Violence in Video Games - Go, Go, Go!

A great task has been thrust upon me. A task that, so some individuals, seems almost impossible in its ability to be coherent and effective. And that task my friends, is to present the positive side, the beneficial side, of video games. But not just ordinary video games, VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES! Muhahaha- ….ahem…sorry.

Anyways, I’ll start first by saying that violence in video games is unavoidable. Even before video games were first invented (you know, when people wore animal hides and danced the hula around fires), humans had their outlets for getting rid of their “creative energies” in whatever way they deemed best, and video games are the outlets chosen by some in this era. Some choose to release whatever is pent up inside them rather violently, and I, for one am one of them. Despite what research says about violence in video games being the base of many grisly crimes and various psychological imbalances, there are a few redeeming things that many may not consider. For example, violent videogames teach, however subtly, persistence. How? Well, consider this. In video games, you are either the hero or the villain, depending, and unless you force yourself to be shrewd and wily wherever the situation demands, you, frankly, are not going far. Often times, one has to admit defeat many times over before getting a hang of the game and thus maneuvering oneself from there based on ones past experiences, and the aptitude for resourcefulness that one creates, stemming from experience. None of this can be achieved if the gamer is not determined, does not persevere.

Another example is that it teaches you to be competitive, birth in you a desire to “beat the others”. Become the King, so to speak, for you cannot prevail if you let yourself be pushed around. You have to take you destiny into your own hands, and violent games let you make those choices in situations that may or may not arrive. Who knows where you’re going to end up, what circumstances you have to deal with throughout your life. But if you are competitive, and have that passion in you, then the world will kneel. However, you cannot be competitive without having a clear head, for competitiveness will only take you so far, until you are facing a problem where you have to make a decision where it is compulsory for you to have to look at all the angles, and decide which course is most beneficial for you, and that requires level-headedness.

Both these traits are essential for one to be successful in life, and violent video games are a way to teach these things while also having fun. And if you make a mistake and die, then you know not to do that the next time. You can restart all over, which was not the case with this world of ours, last time I checked.

**This does not mean that I encourage people to go out and get themselves addicted. No, no, no! Moderation is good for the body and the soul. Remember that and you’ll be a happy person in life.