One of the arguments that continue divide society corresponds to the connection between youth violence and violent video games. On one hand, supporters continue to emphasize how the use of this platform induces deviant behavior. On the other, critiques continue to highlight inconclusive evidence to showcase connections both in the short and long term. Arguably, the arguments connecting violent video games to youth violence remains to be flawed and inconsistent due to its inability to provide sufficient evident to support the claim, lack of statistical data to back the claims and the potential benefits that can be gained from playing violent video games.
The most apparent criticism concerning violent video games contribute to youth violence comes from the lack of sufficient evidence to support such claim. Supporters of the argument continue to mention how children exposed to violent video games have a high tendency to commit deviant behavior. However, this contention remains to be flawed and suffer from either tampered measures or inconsistent ways to assess behavior. Arguably, this fixation towards violent video games fails to provide appropriate justification as to the long term impact to the youth as well as a bigger challenge happening in society today. Shaw in her argument provides that, “these games only exist in the first place because society already glorifies violence and facilitates the creation, distribution, and purchase of such games” (1). This quote goes to show that violent video games are not the cause but one result of man’s inclination to violence and conflict.
Statistical data also challenges the connection between violent video games and youth violence. Rather than demonstrating the youth to be inclined to violence due to video games, the numbers provide an alternative view of the situation. Shaw argues that, “despite the growing global popularity and engagement with incredibly violent videogames and extreme media portrayals of violence, violent crime rates in many Western countries have actually been falling over the last decade” (1). Equally valuable to point out is that there are other correlations surrounding violent video games that have limited connection to condition such as anti-social behavior. Romeo Vitelli in his article contends that, “while psychological studies designed to correct for these problems continued to show a link, other studies turned up no relationship at all between video game violence and antisocial behavior in children” (1). All these challenge the notion of supporters claim that numbers support violent video games and youth violence.
Lastly, critics also contend how violent video games remains to be a good avenue for people to understand the repercussions of this behavior. Here, players are able to recognize the challenges and consequences of violence in a virtual world. This in turn equips them with the right familiarity of how the environment works and the necessity of preventing this to happen in real life. ProCon.org contends that “violent games also allow youth to experiment with issues such as war and death without real world consequences” (1). Having a good idea of what this means enables players to learn valuable information of the outcomes of violence and also take into consideration the importance of rules in the maintenance of peace and order.
In summary, the arguments presented illustrate the arguments against the claim that violent video games promote youth violence. Here, the lack of sufficient data, contrasting numbers and the potential impact of violent video games offer ways to show how the supporting claims remain to be flawed and inconclusive. Though there continues to be a divide that exists between defenders and critiques of violent video games, it clearly demonstrates the reality that this issue remains to showcase the nature of violence and the social constructs that have shaped its manifestation through violent video games.
Works Cited
ProCon.org.Do Violent Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence. 10 Mar. 2014. Web. Accessed 28 June 2014.
Shaw, Julia. ‘Time to rethink the video games and violence debate’ CNN World. 5 Dec. 2013. Web. Accessed 28 June 2014.
Vitelli, Romeo. ‘Can Video Games Cause Violence?’ Media Spotlight. 1 Apr. 2013. Web. Accessed 28 June 2014.