Cheat Code Central: Weekly Rant - Video Game Violence

Have you ever punched a brick wall? Probably not twice in your life. Keep this in mind, and I'll come back to it later.

There's not enough violence in video games. I am saying this with a straight face, and I think this is absolutely true. Allow me to clarify. Video games, cartoons, movies, and comics aimed at children don't contain enough violence. In recent decades, so-called authorities and society watchdogs have virtually eliminated violence from the childrens' entertainment menu. This diet is missing important psychological nutrients. It's too antiseptic. Everyone knows if you're not exposed to enough germs you're going to get seriously sick. You have to build up immunity.

Weekly Rant - Video Game Violence

When kids are exposed to violence later in life, typically through video games, it's seen as something forbidden, dangerous, and exciting. It's something to experiment with. It entices the rebellious nature, since it's unsanctioned by our parents and all media.

Now, I don't mean that kids should be exposed to decapitation scenes in iCarly, but some good old-fashioned, hilarious, cartoon violence is good medicine for all. The 60s generation that grew up on Popeye, Bugs Bunny, and the Road Runner became the most peaceful generation in history. Look at the warring demographics such as the Taliban, Islamic fundamentalists, Iraqis, and North Koreans that weren't exposed to this kind of cartoon violence. They just want to kill everyone. No sense of humor, those people.

Being exposed to cartoon and video game violence allows kids to make the distinction between reality and fantasy. They assimilate violence early in their development. It becomes something to be respected and feared, not coveted and practiced. Kids learn at an early age that solving problems with violence, and robbing and shooting people with guns is unacceptable behavior. Instead, this is something they can do vicariously in video games. Exorcise those demons virtually, not in real life.

Weekly Rant - Video Game Violence

Kids are smarter than we think. They learn and adapt quickly. I'm talking about normal kids here. Those other ones will hopefully be weeded out by the bad choices they make throughout their short life, like banging their fists and heads against a brick wall until that little glob of puss that passes for brain matter dribbles to the ground. The smart kids know you've got to use explosive! Now bring on the violence, and lots of it!

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Contributing Writer

*The views expressed within this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not express the views held by Cheat Code Central.*