Im Marksman has 41 chronicles

1. The Negative Effects of Video Games on Today's Youth
   

   Player Chronicle -- Posted on Dec 04 2009

   Firstly I would like to apologize if this offends anyone in any way, also I would like to say I started my gaming when I was very young and I was one who played violent M rated games when I was 11 and 12, so don't feel like I am attacking anyone here.
   
   The Negative Effects of Video Games on Today's Youth
   
   It started out as just another day. I woke up thinking to myself "I don't want to go to school today". But I convinced myself that I had to go to school, even thought I didn't want to. So, I got up, got dressed and left…My day started off normally.” She went to her first four periods without any concern, for the day has been just as any other. “After fourth period was let out, I walked directly to my science room, unknowingly I'd be there for the next 4 hours…At around 11:21 am, My science teacher, Mrs. Mosier, was going through her everyday lecture, when we heard something weird. It sounded like a stampede and there were people screaming. Then, a young boy runs in and says "I'm hiding in here…Then we heard the first shot. It sounded like a big "BOOM".
   
   Then the fire alarm went off…Then we heard a really big "BOOM" (pipe bomb? shotgun?) so we immediately get under tables and toward the front of the room away from the windows. I don't know if she knows it, but she probably saved our lives with that decision…That's my story of April 20, 1999. (My First Hand Account of April 20, 1999 (Massacre at Columbine High School)” Columbine was one of the most tragic high school shootings in this nations history, where two troubled kids fueled by anger and hatred and influenced by violent video games killed thirteen people and injured many more. The two kids were violent video game addicts and constantly played games where they shot other people. Too young of children are playing these games that are much to mature for their underdeveloped minds, which is promoting disobedience, childhood obesity, anger, and most importantly, violence.
   
   Video games haven’t been around that long; in fact, they have only recently become a booming industry. With this increase in attention the demand for newer and better games has been pressuring companies to up their development, making lifelike graphics, while increasing computer AI (Artificial Intelligence), creating a game that is very close to life itself. These games are all marked with a rating system ranging from EC (Early Childhood), E (Everyone), E 10+ (Everyone 10 and above), T (Teenagers), M (Mature 17+), up to A (Adult 18+). The ratings are to warn parents what age this game is suited towards the most, and on the back of the game it tells why. With the newest and biggest hits being FPS games (First Person Shooter) like Halo, Left 4 Dead, and Call of Duty, all ages want in on the action, even though it’s rated M.
   
   Childhood obesity is becoming a growing concern with our nation, and video games are playing a big part in it. Video games are basically no physical movement; so young children playing games don’t get any exercise, which is causing them to gain weight. Now there are video game consoles like the Nintendo Wii that promote exercise and a healthy video gamer but as I stated earlier there are many more players on consoles that don’t promote physical fitness then there are on the Wii. Even if children aren’t being affected by the video games mentally, it is without a doubt affecting their level of physical fitness.
   
   A commonly used counter argument for the video game side is: It’s the parent’s fault for letting their children play those games. In part, yes it is, but many parents are ignorant to the gaming world and don’t really know what material or experiences their children could be subjected to while playing those games. A rating on the cover and a one to two word description on the back isn’t much of an indicator of what the game really has in it. If the parents could experience some of the games themselves then some of the children currently playing these games wouldn’t be playing them now.
   
   Video games can cause violence and aggression in the children who play them.
   
   Examples for these claims are the tragedies that occurred in Paducah, Kentucky, and Littleton Colorado where many innocent people were shot and killed in schools. When these claims are made, that video games are harmful, the video game industry defends itself by commenting on the rating that is put on the game, and stating that underage players won’t be able to buy it. According to the Dan Thompson, Manager of Gamestop in Urbandale, Iowa, his store’s employees, including him, use a five-year rule. The five-year rule was designed to keep underage gamers from purchasing games illegally. The rule is simple, if the customer looks to be within five years of the age restriction on the game, you must ID them.
   
   In a survey taken by the Federal Trade Commission in 2008, 20% of underage players were able to purchase the game without someone with legal age present (The Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggression: A Meta-Analysis). So obviously not all stores are using measures such as Gamestop to prevent underage buyers. Truthfully children don’t have to try to buy games illegally like that, because their close relatives; parents, siblings, aunts, or uncles could easily purchase it and give it to them. There are just too many ways to obtain an M rated video game for underage children with the technology we have today. But with 80% of American households with children between the ages of 8-16 now having some video game console in them, the rise of concern for what these games are teaching our children cannot be ignored (The Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggression: A Meta-Analysis).
   
   The reason children like these games are because of how cool and fun they look. Also for some children being rebellious is what they love to do, and getting their hands on an M rated game is an accomplishment. When a child plays a game that has drugs, guns, curse words, etc, it gives them the idea that that could be acceptable. Once the child plays the game so much he or she can become susceptible to believing that what they’re doing on the game is okay, and it gives them the idea to try it in real life. An idea is all children need for the game to have an influence on them their actions. Examples of kids getting ideas is if one of those children gets into a fight and tries a WWF move they saw while playing their video game. It is extremely hard to detect when children start to change into this mode of having a love for guns and shooting people or aliens, but it comes with wanting to experience danger, or adventure into what at the time to them is unknown. It starts out harmless, but ends up with terrible consequences.
   
