The controversy over Grand Theft Auto and violent video games

One issue that I found interesting and fascinated me was the study about how video games such as Grand Theft Auto cause violent behavior and aggressiveness. This interested me because I have watched my younger brother, who is 13, and his friends play this game numerous times. To me, I can see both sides of the issue. I believe this game as well as other violent video games could bring out aggressive impulses and behaviors, but not everyone who plays violent video games acts on these impulses. Out of all my younger brother’s video games, Grand Theft Auto is the one he plays the most. Before I saw the game though, I had no idea that it allowed players to sell cocaine, distribute porn, or hire prostitutes so I was quite surprised when I saw it. Although those substances are in the game, my brother and his friends enjoy playing it because you can steal cars, smash windows, and kill people. Most boys play these games because they’re “just being boys” and enjoy smashing and destroying things.

I agree that violent video games might bring out aggressive impulses in SOME people. As mentioned in the book, there were 3 instances where teens acted on these impulses killing innocent people because they were copying the game action in Grand Theft Auto. It also doesn’t help out due to the fact that video games like Grand Theft Auto go beyond just celebrating violence generally and actually reward players for engaging in appalling behaviors. I believe however this factor should be taken out of the game as well as the other shocking actions like the selling of drugs, distributing porn, and hiring of prostitutes. Although violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto may have an intense effect on certain individuals, not everyone who plays a violent video game is going to go out and commit a crime. My younger brother and his friends love GTA and other violent games and they are far from violent, but are good individuals. I think that there is more to it than just the violent video games. It could be that the people who commit a crime because they were influenced by the game have problems in their life, have/had a troubling childhood, or are just an overall deeply wrong individual.

Years ago, there was still violence in media such as movies/t.v shows with cowboys shooting one another or murder movies such as the movie Psycho. I think people are stirring up too much controversy over violent video games and that history is just repeating itself. In the 1950’s comic books were blamed for juvenile delinquency. This is very much the same phenomenon playing itself out again with a new subject.