Banning the sale of violent video games - Research Paper Example

Banning the sale of violent video games to minors Since the introduction of video games in crude form by Thomas T Goldmith and Estle Ray Mann in 1948, they have proved to be the great source of amusement. From Goldmith’s cathode ray tube amusement device, the video games have traversed a mammoth distance to transform into seventh generation video gaming. Nintendo being ahead in portable seventh generation video gaming by introducing series of play stations,  mainly Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Motion controlled Sony’s Sixais and DualShock have further revolutionized the gaming experience. Violence and Video Games With so much of entertainment, violence and carnage have found their place in new generation gaming. This paradigm has resulted boosting of aggressive behavior and decline in pro social conduct of teenagers. Some says that media blames modern day video game violence, is the soul problem of today’s youth (Cumberpatch, 2000). By analyzing over 130 studies selected from 130000 subjects it is concluded that violent video gaming leaves lasting impression of aggression in players (Ferguson & Kilburn, 2010). California State law department filled a case in US Supreme Court for banning violent video games in the state. Justice Antinin Scalia along with majority of jury rejected that obligation, calling it reduction of young people rights. Summarily the responsibility of protection landed over on guardians. The case ended with the victory of video game programmers and left a great deal for parents. More interestingly the claimer for imposing sensor ship on violent video game was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, once a violent character of Terminator series. At Long Island, 6 teenagers were apprehended for violet attack, car looting and breaking in private property. Interrogation revealed that they were coping to live a life like Niko Belic, the character of Grand Theft Auto IV famous video game. Entire future of apprehended teenagers has been destroyed in the primitive stage. The violent movies even leave everlasting prints in soft minds of teenagers. If comparison is drawn between children viewing violent movies and those watch ductile Disney cartoon films, depth analysis will reveal the aggression embedded in the nature of former. Another glaring impact of video game as a whole on teenagers is unhealthy physique. Most of the games involve brain less of body hence promotes obesity in children. The sluggish parents add to it by providing readily available junk food, hence adding to the misery of obsessed health. Due to running life style of urban areas spelled out phenomena is more common as compared to rural. 30 years of studies have concluded the linkage between violence in media and children. (Olivier, 2000). Video games count in electronic mass media. As mass media has expanded in all directions so as the video gaming. The American Psychology Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have summarized three sets of children according to their age. They are toddlers and preschool children, school-aged children, and preteens and teenagers. The doctors of association have described the behavioral change of children in following manner: Escalating aggressiveness and anti social conduct. Growing dread of becoming victims. Curb in initiative. Conditioning minds as less reactive to violence and the sufferer of violence Rising vigor for more violent form of entertainment. Above mentioned factors can be summed up as the notorious and leading effects on soft wits of children: conditioning violent attitude and desensitization to the social pains. Remedy is to have close watch on children and limiting their exposure to violence related video games while not limiting the initiative (Olivier, 2000). Age The Entertainment Software Association, the principal atrium of video game industry, describes, 17 years and below makes 20% of video game users (mostly boys), Over 50 years of age makes 26% including of both genders, and that the average player is 37. Focusing on 20 %, the users of violent gaming are aged between10 to 17. The said age cushion is prime age of engraving societal ethics and norms. In an evolution of 1102 children between 12 to 17, 97% plays game regularly and half of played last night and quarter of them were playing when the survey was in progress. Mostly the teenagers of developed countries are more expose to this media violence as compared to developing states. In third world countries due to less exposure of technology in teenagers the phenomena is negligible Gender Above 40 % sole players of video games are girls, rest 60 % boys, as of 2011 (The Entertainment Software Association – retrieved on 28 Nov. 2012). Energetic and masculine buildup of boys makes them more prone to violence so as the softness and immaturity at younger age. As far as maturity is concern, girls attain reasonable maturity at the age of 15, at the other hand boys need long to reach the same