The Rise of Violence in the Age of Video Games and Social Media

The recent string of violent events in our country is a very concerning trend with huge societal consequences. In recent months we have witnessed random acts of violence in movie theaters, shopping malls, college campuses, and the Newtown school shooting which involved loss of life in an elementary school.

These tragic events have forced the gun control debate back into our national discourse.  This debate over whether or not stricter gun control laws could have prevented these tragic acts from taking place is a complicated one.

I think we have to look at the deeper questions to determine some type of rationale for this recent string of tragic and horrible events. I think we have to have a dialogue nationally about the role of video games, social media, and the news coverage of these events in the internet or digital media age.

The role of video games

These video game advancements to graphics engines have made the games very realistic. I have been in video game stores and I have seen parents purchase “mature” rated video games for their children, which I think is a big problem. Some of these games are rated that way for a reason. I do not think children should be exposed to the content in a “mature” rated game; it has that ratings designation for a reason.

It can be desensitizing both children and adults to the reality of the actual commission of these acts. The barriers between fantasy in a video game and the reality of bringing a gun into a school and firing it, or firing a gun into a crowded movie theater have become distorted boundaries.

This trend toward violence and disrespect for life must be dealt with in our schools and our homes, parents have to be more involved with their children.  That is where the role of social media and the digital age has played a generally negative role in our homes.

The role of social media and the news cycle of digital media

The abundance of social media sites is a both a very good and potentially very negative scenario for our society. In a world where most households have both parents working full time jobs, the children are left to their own devices to explore the internet, video games, and social media sites.

Some of the content of these sites can be unsuitable for children to see, and then the parents come home and they are absorbed in surfing the internet as well. Many parents are communicating with their friends on social media sites, and not paying attention to their children. That is a bad trend for our society.

The last point I will make is on the role of the media in the digital age. Now, the news travels so fast via the internet and social media platforms, it is an enticement for certain members of society to carry out violent acts. I have seen the phrase “internet famous” associated with that type of situation.

The speed in which the news of these tragedies moves throughout our society is alarming. I think the media at times places too much emphasis on the perpetrators of these acts of violence or terror. This creates a vicious cycle which we have to begin to address, so that true change to our society can take place.