Running head: Video Games 1
Video Games 1
Are Video Games Affecting our Youth?
Jasmin Limon Garcia
Northeast Alabama Community College
16 November 2018
Abstract
Video games have become so mainstream in today’s world that more younger kids are playing them. It is estimated that 20 hours are played per week by each player (Hunsinger,2018, p.14). This can be a problem in today’s youth because these games can cause many effects to their physical and mental state. Even our president, Donald Trump, suggest that the violence and content the games have are shaping our young one's minds (Walther,2018, para.1).
Are Video Games Affecting Today’s Youth?
Video games have become a huge part of today’s youth. They spend many hours on end concentrating on video games, some of which have violent aspects. The more advanced, and the more appealing the game seems to get with high graphics and better storylines. The generations before were known to build inventions and new advances in technology. So why is it that the generation of today is not being talked about the new advances that have occurred. Could it probably be that the generation of today is influenced by these games and the media? It is no surprise when the media shows a storyline that has a strong spin, just so it can sell. This is all fed to the public eye, which causes fear and hatred to develop within the youth and can result in gun violence. Although video games seemed to be viewed as an escape, this can also have many negative effects because video games can have violent aspects and can also cause the young ones to have health problems, physically and mentally.
Video games can have graphic scenes, and it also depends on what game it is. Parents should see what the game is about, and what type of storyline it has. They can do this by seeing what rating the game has. Some games, storyline is a “first-person role in the killing process,” meaning that the kids are the “main characters inside the adventure” (St. John, 2018, p. 90). Having today’s youth play games not meant for them, can directly be related to some increase of aggression, because of the content is not aimed for the kids age. Parents need to be mindful of what their children are playing because it may have an influence in how they act (Iowa State University, 2018, p.35). Not only are the parents at fault but so are other family members. The other members can be playing the game, and the child may think it is totally fine with what is being shown. This can show result in them thinking that nothing is wrong with playing the game and doing what is shown.
Children may play or see their older sibling play a violent video game and believe that it is okay. It is not necessary for the child to play the game to be exposed to the graphic content. In the video game, they may also say swear words that the characters may be saying and may result in the kids also repeating them later. Laura St. John recalls the time one of her sons was exposed t...
