https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z A Padlet on Video Game Violence: By Anton Nguyen en-us 2017-10-21 00:08:19 UTC 2023-04-24 20:31:26 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Playcontrol.png anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199228470 This is a question that has been around as long as video games started to become more complex and more can be shown and demonstrated through more advance game engines and technology.  This question, however gained even more attention when games like Mortal Kombat, Doom, and Duke Nukem  had the capability of showing graphic violence to people of all ages. But now, in the modern era, instead of just graphic violence, there are often sexual situations as well as violence in video games. A prime example being games like Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row, etc. 
However in my opinion, I believe that violence in video games does not lead to violent individuals. While I was researching I came across a very good argument made by Steve Pinker, PHD at Harvard University. In a Youtube video, a clip from his show "Office Hours" in an interview he states that "if consuming violent media made you violent, then we should prevent adults from reading The Illiad, or for the matter The Old Testament." (Pinker 00:28). I saw this point as very true and valid. If seeing, reading, or playing media that is violent, makes you violent, then we should avoid it at all cost. However, this goes to show how violence is actually a very real part of everyone's lives.
This transitions into my next point. Whether it be violence depicted in video games or sexual situations I feel that it doesn't make the player replicate what is happening in the video game. Everyone should have a right to play. However, this doesn't mean that younger kids should be going to GameStop and picking a copy of Grand Theft Auto 5. I feel like it should be a mutual decision between parents on what they allow kids to play. And when they have this discussion, it is important to know that the child is mature enough to handle what is in the video games. They should know that things like violence are a part of everyday life, however it is bad and should never replicated. Once a child adopts this mindset, they are less subject to being violent. I can vouch for this because it's something that I went through. When I was younger, my parents were always scared that violent video games would make me a violent child. However as I got older I started to realize that violence was a very bad thing and should never be replicated and that games are simply for entertainment only. Not to be replicated. My parents and I had a good conversation when I was around 11 or 12, and here I am now. Another point that I'd like to bring up is from is how subjective is violence is to another person. For example, a gamer who lives in a worse neighborhood then others where there is a lot of violence, can see things happening in a video game to be less violent compared to another kid who has been sheltered all of his life in a nice gated community full of safety and harmony. The perception of violence is what makes violent people violent. Violent people think that violence is normal and alright, contrary to ordinary people. Video games don't promote this message, even providing warning labels about the content yet to be experienced in the video game. No one is violent by nature, there is no way someone can suddenly become violent because of things like video games. It's all about their mindset and how much control over it.
According to the Huffington Post, there was a study done in the Netherlands where "children and their parents were surveyed for their overall gaming habits, exposure to "violent" games, as well as various mental health related outcomes, including aggressiveness" (Ferguson Para. 2). According to Fergurson, by the end of the post there was no coordination between aggression/violent tendencies one year later (Ferguson Para. 3). 
The last thing I want to bring up is the point that on-screen violence is a hell of a lot more different than violence in real life. According to an article on Forbes "anyone who has actually engaged in real violence---a fight at school, for instance--- will know just how different it is than the violence we experience on screen" (Kain Para. 10). According to Kain, in real life it's scary and a lot dirtier (Kain Para. 10). How can we become violent if we don't even experience real violence in the first place?
All in all, I believe that violent video games are not the cause of violent personalities. This is due to the fact that the perception of violence is what makes someone violence, as well as their mindset. Violence is so common in media and if violent media does make people violent, than we'd stay away from the bible to Shakespeare, something so ridiculous I can't even fathom. ]]> 2017-10-21 00:12:27 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199228470 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199232034 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ1yUDRHCf4]]> 2017-10-21 01:36:50 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199232034 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199234116 2017-10-21 02:13:17 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199234116 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199234199 2017-10-21 02:15:40 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199234199 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199234745 2017-10-21 02:27:30 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199234745 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199238679 2017-10-21 04:10:56 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199238679 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199238727 2017-10-21 04:12:24 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199238727 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199238974 2017-10-21 04:19:50 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199238974 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199239117 2017-10-21 04:23:19 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199239117 anguyen197 https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199239142 2017-10-21 04:24:37 UTC https://padlet.com/anguyen197/vtavfrria05z/wish/199239142