   One of those consequences included is childhood obesity. This is a continuing problem in this nation, not only with children, but with adults as well. When children spend too much time on video games they clearly lack the physical exercise they should be getting. In an article titled, “Childhood Obesity: A Growing Phenomenon for Physical Educators”, it states 25% of American children today are obese and of those 25%, 80% will continue being obese into adulthood. To put that into perspective, pretend there are fifty million children alive in the United States at this moment. 25% of them would be obese, that makes 12.5 million of those fifty million obese. Ten million will continue being obese into adulthood. Something needs to be done to make up for the time spent sitting in front of a screen. Either more physically straining activities or less time on video games, the choice will be on the personal level.
   
   Another counterargument for video games is it helps children learn. Well this could be true if the child was playing a game called “Brain Age” but the number of children playing games that are harmful outweighs the ones that are playing games that are helpful with an easy 10:1 ratio. The facts are, harmful video games have way more younger players then the helpful video games and harmful games have much more of an impact on children. Stating that video games have a helpful factor while playing them is sure to be true it just doesn’t have enough of an impact to outweigh the consequences of the harmful video games. Many would agree that one hundred children getting an A on their math test isn’t quite as noticeable as ten children being shot/killed in a school shooting, a twenty-five year old dying of a heart attack from being morbidly obese. It certainly isn’t as media worthy, so the school shooting and the young man dying will draw even more attention to the negative effects of video games.
   
   These violent video games are becoming more and more popular with today’s youth. These violent games won’t stop soon, in fact they’re more likely to get worse, with such popularity now, and better games coming out every year, the increase in children playing these games will explode.
   
   The only way to stop this from becoming a reality is to take action sooner then later. The only problem is how can people take action, there is literally no way to stop minors from playing these games if their parents or relatives will just keep buying it for them. The only realistic solution would make all game producers only make T rated games as the highest level of maturity in a game. That would do away with some of the biggest and most influential games that underage gamers are playing today.
   
   Another solution that could work would be to designate which consoles and game producers are allowed to make which games and then register who buys those consoles and who lives in the home. To make it more clear, Microsoft has the Xbox 360, Microsoft chose to support the M rated games platform. This means they can have any game played on them rating wise but it’s meant for people 18 and over only. If you want to buy an Xbox 360 you have to register that you bought it and how many people live in your home and their ages.
   
   That way it’s easier to track who could potentially be playing these games underage. One more solution that may work would to educate parents on the subject. Show the parents how violent these games are and what content these games are producing. With knowledge, parents can have a better understanding of what their children are actually playing.
   
   This video game epidemic could be one of the biggest problems in society today.
   
   Without video games it’s not as if the world would fall apart, it would just be less entertaining for some. But the pros of video games being absent from children’s lives would greatly outweigh the cons. All the time spent on video games could have been spent on something more productive, like learning a music instrument, or mastering a second language, or socializing with friends. There are so many more things in life children could do to benefit them then play video games. It could also prevent horrible events such as Columbine. Until the nations youth is no longer being subjected to this video game material no one will ever know how much of a positive impact it could make.
   
   References
   Bigley, Ryan. My First Hand Account of April 20, 1999 (Massacre at Columbine HighSchool). Ryan Bigley, 1999. Web. 15 Nov. 2009.
   Green, Gregory. Reese, Shirley A. “Childhood Obesity: A Growing Phenomenon for Physical Educators.” Education (2006): 121-124. Web. 27 Oct. 2009.
   Sherry, John. “The effects of Violent Video Games on Aggression: A Meta-Analysis.” Psych.ubc.ca. Pysych.ubc.ca, 21 Jul. 2001. Web. 16 Oct. 2009.
   Thompson, Dan. Personal interview. 5 Nov. 2009.

   
   

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Im Marksman has 2 comment s on this chronicle.

1. Im Marksman
   Posted On Dec 04 2009

   I will give out the grade I received on this as soon as I get it. I want to thank everyone who gives the time to read this paper because it took a long time to write, and I believe it can be true. When I was really young I was always very angry and the root of it was from playing too much Halo 2. I have always been extremely competitive and I'd get so angry when I would get beaten. So with my past in mind and the love of video games still present I decided to write this paper. I hope that you can see my point of view even if you don't agree with it.
   
   -Im Marksman

2. BEN
   Posted On Dec 04 2009

   I'm interested to hear what your teacher thought of this essay and maybe the grade you receive on it!
   
   Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this touchy topic and I'm sure a GoG Forum thread has been made for this conversation, where you should post a link to this Chronicle of yours. Naturally, share this same link around the web as you would like too
   
   10/10