level. Comprehensive study conducted at the University of Central Florida in 1998 after analyzing 33 top selling video games reveal following: In 41% games female characters is not present. Woman as total tool of sex represented in 28% games. Aggressiveness for woman depicted by 21% games In 30 % female representation missing in totality. More so females are presented in banal and orthodox way, as all encompassing tool of sexuality. For example large top and bottoms. Analyzing the video games of last two decade, we will witness a paradigm shift towards violence and sexuality. Hence video game programmers are exploiting the sleeping basic instincts of human for their business to flourish. Offence and brutality A past psychologist of US military alma matter West Point, Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman has coined the term “murder simulator” while referring to present era militant video games (Grossman, 1999). The video games having weapons and lethal tools of carnage to kill hundreds of humans in a second and destroying billion dollar property are in fact simulator for making criminal minds. The very unethical and dishonorable video games are polluting the fragile minds. Encourage and arose instinct to kill and destroy. For Example among the rating of top 10 violent video games on number is Manhunt: theme of the game describes a director gives task to kill man in most miserable way. Player who can kill in more horrific way score more points (commonsensemedia.org). This figures out to bring homicide characteristics of human minds. Next in the line of violence is: Resident Evil, in which flashing red human blood is used to arose killing instinct achieved through weapons of all type. Dead Rising video game depict shot guns blasts, chainsaws and close quarter battle coupled with rated nudity. Sexuality in video games Video games like Mafia II, Red Dead Redemption and Saints Row uses nudity and sex to make their place in market, being equally famous in both genders. Human are most sexually exploitable in teenage. Sex has found a dictating place in leading video games like Play boy. However, societal and some political organizations acted like watch dogs to implement censorship to the some extend. Video games having themes based on pure sex are questioning society for implementation of patent laws and censorship regulation. Might be this is a major cause of teenage adultery. Unattended teenagers of busy parents are more vulnerable to this menace (Brathwaite, 2007). Human brain is designed to adopt sex more abruptly than any other human activity; the tendency is more pronounced in teenage. Video game vendors cash the very tendency to find apt place for their product in market of innocent customers (Burek, 2008). The most contentious video game in category of sex is the Replay powered by Illusion software. Shockingly the theme is based on most violent characteristic of society that is the rape. Furthermore the story begins with a male character raping his mother and two daughters. What else can be more disturbing for guardians or parents if their 14 years old boy is playing with 3D Replay game? Scientific links to antagonistic behavior Scientists believe that violent games give rise to militant and arrogant behavior; biological traits of individual drive his minds. Citing the work of Dr. Sean P. Neubert ex Rochester Institute of Technology, a human who is biologically incline towards aggression will be more prone to brutal scenes, resulting more chances that he involve himself in illegal vicious activities. For instance, mentally disturb individual or home sick or problem child playing shooting game regularly will be more prone of becoming criminal (personalityresearch.org). Human brain goes under immense hormonal changes when eyes witness violent activities, like computer scanner, the images are stored in the memory. Violent memories tend to help in destructive actions. Addiction Empty minds of teenagers if not utilized always fell prey to unhealthily activities like violent video games or sex. The vendors of video games spent a huge capital on programming games having increased attractive qualities. Meaning by setting objective: if a teenager plays a game should play again in lust of scoring more hence making him addict. Worse result of addiction is on studies. Surprisingly video game addicted child isolate himself from his family and narrow the circle of friends. Isolation leads to psychotic behavior and enhances the risk of becoming criminal. Worth mentioning here is the arcade game Space Invader designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, Japan in 1978. The game used to be charged with Japanese coins; in early 80s the Japan saw shortage of 100 yen coins (Vorderer, 2006). Thus this game affected negatively on educational activities of Japan at that era.  