SHARING
By Iggi Khomasurya
Once I wondered if Pokemon video games
were suitable for my kids (turned out, Pokemon characters are
suspect but the violence makes it a no-no). Pope Benedict XVI’s
comment woke me up: “Video games … and other media that exalt
violence and trivialize sexuality is a perversion, especially when
directed at young people.” My web search indicated violent video
games are pervasive and a threat to our children! Game Crazy Poll
stated 80% of USA children wanted video games for Christmas and 80%
of violent video games were sold at Christmas. Harris interactive
polls found 50% of 8-12 years old gamers admitted playing M-rated
games. (USA Entertainment Software Rating Board’s rating: M=Mature,
T=Teen, E=Everyone). What then, are our beliefs and actions toward
violent video games for our children: Outright acceptance (friend
of the world), Avoidance (friend of the world indirectly) or
Righteous opposition?
The effect of video games on children: AAP Head, after Jonesboro’s school
killing, stated “Children do not naturally kill. It is a learned
skill.” Grossman explained, “Killing requires training because
within the midbrain, is a powerful, GOD-given resistance to killing
your own kind.” In US history, firing at enemy soldiers increased
steadily as the Military fixed the “problem”: Civil War: incredibly
low; WWII: 20%; Korean War: 55% and Vietnam War: 90%. During WWII,
men are willing to die and sacrifice themselves, but not kill.
Psychological conditioning techniques used to train soldiers out of
their natural resistance to kill, are the very same techniques now
used in violent video games. The four proven techniques
are:
(1) Brutalization
and desensitization at boot
camp. You lose your individuality and are desensitized to violent
behaviors (accepted as normal). When kids and their friends see
somebody shot, stabbed, raped, brutalized, degraded, or murdered on
video games or TV, to them it is as though it was actually
happening. Moreover, video games are addictive – kids can be hooked
on violence. (2)
Classical
conditioning. Pavlov
conditioned dogs associated ringing bell with food. Thereafter the
dogs salivated on just hearing the bell. We are doing the exact
opposite. Our children watch vivid pictures of human suffering and
death, and associate it with their favorite soft drink, candy bar
or their girlfriend’s perfume – violence is the norm. We have
raised a generation like the Romans, cheering and snacking while
people were slaughtered in the Colosseum. (3)
Operant
conditioning makes
killing a conditioned response. Now soldiers have a split second to
shoot realistic, man-shaped silhouettes (not bull’s eyes). A child
playing interactive point-and-shoot video game is learning the
exact same conditioned reflex and motor skills plus learning to
like killing. (4)
Role
modeling is your
Army drill sergeant. He is a violent and aggressive role model, who
influenced young, impressionable minds. Video game graphics,
especially the mindless violence types, make equally poor role
models.
My recommendations: 1.
“One of the most effective
ways for Christians to be salt and light is by simply confronting
the culture of violence as entertainment. If we do not actively
present our (Christian) values, then the media will most assuredly
inflict theirs on our children, and they simply will not know any
better”. 2.
Understand video rating
system (ESRB) but check out the games yourself. Harvard study found
81% of video games rated M, has sex, profanity, violence or other
objectionable content not labeled on the box. 3.
“Make family life as an
attractive alternative” to counter video games, as huge leaps in
mental and social development unfold in early adolescence. The 2-3
hours/day of violent video games is not good for such developing
brain.
Catholic Online:
Speaking in the 41st World Communications Day
(Jan 2007)
National
Catholic Registry: Violence under the Christmas
Tree
American
Academy of Paediatrics Task Force on Juvenile
Violence
Homefaith.com: It’s time
to stop training our kids to kill - Lt Col Dave
Grossman.
Catholiceducation.org:
Video Game Culture-A Harmless Addiction?
Catholic
News Service 5/12/2006 quote from Harvard School of Public Health’s
Kids Risk Project
HomeFaith.com: Do Video
Games Stunts Kids’ Growth