Children and Video Game Violence

Video game systems are the basis for much discussion and argumentation in today’s society. They have been around since the 1970’s and have allowed children to pass the time with an interactive way to leave this world and enter a new realm of imagination, where the creators of the games set the only guidelines. Children are allowed to see themselves as characters with amazing powers and the ability to do many things. Many critics, however, worry children are not physically capable of understanding that games are not reality, and, therefore, cannot realize, in the real world, one cannot commit the acts they do while playing video games. Violence, for example, is found in more than half of all video games. People worry that children who constantly view violence in this manner will learn to see violence as a proper action without any consequences.

My paper is organized in a manner which allows you, the reader, to view and understand the points of many authors and their works without having to read them in a boring, straight information, textbook form. First is the dinner meeting, in which all of the authors of my sources came to my house for dinner and discussed much of their thoughts about these games. Following the dinner is my summary and analysis of their works, and, finally, my input and beliefs on the subject of the negative effects of video games on children.

The table was set, and the food was out. The lights were low in my dining room as the chairs were set around my hardwood, darkly stained table with a burgundy tablecloth. The light reflected off of the side of the turkey breast, and the light rays bounced around inside the glass bowl containing green beans. No, it is not Thanksgiving dinner, but a nice meal for the writers of several sources on the topic of the effects of video games on children. Although the dark green walls of my rectangular dining room do not echo any sounds now, I know the room will soon be filled with loud debates and harsh discussions on a topic with which I am becoming more familiar.

As the guests began to arrive, I did not know what to expect. The representatives from ABCNews were dressed like reporters: the women in business suites and the men in ties.