMC.
My opinion is located at the bolded text.

I was introduced to Call of Duty games when I was 11 after I'd gone to a friend's birthday (now I'm 16). Initially I was freaked out but then one of my friends (who has since passed away) asked me to play with them for a little while and after that night I was convinced that Call of Duty was one of the best game franchises created. I looked it up on YouTube and found endless avenues that I could explore in regards to the game, and with funny commentators such as Syndicate around I quickly found it consuming my social life more than what was necessary. Deep down, I knew it wrong, but I begged my parents to get me a PS3 which eventually led to them to getting me a game close to when I turned 13. They got it for me on a few conditions, two being that I only played it on weekends and that I only play it when it was allowed by them.

This seemed simple, but did not go down very well during the 6 months I possessed the game. My life was in turmoil during this time, the house that we were moving out of/selling was located in one city (which was also where my PS3 was at), I was living at my grandma's house (which was one third the size of what we were used to) with my parents in a different city, yet I went to a new school in a third city, which was where we eventually wanted to end up. I would go back down to our original house on the weekends supposedly to help move things out, when in actuality all I wanted to do was to play the game and at least think about what I would do on it next whenever I was kicked off by my parents. It seemed harmless, my social life there was done and I couldn't work on my schoolwork down there, so my excuse was that I had nothing better to do (the guilt was building up inside of me really bad at this point, but it wouldn't affect my mentality one bit since I was addicted to this game).

So I was officially hooked to this game, no route of escape. Socially, things changed for me. At my new school (I was in 7th grade) there were many friendly people and of course you had the ones that didn't really have much to say to you but in general I was going in a downwards spiral. I would say hi to people and be respectful and courteous, but I couldn't relate to anyone for the simple reason that my mind was clouded with what I really cared about: the game. I played baseball and basketball the year before, but assumed that I would not have any more interest with those activities since it was going to be inconvenient for me to show up to any functions for another year. Grades were probably the only thing that motivated me to want to leave my grandma's house every morning, but even those were not at their personal best (An A+ slipped to an A-) . Looking back at it, I'm thankful that I even established good relations with anyone there in my first semester, because in my head I was maybe the most screwed up person in there.

Four things happened within one month of time. In December 2012 our old house sold (meaning we were free to finally search for a new one). However, this was not to be. Around that same time, my grandma on my mom's side passed away, and my grandma on my dad's side (the one we were staying with), suffered a stroke. Little did I know that while these events were tragic and unfortunate to the family, they would be the things that I had to use as motivation a little while later. Fourth was the Newtown school shooting, which I am sure a good part of us remember. The thoughts that went through my head that day when I was reading the news headlines were probably the most dangerously serious thoughts that have entered my mind. I was under the impression for a few weeks that the shooter had a motive that should be recognized as valid, he felt entitled to what he was doing and shooting up a school was his way of speaking out. In easier words, I supported his actions.

Then they took it away. One day I came into the room that I usually played in right after school when my parents were busy so they couldn't catch me playing, and the game wasn't there. My dad took forever with getting home from work that evening, my grandma was in the hospital, and my mom was staying with her dad to help him after his wife's passing. I was alone and went through a forced grief cycle on my own for about four hours. I did not know that I was in store for another one. My dad finally came home with the game in hand, I'd always suspected it was him that had stole it from me. He sat me down, opened the case, scratched the disc, and threw it in the trash. All of the guilt came back, that this was what I deserved. Then I went through another grief cycle.

The next two years were quite interesting without the game. I used my initial disregard to the turmoil in our family as motivation for me to get back into the swing of how our family functioned. Moving into our current house that summer was the first major development. After I returned to school after my rather horrible Christmas Break (when crap hit the fan and I got the game taken away), I came in with the attitude that I had nothing to leave out there with my classmates, I'm here to learn about you and what you're into. My social life was elevated along with my grades. I got back into baseball and tennis by the end of the semester. After one year, my parents allowed me to invite friends over who had Call of Duty games, and allowed me to go to their houses. I almost relapsed once, thinking that maybe I'd stop thinking about it if I just waited for my life to hit the fan again and everything go all wrong, then I might have purpose to rebuild. But that wasn't in the cards, I knew I was being ridiculous and that I had best focus on working on building a mall here on EMC if I ever did have the craving to enter a fantasy world.

