by Patrick Darski

Created on: November 13, 2009

Do violent video games cause an individual to become violent in real life? I, for one, certainly believe that the answer is no. I first started playing video games when I was 5 years old, and also happened to start off by playing one of the most controversial games of all time, Wolfenstein 3D. Since then, I've hardly stopped. I've spent a good portion of my childhood stealing cars and mowing down civilians in GTA, and continue to play games such as Counter-Strike on a regular basis. By now, I've committed murder in the most horrifying ways and situations imaginable in these games, and I'm certainly not a very violent person at all.

To further back myself up, I have many friends that have done the same, and the worst that any of them has developed is perhaps a slightly magnified sense of black humor. Of course, this doesn't mean that because I haven't seen an individual become a violent lunatic, none do, but I strongly believe that. Playing many of these games can greatly reduce stress, help you relax, and stimulate your mind, all at the same time. Studies have shown that people playing violent video games can develop higher-blood pressure, but at the same time improved coordination and brain activity. From experience, I can only agree, but I've also never felt this increase for more than several minutes at a time. I believe most normal, healthy people are like that.

That being said, I think it is important to understand the difference between causing something and triggering it. If someone is mentally unstable, there is nothing to say that an extremely violent video game would not trigger them to fantasize about doing something violent. However, it is also important to remember that before someone goes out and does something like this, their perception of reality must be skewered. Games certainly cannot cause this, it is simply not possible. People with mental problems that cause them to confuse reality however, could be affected by violent video games.

The difference that must be realized is that playing these games will not cause somebody to become a heartless killer, but can trigger fantasies, dreams, and desires for someone with mental problems. There are many examples of this, but it is simply not fair to blame harmless video games for the actions of people who already had problems. It is also important to note that since such a huge number of people indulge in these games, there is no way clear way to discern whether a crime was related or inspired by any sort of game. The problem is that video games are oftentimes scapegoated, simply because it is easy to do so. Many portray acts of extreme violence, for some people, this means that they caused the person to do whatever it is they did. That, in every way possible, is simply absurd, and this kind of scapegoating needs to be stopped, and real psychiatric problems need to be examined. It is also essential for people to realize that there is a huge difference in triggering something, and in developing something.

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