Heterosexism Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender referred as LGBT are latest trends in video game themes. From Nintendo and Sony powered game to Android and Java based application in I pads / phone, the LGBT traits have amicably found their apt places. With the technology in hands, mammoth challenge for guardians has emerged to save their off spring from immoral gaming (Game Master, Web). Few reported incidents Anthony Maldonado, just aging 9 in 2010, was attacked by her relative Alejandro Morales, after a normal dispute of video game soft copy (Tony Hawk Ride). Same year Gary Alcock after cuffing punched his friend’s 15-month-old daughter, on the issue of playing Xbox. Infant died instantaneously. Alcock was sentenced for life. It was again 2010, the month of May; a gamer Julien Barreaux from France bashed a neighbor player who had punched Barreaux during game named Counter-Strike. The honorable judge at court used the words "a menace to society" (Telegraph.co.uk). When a mother in South Philadelphia took Play station from his son named Kendall Anderson. She was attacked by her son while asleep, resulted her tragic death (abclocal.go.com). Video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, had deep rooted impression on the soft mind of Alphen Aan Den Rijn in 2011 at The Netherlands. He took an automatic rifle killed 6 people and wounded 17 than committed suicide (ad.nl). Global Terrorism Games like Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Vietcong 2, give fair degree of training of small arms to include M 16 and AK 47. Any banned terrorist outfit can easily trained its recruits in simulated environment. Hence these video game types provide terrorist organization cost effective training environments. Many other games having huge capital and brains invested, can give good practice to the young terrorists. Even armies of contemporary world use 3D simulators to train young soldiers. Same goes for aviation games, one can attain fair degree of expertise of flying commercial planes, and hijackers from terrorist organizations can use these games. Regulations for video game industry Across the globe huge amount of brain is being invested to develop patent laws to harness the militancy of video games. The establishment of Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system is a prime example, in vogue in US and Canada. The Pan European Game Information as its counterpart in Europe continent, guiding parents on the issue. The responsible video game vendors are also looking towards addressing the issue. The rating of ESRB are letter M for mature player and letters AO for Adults Only (18 years and above) exclusively in US and Canada. The rating is stamped or printed on video game packages to avoid sale to users not entitled to get it. But still in US and Canada there is no patent law supporting ESRB rating. As contemporary in UK the British Board of Film Classification BBFC is duly supported by laws. The age limits are marked on every game package, which prohibits the sale to under age or minors. This is all about developed countries no such endeavor has been made in third world countries where literacy rate is already pushing to bottom like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc. There is need to regulate the video gaming internationally beyond political boundaries by United Nations. Third world countries where copy write act is also very weak, DVDs of video game can go in minors’ hand easily; may be less than a dollar. Encouraging effects of video games Beside numerous negative and depressing effects, hand full of video games provides soothing effect in positive way too. The motor sports gaming help in sharpening the reflexes of teenager as whole and professional drivers in particular. Furthermore video games increase the body parts coordination specially hands and eyes. Thanks to Play Station Move, Kinect and Wii, involving movement and putting whole body to exercise, the regime of old sluggish long sitting video gaming is obsolete now. Whole body movement at least burn extra calories of children obtain from ever increasing junk nutrition. In similar way video games can prove to be fruitful in class room when teaching minors to develop their interest. Video game theme based on puzzles tends to polish the minds of youngsters. Worth mentioning is Microsoft Encarta Jigsaw puzzle, I have increased my world geography through this puzzle manifolds. Many intelligence and practical skills can be increase through video games to include: Solution of puzzles. Pattern identification. Hypothesis testing. Estimating skills. Inductive skills. Resources management. Logistics diagram. Remembrance. Speedy thinking aptitude. Rational judgments. (Sheff, 1994). A way forward Having gone through the merits and demerits of video games of present era, a prism is available through which the future can be seen. If regulated by patent laws there are all hopes that video game can help in shaping the glorious future of children. Laws should harness the vendors not to program violent games. Till the time law are not made sole responsibility lies with parents to exercise constant watch. Works Cited Anderson, CA, and BJ Bushman. 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