Don't Blame Video Games - In response to all the articles on video games and violence

A couple of blogs so far have touched upon their linking to violent crimes and behaviour. I would have to, to an extent, disagree with these posts. I'm not saying that there is no correlation between violence and video games but you need to take into account that only a handful of people have used video games as an excuse for there actions. Millions of people behave in violent ways and commit crimes, a lot of them who have never played a video game in their life. Society, it seems, is looking for an excuse for their failings. You can argue this for any form of media. For instance, The attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan was said to be because John Hinckley Jr continuously watched Martin Scorsese's film Taxi Driver and, apparently, identified with the protagonist character.

Additionally, in Michael Moore's documentary Bowling for Columbine, Marilyn Manson's music was said to have partially influenced the gunmen to commit this massacre. Manson defended this claim by saying that his music is worldwide and the fact that two two Columbine shooters were fans of his music did not in any way mean that he was responsible. Others have claimed that some songs, such as Adam's Song by Blink182, when listened to repeatedly have influenced adolescents to commit self-harm and even suicide. It is not the song, the movie or the game that is the problem but issues in an individuals life. If anything the individual would probably feel a sense of understanding from depressing lyrics and a temporary escape from reality through a movie or video games. It is rarely nature and nurture deemed to be the cause of violent acts but instead blame is laid elsewhere so people do not need to doubt their personal skills as a friend, parent, or member of society.

Wanda Hart