Smells Like Teen Violence? The Truth Behind Violent Videogames

Smells like Teen Violence

            Following the Columbine High School Massacre, the fourth largest school shooting in history, the violent video game industry came under question. The two shooters, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, played violent video games frequently. This caused psychologists and parents to wonder if video games could have caused this deadly crime. Even today, whenever a new violent video game such as Grand Theft Auto comes out, parents and the media become worried of the effects that the game may have on today’s youth. The only real connection between violent video games and violent crimes is the word violent in their titles. Many factors, not video games, actually cause children to commit violent crimes.

            First, we need to look at why children even play violent video games in the first place. Some people believe that video games socially isolate children, even though studies have shown that almost 60% of people who play video games play them with their friends on a regular basis. Eight of the top ten games played on Xbox Live, an online gaming network, were rated mature because of graphic violence. This demonstrates that some of the most social games available, in fact, contain violent content.

            Secondly, we need to decide whether today’s youth has become more violent than in years past. According to federal crime statistics, the rate of violent youth crimes has decreased to a 30 year low. This directly contradicts the assumption that our children commit more violent crimes. If anything, it simply demonstrates the advances today’s media has made. The overwhelming amount of information on the internet, television, and radio has made news stories about violent crimes more accessible to the general public. Another staggering statistic shows that violent crimes as a whole, not simply in youths, have been measured at their lowest total ever recorded.

            Once again, I will refer to the Columbine Massacre. While both of the shooters played violent video games, many more factors played a role in the troubled minds of Klebold and Harris. The shooters both had many underlying issues in their lives. They were picked on by other students and called harsh names such as “fags”. Despite the fact that the teachers knew the bullying happened, they chose to take no action. The psychiatrist that Harris was seeing prescribed him the antidepressant Luvox. Not only did Harris suffer from depression, but the drug he took had side effects including increased aggression and social disconnection.