The law protects children from exposure to violent materials. It is guided by psychological research that has indicated a relationship between aggression behavior and playing of violent video games (Palo Alto Medical Foundation). Opponents of this view, however, see no scientific connection between existing world problems and violent videos games consumption (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). The question of whether a violent video game increases aggressive thoughts and angry behaviors is, therefore, an issue of discussion. The purpose of this essay is to come up with ideas that can aid in understanding the debate, and then asking questions that will assist in making a clarification of those ideas. The intention is to make the conversation purposeful.
The playing of violent video game has always brought up controversies on whether they promote aggressive behavior in minors. Those advocating for the protection of children argue that violent games should be banned. The opponents, however, argue that there are restrictions on the video games to deter children from playing beside there are also parental controls. In the YouTube video discussion on violent video games, the TV reporter refers from the US today article which points out that the connection between the game violence and aggression is as strong as the medical connection between cigarettes and lung cancer.
Many aspects influence the decision to either play violent video games or not. There are rapid technology advancements that have resulted in increased information access. Therefore, minors can easily see violent material on other platforms even before they are capable of playing video games. Parents, video game developers and the relevant regulatory authority have a responsibility of working together and ensuring that they protect children from accessing violent video games. It should be noted that there are some positive aspects of playing violent video games.
The use of the Socratic Method is useful since it is a kind of philosophical inquiry that helps one interrogate an issue from a different angle (Vaughn 13). The Socratic Method also helps us in understanding our philosophical view; it also emphasizes the importance of engaging in a discussion. In the course of the discussion, our opinions evolve or change because our ideas develop when we ask questions (Vaughn 15). I, therefore, come up with the following questions.
Are violent video games the main cause of aggression or violent behavior in children?
The question will help in addressing the main problem at hand. There are many other factors that can cause aggression or violent behavior in children. For instance, technology has made it very easy for minors to access violent materials. They do not have to play video games to acquire and imitate the violent behaviors because there are other platforms that expose them to violent content. Therefore, it is important for the main threats to be addressed. Advancement in technology has placed children at an advantage and left parents technologically incapacitated (Palo Alto Medical Foundation). It poses a challenge for parents since some of them do not even understand some of the technological gadgets.
What are the measures that can be put in place to control the playing of the violent video games among the minors?
This question sheds light on what can be done to ensure protection of the children from exposure to violent materials. It is to find out the various measures that can be used to ensure that minors are protected from the violent video games. The protection extends from the game developer to the retailer, to the law enforcers, to parents and even the children themselves. It can yield positive results if they are adequately informed about the negative effects of early exposure to violent material (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). Understanding the role the video developer plays in protecting the minor is vital. They should produce games that are in line with the age and the cognitive ability of a child. Restrictive laws should also be put in place to prevent minors from accessing violent video games. Besides, understanding the parents’ role is also necessary since they are the primary caregivers. They monitor what their children play with and can restrict violent material. Where parents have minors and young adults the use of passwords may help to lock the children from accessing the grown up games (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry).
Do violent games have an educational value?
Potential positive results of the violent video games have always been ignored. By asking this question, it will give a different overall perspective on the issue. Individuals against violent video games strongly feel that it is a poor conveyor of personality traits mainly related to aggression (Palo Alto Medical Foundation). It is, therefore, important to determine whether violent video games can form a medium through which other types of information can freely pass. Since violent video games are quite popular, they can be used as a medium to give informative content. For instance, it has been observed that violence portrayed in the video game secures the players’ attention, therefore, is it possible that the player can indeed be able to learn even boring or difficult material with the same concentration? (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry).
Works Cited
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "Video Games And Children: Playing With Violence". 2015. 26 January 2016 <https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-and-Video-Games-Playing-with-Violence-091.aspx>.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation. "The Impact Of Video Games | Media Information For Parents". 2015. 26 January 2016 <http://www.pamf.org/parenting-teens/general/media-web/videogames.html>.
Vaughn, Lewis. Doing ethics: Moral reasoning and contemporary issues. WW Norton & Company, 2015.
