Chua Si Yuan | cathicabbage@yahoo.com.sg
the ridge Outspoken desk
A NUSSU Publication
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“Life is a video game. Everybody’s got to die sometime.” So says Devin Moore, an American teen who murdered three persons, including two policemen, in 2003. Naturally, his words and actions caused a shockwave throughout America. Perhaps less predictably, the blame was laid upon violent video games. While it holds true that our generation is facing the onslaught of realistic and violent video games the likes of which have never been seen before, there is much to reflect upon before piling all the blame on video game companies. Most importantly, we must realise that we have ourselves to blame as well.
Moore’s case led to much controversy over an infamous video game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and its producers, Rockstar Games, bore the full brunt of the very public assaults. Jack Thompson, an equally infamous attorney, fed on the ample publicity to continue his fanatic crusade against video games. Amidst all the attacks and debates, what mattered much was ignore – that of parental guidance.
There are existing laws which govern the distribution and sales of video games, such as the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which rates video games similarly to the way movies are rated. Yet, we have to realise that this is but a system which needs the enforcement by parents. Trying to use a ratings system to prevent children from playing violent video games is not unlike telling them to not talk about sex. We all know that they will find out themselves in any case, and from less than desirable sources, with less than desirable outcomes.
Although it is not unfounded to argue that children are being influenced by violent video games, we must also note that movies and other media have been influencing our generation and those of our parents in pretty much the same way. In the same fashion, our parents have been blaming Hollywood and pop culture for our supposed corruption. What needs to be done is not the suppression of video games, but the guidance of our children who play those games.
The biggest challenge for us yet is for ourselves to take on the responsibility of teaching our young, instead of blaming the inevitable rise of video games. We must begin the campaign at home, where the problem’s roots lie. Not only do we have to impress upon our children the fact that virtual reality does not equate to the real, we have to also invest more time on them. We must never overlook the fact that our time away from children is what is encouraging them to spend more time on video games. By being with them more often, we not only prevent the undesirable influences of violent video games on our children, but also lessen their dependence on the virtual world for comfort.
Instead of going on a pointless crusade against what is now part of our world, we have to find a way to ease the effects video games have on us. We, not the video game producers, have the responsibility of ensuring that our children do not take the virtual world for the real.
[...] Generation V(iolence) We are used to blaming everything else but ourselves. Video games are no exception.td> [...]
I agree that parents should stop attacking the producers of such violent games.
I tried my hand at GTA San Andreas and it struck me as horribly violent and quite idiotic. But as I watched the boyfriend spend his afternoon playing some black guy who goes around on some sort of a mission while shooting ppl and grabbing hot cars, I suppose it’s the idiocy of the thing that appeals. You want it, you take it. Use the cheatcodes and you’re invincible. Just keep on going bangbangbangbangbang and feel good about yourself.
This can be easily translated into the real world. We’ve seen it happen too many times. Suddenly, killing someone loses its stigma and you have no inhibitions whatsoever to kill that classmate you hated, the type of people you felt didn’t deserve to be alive. Your own grandparents even.
Our culture is full of violence and to have toys depict such violence is not a sign of strength but of disease. Parents must realise that while talking to children and trying to use reason and persuasion is super humane and mature, but at a certain age and at a certain stage of development, the only thing that can get through to them above the din of videogames, is the simple physical act of throwing away the games, punishing them and making sure they know why. Teaching kids to make good choices is the trick.
Raising kids isn’t always about being nice to them. Parents were kids themselves and if they continue blaming the world outside about what happens inside their own homes, they’re fighting a losing battle in this endless cycle.
[...] Daily Discourse – Yawning Bread: Seelan Palay’s 5-day fast – Lancerlord: of singapore has been rated as “an endemic surveillance society” in survey – Mr Wang Says So: Conspicuous Consumption And The Growth of Human Beings – nussu the ridge online: Generation V(iolence) [...]
It’s a well-crafted article.
With regards to computer games, you’ve raised a good point. You could have also pointed out that it’s actually statistically-proven that kids who grew up with video games have better organization and strategy skills than those who didn’t. I’m not sure if this result is independent of the amount of gore in the game though.
Anyway, I sincerely think that nussu the ridge online should post more of Outspoken articles. Why only one??! :D