Video Games & Movies: Cause of Youth Violence?

There has been much talk about whether or not video games, movies and television are make the youth of our society violent. Yes, there are violent video games on the market today. Because of the speculation about the role video games play in youth violence the video game industry now rates all their games.

With special effects greatly improved the violence on television and in movies is more realistic than ever. Is the proliferation of violent video games and movies to blame?

When the original Chainsaw Massacre was released it was an extremely violent movie. When watching this same movie today we laugh at how bad the special effects were at that time.

One fact that people need to remember is that these are not real. They are fiction and fantasy. Are parents using video games and television as a babysitter? Are they explaining the difference between reality and fantasy to their kids, or are they just sitting them in front of the television because they have other things to do?

All one has to do is watch the evening news to see more violence. This is real, not fantasy or fiction. The youth of society are not responsible war. It is our supposedly well educated adults. What message are we sending when, if country “A” doesn’t agree with us we’ll go in and bomb the crap out of them. Is that maybe why our youth see violence as a means to an end?

When we blame video games and movies for youth violence it’s a cop out. It’s not video games and movies causing youth violence. It’s the adults in society causing it. Who owns the companies putting out violent video games? Who owns the companies putting violent movies in theaters? How old are those that declare war on other countries? It certainly isn’t the youth of today doing all this. It’s us supposedly well educated adults.

We all need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. While we personally didn’t declare war, put violent movies in theaters or produce and market violent video games, we need to ask ourselves what we, personally have done to educate todays youth about violence. Have we taught our kids the difference between reality and fantasy/fiction before we parked them in front of the television because we had other things to do? Did we bother to even look at the case the latest video game was packaged in, or did we just buy it for them because it was easier than fighting with them?

Part of being a good parent is learning to say no to our kids. “NO” is an easier concept to teach your kids when they’re young as opposed to teenagers.