Gaming And Violence

So, I am not sure if I made this clear in my "mission statement" but this blog is not just about reviewing games. Its about everything to do with games. So this is my first Op-Ed piece. (For future reference, I may or may not do research for any of these articles. Depending on my mood and if I am feeling particularly scholarly).

(Note: I was listening to Imagine Dragons while writing this. May want to listen while reading.)

Gaming and Violence

(c) me. You steal, I sue.

So I play a lot of video games. You know that, you're reading my blog. But the point is: I play a lot of video games. Like, some days I can go for hours and hours with maybe one or two bathroom breaks. I don't know, it mostly depends on my motivation (which is some days high, and some days very, very low).

Yet, my personality type tends towards the non-confrontational. That is, in real life, I hate it when people fight. I hate it when I fight. (Unless, of course, it is an intellectual debate. Then I will own you). Well, that's only if I don't like you. Then I can be all up in your face, with little to no compunction.

I don't really think of myself as a violent person. I like peace. But if you piss me off, I will smack-a-bitch. But generally, if I know you, and am good friends, I don't really have any issues with giving you a shot to the shoulder when you are being difficult. Or maybe a heel to the phalanges. Any one of them.

But for the most part, I am pretty non-violent, especially with the general public. In fact, I am rather stand-offish in crowds and around other people.

I can't speak for other people, but there is no way that video games, violent or otherwise, have anything to do with my physical violence (or lack-thereof).

I can grant that some video games (Halo, Call of Duty, games I don't really play, etc), may desensitize people to acts of extreme violence, I don't know. I don't have any experience with them, so I really have no leg to stand on if I make any kind of argument regarding them. (Actually, if we are being perfectly honest, I can't always keep my eyes open during the scary parts of some games--mostly games that are first person shooters. I can't deal with things creeping up on me. My poor heart can't take it).

So, yeah, some games that you win by killing other people, (Assassins Creed), but anyone with even the slightest grasp on reality knows not to equate gaming and violence.

And at best, my grasp on reality is tenuous; at worse, well. Let's just say reality is subjective.

I've gotten off track.Yes, there are video games that are violent and gory.  Yes, video games may desensitize you to violence. But that doesn't mean that video games make you violent. They do not cause you to do stupid shit.

Video games can give people the excuse to do bad things. Blame it on the education system, video games, the government, whatever.

Take responsibility for your own actions.

Don't blame it on video games.