It goes without saying that the video game industry rakes in millions and millions of dollars, per game. The targeted audience for games are adolescent and young boys, they're just such a fun integration into a virtual reality. The graphics are enticing, the stories are compelling, but what of the messages behind these so called "masterpieces?"
Video games grab young boys' attention as soon as they can, in war games, horror games...and all in all in games of extreme violence. I know this so well because they grabbed my attention at a young age. Call of Duty (COD) if a perfect example of these messages of violence in action, and to a young preteen or growing boy, he is intrigued by this stuff and stays hooked on getting his mom to buy him rated M games. Now, its bad that a mom would buy her 12-year-old son a "17 and up," game but what's really messed up is what these games have hidden behind the violence.
There is a recurring theme in the Call of Duty games that rear their heads near the end of every year, the message is clear, these games promote the US as being heroes and vanquishers of their "enemies" no matter what the story be behind it. For some reason there is always a nameless evil that we must overcome as a military force in these games, but what face has been given to this evil? They're Just foreigners, other nations that want to “destroy us,” are trying to overthrow us, but we’re never given a reason as to why these countries have beef with us.
In every single game, if it isn’t following a previous game story, we have the same story, we have to show we are the better nation, and kill everybody on the other side because we are the “good guys” and the others are evil.
Now these games also have another goal, to make WAR FUN. These Games want kids to believe that shooting a gun and killing people is cool, and that war is a fun time because you “fight for your country.” Vulnerable children grown up with such a messed up mentality, and some even with a violent nature due to their minds being influenced. The violent and angry nature is very obvious just by the way kids talk in these games. This violent nature will only grow over time.
They end up wanting to go to war or feel that its their "Call of Duty." The types of games like COD were invented were invented for military propaganda, and have not only been used here, but in countries all over the world. I was lucky enough to not fall into this influence that war is cool or killing people is okay, but some children think otherwise. Every kid has a different brain, and a different way he or she will process information and experiences they go through, so naturally some will be easily manipulated by games like these.
These types of games are going to continue to come out in stores every year, that's something that's out of our control, and these messages will remain engrained into the games' logic. There are few solutions we can partake in though. Although we may not all be parents, we still have younger siblings, family members and friends who want these types of games. It would be best to advise them about these games in a way that's easily understandable. Telling these kids that these games are unrealistic, and explaining their hidden messages would be best.
In another approach Advising their parents would be best so that they won't buy the game for their kids until they're overage. Some parents just buy their kids anything to get them to stop whining or to spoil them, but if you tell them about what they're really buying for their kids, they will go against it.There is a reason these games are rated for 17-year-olds and up, because they are for mature minds. These games hold so much content ready to brainwash kids and teens and they will if the opportunity is present, but its up to their parents to watch what their kids play and watch for their own good.
Great proactive solutions for this wide spread issue! I have two younger brothers and they are hooked on games like "Call of Duty" and "Halo" and it is frustrating because I can already see the violence in those games have a negative effect on them. I can see them get easily frustrated with the game and become more violent when playing the game. I strongly believe that parents should consider the age limitations on those games.
ReplyDeleteI can really relate to you, i would spend hours on call of duty the game is awesome. But it can give you that feeling that being in war is cool. We do need to inform parents to become more aware of these addicting violent video games.
ReplyDeleteI agree COD games or any kind of war or violent games promote war as something cool and fascinating for the youth. It is very sad that parents buy their children rated M games in the first place. The only thing games like COD do to children is make them violent. Yet parents go on and try to make their children happy by buying them violent games is not acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI have an older brother, who plays Call of Duty. He plays it all the time. He gets so happy when passes a level. He has played violent games since he was little. But he knows that he can't just go outside and start killing people for fun. But other players don't know that. I think the solutions you came up with are a great idea.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting and important topic. The more prevalent gaming becomes, the more we drive home our normative structures. You could talk about whiteness and gender here too. Games are a big problem. Feel free in your next posts to get a little freer in your language use; you are very academic here.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very important topic. Playing a game like "Call of Duty" makes people feel like its cool to fight in war, especially young children who don't really know the affects of war.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is greatly impacted as we all know that it is very important. The influence we have upon us through these types of gaming devices and game consoles really have impacted of students today. So there is always time to change, we just have to be the ones brave enough to do it.
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