Violence: The Negative Influence Of Media Violence

The introduction of video game platforms that allow game creators to portray any action they choose on screen with lifelike realism is a concept once unimaginable, however within the past few decades monumental advances have been made in the digital arts. With the newfound power to create such lifelike realism, game designers often turn to death and violence as a basis for their games due to the popularity of such grim topics. Ratings have been placed on such material in attempt to protect the youth. There are blurred lines, however, on what exactly young people should be shielded from; and how use should be sectioned to allow for maturity throughout children’s development. Violence is often brushed off as unneeded, unnecessary or as simply …show more content…
Destruction, injury and oppression are all terms commonly associated with violence, however these are not defining factors nor are they necessary for violence to exist. Violence is better defined as the use of force or influence to actuate change in a situation. In the same way that unjust violence may cause a change of behavior in an innocent recipient’s manner of interaction with the aggressor, violence, and the threat of, can be used to positively affect the safety and quality of life of the weak and defenseless. The media exhibits violence with both just and unjust portrayals. Rockstar Game’s hit title, Grand Theft Auto, demonstrates a form of violence unjust for youth or any person without a fully formed conception of morality and right and wrong. Grand Theft Auto features slaughter of innocent civilians and glorification of living a life of crime. Titles such as Activision’s Call of Duty franchise, show an alternative depiction of violence where characters themselves engage in violence to protect innocents from violence and work toward a greater goal of peace. Such vastly different models of violence hold vastly different significance to the issue of how violence affects young people. It is the responsibility of society to teach morality and a sense of what’s just to young people. How young is too young to teach our youth …show more content…
It should not be looked down upon to teach children the glory found in valor and self-sacrifice soldiers show for their country for the sole reason that it is present in a video game. In a similar way that the story of the three little pigs and the wolf uses the destruction of the pigs houses to show the value in building things to last, violent media can portray the valor of armed service. These instances of violence to teach a lesson should be considered equally productive ways of learning rather than shaming one because of more mature