There are many different views about video games and the effects violence has on children and society as a whole. Many feel that games are harmful and have no purpose but to serve as an unintelligent and wasteful medium of entertainment. Others feel that games have plenty to offer and will one day be as respected a medium as television, radio or books. Input from both sides of the issue was gathered and a conclusion was drawn based on various studies and opinions. Throughout the course of this report, the issue of violence in video games and the overall worth of games in general will be addressed. .
There are a lot of negative views concerning video games, particularly of the violent variety. Critics say that violent games are "a pretty poison for society, fancy blood and fireworks with no redeeming value." They say that video games take innocent young children and taint them with images of fiery destruction. Many of these critics also feel that most of the games on the market are violent and bash the industry for it.
Video games are one of the most engaging forms of media on the market and there's no denying that. But does the formality of games make them more apt to blur the line between fantasy and reality? Some people say so. At the very least, it is desensitizing, so there can't really be anything good about it. And yet, marathon sessions of so-called "violent video games" have not made me or anyone I know into a raging mass murderer, or even any less squeamish at the sight of real violence. Perhaps one may become desensitized to artificial violence, but at the same time not to real world violence. .
Just how do games affect impressionable young children? Do they affect them at all? No studies seem to be decisive on this issue, but it would seem that upbringing plays a major role in how a video game effects a child's life. Other important factors are the kind of game that is being played, and how wholesome the motives and rewards for killing are.
