Persuasive speech; How violent video game affect children - Essay Example

How violent games affect children The gradual intervention of technology in the lives of humans has caused revolutionary changes in our societies. It is due to such integration that the means of communication, education and entertainment have also been replaced with newer platforms. Video games have become a prominent source of entertainment in the modern times. The desire and want for video games has taken an incremental approach over the years; it is due to this desire that video games have become a common source of entertainment for the current generation.

However, the video games of the modern era contain extensive degree of violence and aggression and affect the children on multiple factors. The increasing trend of using technology and gadgets is reducing the degree of outdoor activities for children. This results in increased durations of indoor activities that mainly constitute of watching TV and playing video games. According to Reinberg, US kids spend around 8 hours watching TV and playing video games every day. The modern video games have alarming levels of aggression and violence in them since they are mainly based on warfare or combat themes.

Anderson stated that many scenario based games revolve around the killing of innocent characters with guns, knives, fighting etc. Exposure to such level of violence and aggression for elongated durations affects the players on a short term, as well as a long term basis. Kooijmans stated that violent games cause an increase in destructive cognitions and negative arousals. He also stated that violent video games induce hostile attitudes and beliefs among the users on a long term basis. The high quality of graphics and animation make the scenarios look genuine and give the perception of a real life.

Anderson stated that experience of such real life violent situations makes the individuals insensitive to other people’s suffering and pains since they view such details on a daily basis in the form of animated characters. Benedetti pointed out that the increase of violence in video games is having another severe effect on the new generation; shootouts in schools. There have been numerous instances where students have opened fire at their fellow students and caused massacres. Examples of such incidents include Colorado shootout in 1999, Viginia Tech School shootout in 2007 etc.

Layton stated that the shooters in the Colorado shootout were excessive players of ‘Doom’, ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Wolf 3D’. These games were considered to be popular and common violent games of that era. Layton also stated that after the shootout, Linda Sanders, wife of the teacher who got killed in that incident, filed a suit against Sony, Nintendo etc who were the major producers of violent games in those times. In the light of these research findings, it would not be wrong to state that increasing violence in video games has become a menace for the society.

It is promoting hostility and aggressive behaviour in the young minds, rather than working for peace and harmony around the world. The constant exposure to violence and gruesome images makes them insensitive to pain and sufferings of others. Numerous videos on the internet regarding the different massacres around the world makes one realize how violence in video games are destroying our children and giving them the perception that such acts of shootouts make them powerful and strong. Works CitedAnderson, Craig.

“Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions”, Psychological Science Agenda, October Issue, 2003.Benedetti, Winda. “Were video games to blame for massacre?”, MSNBC, 20 April, 2012. Kooijmans, Thomas. Effects of Video Games on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors During Development, Rochester Institute of Technology, n.d., Web. 17 Feb. 2012.Layton, Julia. Do violent video games lead to real violence?, How Stuff Works? n.d., Web. 18 Feb. 2012.Reinberg, Steven. “U.S. Kids Using Media Almost 8 Hours a Day”, Business Week, 20 Jan 2010.