“Video Games Causes Violence”

Does playing violent video games make people violent? Why do people think that video games
cause violence? It has been decades since this debate over “Video games causes violence” is
actually accurate or not. In 1976, Exidy published an arcade game called Death Race which
caused panic to the National Safety Council of the U.S. The game’s objective is to run down
gremlins who are fleeing from the vehicle. In an article in the winter issue of the nonprofit
service organization's quarterly magazine, Family Safety, describes ‘Death Race” as “insidious,”
“morbid,” “gross” and “sick, sick, sick.” But there has been no solid evidence of linking violent
acts of crimes to video games.

According to Patrick Markey et al, (Psychology of Popular Media Culture 4.4 2014) as violent
video game sales in America went up, violent acts of crimes has gone down. It’s reasonable to
think that video games create violent tendencies which might be true to some people, but it
has not been the real reason of terrible crimes committed by terrible people. An analysis by the
U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education, in 2004 shows otherwise. For
example: the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, it was reported that the gunman played video
games. But what they left out is what type of video game/games he played. It was Dance Dance
Revolution, a game in which you use your feet to follow a beat shown on screen. Reports say he
played up to 10 hours a day.

Even though reports of video games causing violent tendencies towards people are existent,
the changes of tendencies aren’t as drastic as you think. In Jason Schreier’s study, the most
percentage of video games affecting people’s behavior was only 2%. Blaming video games for
these types of actions are easy. That’s why people do it. They want answers, but this is not the
right thing to do. If we want the best for our generation, we must tackle more serious societal
problems like proper education and seeking mental health treatments for people who have
violent tendencies.

Another point that I would like to add is that more violent acts have been made before video
games have been made. People like Al Capone, John Wayne Gacy and many more were already
violent. In fact, Villanova University and Rutgers University researchers conducted a study
linking violent video game sales to crime rates in the United States. They discovered that when
sales of shooting games are at their peak, crime rates tend to fall. A lot of politicians blame
video games as primary causes of violent tendencies of teens. For example, Donald Trump
blamed video games because of the massacres in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, killed at
least 31 people. People and especially parents gave in into this narrative because of another
shooting in Sandy Hook. They wanted answers. But in reality, Trump had no real evidence to
back this claim up.

In conclusion, video games don’t cause violence to children, teens, or adults just because of its
violent nature. The media, people around us, and events that happen as we grow up does. It
affects our thinking and shapes it into who we are now. Studies even show that countries that
play more games like Japan have less crime rates. Politicians focusing on violent video games
distracts legislators and government officials from the pressing need to deal with more
fundamental causes. diverts legislators and government officials' attention away from the
imperative need to address more basic concerns.
It almost seems like they’re just trying to find something to blame rather than solving more
serious issues about societal problems.