Last year, I attended a seminar on the "poisons" that lead to violence in the human mind. I was the only 8th grader and there were 2 high school students in the auditorium with the presenter there, as well as maybe 10 parents. I was actually underage to be seeing what I was seeing, but the person in charge made me sign beforehand to me and my mom that I could view what was being presented. They talked in depth about the Newtown shooting and provided examples of the actions that could be seen/performed in mature rated games such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. All of a sudden, something clicked with me (I was already getting there mentally and I was motivated to go to this, but it wasn't until I was in the right environment that I really thought I could cure myself). I was understanding everything being presented in two ways, the way a concerned citizen to a community might see the facts and the way a hurtful and lost citizen within a community might see the facts. I made the decision right there that being concerned with the situation, rather than just admitting that I was under the influence of it, was how I'd live my life. Heck, I just came out of the dumps right then. Finally. I talked to my parents about it, and all of a sudden I felt free as a bird. I had finally controlled the monster that was in my head for so many years.

They gave it back to me 12 months ago. I have never had a single obsessive issue with the game since it came back into my possession, I might play it on weekends when I have time to kill (trust me, I'm not using my time productively writing this right now, or am I? Nvm) with some of my friends. I feel respected at my school, do my best to treat others with respect (although things happen sometimes that I have to get up and hold myself accountable for), keep my grades on an A scale in honors classes that are more challenging by the day, play on a varsity sports team, and have a beautiful girlfriend. It's easy to say that I have it going for me, even though I sound very selfish while saying it. But I'm damn proud of every bit of it, because if I'd been able to keep that game a month or so longer than my parents let me, I wouldn't be where I am today.

So yes, I do have an opinion on this. When you are working at GameStop and the parents are buying a game for the kid, it's saddening to me (and I've seen this happen), when the clerk just let's them have it without questioning them on who's gonna play it. It's obvious that the 50 year old mom or even the 30 year old dad isn't getting it for themselves if they've got a 10 year old kid either complaining about when they'll get to play it or gleaming with excitement right behind them when they make the purchase. I think the age limit to purchase current "M" rated games should be 18 so that everyone must show an ID when they make the purchase, and that only 18+ persons can be allowed into the section of the store where these kinds of games can be sold. For GameStop, it really wouldn't be that big of a struggle, they've got the money to make proper renovations and if anything it would increase the traffic flow of the store on the day of a big release (those places are packed upon the release of the latest whatever it is). For other video game retailers like Walmart, just ask the customer to show them their ID just like they do with alcohol (I think 18 is pretty fair for games compared to 21 for alcohol).

For those of you who obediently stayed and read, thank you for sticking with me through my rant. I'd love to hear feedback from anyone and everyone out there, and I've seen two sides to this tale so of course, I understand your point of view. I'll even go as far as to say that if anyone has read this and think you might be in a spot similar to my former situation, PM me and I'll hook up a time for us to play on EMC eventually and we can talk about whatever. Nccoryg, thank you for creating this.

I play violent video games all the time and I have to say this; I see violent video games as fun, but not to be taken seriously. In Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, for example, there is a mission where you have to kill innocent people in an airport, this is an example of people who want to recreate this get the inspiration from. Yes violent video games can drive people to have an increase in violent thoughts, especially children, but it is up to the individual person to know the difference between right and wrong.

So does video game violence influence children? Yes, but it is up to the parents to teach their children that they shouldn't recreate what they see in video games or on TV in real life or consequences will happen as a result of their behavior.

Games made me violent, and spoons made me fat.

In my opinion there is definitely a problem here, but it's somewhat different than most participants in these kinds of discussions tend to care for. You know what the problem is with these doom scenarios? The real problem? That there's a sense of truth in them, all of them. "Where there's smoke, there's fire", it's a given. I don't care if we're talking about the effect of video games on children or the end of the Internet due to us running out on IPv4 addresses (let's not go there, but I'm one of the skeptics in that discussion).

And I strongly believe, heck I'm pretty much convinced here, that video games as well as television are having their influence on children. Worse: this even goes for books and optional theater plays.

And before you hit the reply button to tell me that I'm wrong... If they didn't have any effect, then please explain to me why I always need to make sure to keep some handkerchiefs ready when my gf and I are watching certain (more emotional) movies on a Saturday evening?

