violence in video games
...le structure is an emotional roller coaster which configures itself not unlike other addictive activities” (83). Kids always like to keep the score high when they play a game. So, for any unavoidable reason, if they have to leave the game, they look for chance to get back to their game again. In this way, they lose the opportunity to make more friends or read more books. Gradually the children become isolated form mainstream society. If we talk about the physical and mental fitness of the teenage population, then we have to admit that video games are their worst enemy. In their article, “Media Violence,” Anderson and Gentile say, “Children are spending an increasing amount of time playing video games – 13 hours per week for boys, on average, and 5 hours per week for girls”( ). We must not forget that this is the average picture. That means, the addicted teen gamer might play 30 hours or more per week. And when a kid spends more time with video games, they get less time to play regular (more physically active) games, such as, baseball, basketball, and soccer. If kids play video games for years, over time it could be an obstruction for their physical and mental development. For our normal growth, to keep our body in good shape, we need to exercise properly. Kids are born innocent; their minds like white paper. If they play violent video games over and over again, it must put an impression on their mind. Although they know that they are playing with make believe characters, every gamer cannot keep the difference in mind. Because, everybody does not have the same level of understanding or IQ, on the other hand, for the development of computer graphic game characters are becoming more real. According to “Know Your World Extra,” it describes that: Video games are more real and more violent than ever. The graphics are sharp. The effects are life like. The sound is intense. Players not only control the game; they are the game. They are “first person shooters.” That mean they are the eyes and ears of the person on the screen. Some of the games are too real. A recent lawsuit blames the maker of one video game for causing two teens to shoot and kill a motorist in Tennessee. The boys said they got the idea from a violent video game called Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Among millions of gamers a small percentage could become crazed, but the consequences could be humongous. For example, in the Columbine massacre, only two crazed boys killed 12 of their fellow students, one of their teachers, and wounded more than two-dozen. This is not only a single case, this type of killing is happening almost every day but on a smaller scale. I know of one killing that happened last year at the corner of Hobart and 3rd Street, in Los Angeles, in front of a video game store. The killer and the victim both were teenage boy, and they were the regular player over there. Not only this, the game place had bad reputation as a violent place for a long time in that neighborhood. Finally, law enforcement authority closed the business. We need to protect this kind of violence that can make somebody mentally unstable and take somebody’s life. Of course, people can say that millions of kids and teenage people are playing violent video games, but everyb...