Or why I can sometimes find myself all pumped up by merely watching some (quality) wrestling matches (American Wrestling, as I call it. So WWE / TNA kind of stuff).

Or... When I was younger.. how come my friends and me could sometimes end up totally exhausted (well, not really exhausted but...) by merely watching Dragonball Z? I still remember how hyped we were when they were going to air the Final Flash ("Trunks Ascends"). Not only was that hyped, but we heavily enjoyed it as well. Never admitted to it of course; as 23 year old you're not supposed to watch kid stuff, less get excited over it, right? It sure had its advantages though, considering that we had access to some solid sound equipment (we actually enjoyed this in a surround-sound kind of way, long before that even existed).

Thing is... The pro's sayers are right that it has its effects, but they're massively overdoing it and make it look as if this will affect everyone in a negative way. Whereas the nay sayers shouldn't be too quick to totally dismiss this as if there's nothing wrong at all...

Some people already mentioned it above: parenting. The real problem is the way we deal with this violence and anxiety. And that heavily differs per individual, and a big part of it is formed by the way we got (or get) raised when we're younger. Parenting is much more important and has much more influence than some people seem to care about these days.

And that's not a problem which can be easily fixed unfortunately....

Yeah, our society is completely saturated with violence. I don't think that video games are the sole cause, but considering how much more time kids spend playing video games than watching the news, it will have a much more profound effect on them. I don't think it's an extremely massive deal, like some try to make it out to be, but I do worry sometimes for the very young children that get caught in the cross fire. Like you said, it comes down to good parenting. Gotta know what's good for the child, even if that child disagrees with you on what they can handle.

As for the young Keph's incredible blood lust, I am not surprised. In fact, I'm more surprised that you just stopped at tearing the Lego pieces apart, instead of finding a way to melt them into a puddle.

Woah, woah, woah. You best back up. That episode was the bomb, don't you ever be ashamed of getting hyped over it.

On the desensitisation note: I watch violent TV series (The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones) and play violent games (The Last of Us, Battlefield, Counter-Strike, the like), but I will still feel like vomiting if I see real violence. Take for instance that video of Jihadi John beheading a British soldier with a small knife: I clicked the wrong link on a news website and I got curious as to what it would actually be like. I got to the point where he put the blade on his neck and began to saw, and I immediately clicked off and had to go look at puppies for 30 minutes before I could function properly again

When I see TV and game violence, I laugh and 'enjoy' it.

My reaction to actual real life violence is the opposite.

Thank you for your input, FirstJugBurgerz and ShelLuser.

In some cases I agree that video games can cause violence. Parents now-a-days are letting their FIVE year old kids play Grand Theft Auto 5 or Call of Duty. Seriously. If the game is rated M why would you let your kid play it? Parents need to do more research in to these games BEFORE they let their kid play them and even buy them. I have a cousin who has been having trouble in school, and quite a bit of it was from fighting. He has been playing shooting games like Call of Duty and GTA V since he was about 5-6. I don't even WANT to play those games. All it is, is violence. Now a days in schools you see kids starting fights and failing school, and while my parents tell me that those things did happen when they were younger, it wasn't as bad. A lot of these things are being started most likely by games (a decent amount of the kids doing bad in my school play violent games) and the things kids see on T.V. I think that games like GTA and other M rated games should be restricted and enforced so kids keep their grades up and aren't getting crappy jobs when they get older and can keep the future looking great.
EDIT: Before anyone craps on this post I do NOT think video games and television shows are the main cause, but does contribute to the issue.

This is why there were never any fights in school before video games were a thing. Like back when I went.

I've played some games that I am "too young for", though I do not think that they give me aggression nor do they affect my life negatively. I work hard at college and got good grades at school. In fact, certain violent games even helped me with my history, such as Rome: Total War. I suppose it's all down to the person as all children will be influenced in different ways - I just found that personally the games can have a positive influence, and can also help you to get your anger out when you are frustrated. I know not to get my anger out like that in a bad way in real life, so applying it to a game can sometimes be the better way for it. But as I say, all children will react in different ways.

When was that?

I agree with this, it's more related to the person, although I know a few people that have been influenced by either games/shows , or their parents/siblings.

Children will always be influenced by their parents/siblings, but that's a whole other matter from video games really.