Culture of Violence

  My friends know that I am a keen gamer (though not nearly as keen as the pros). In recent months I have been pondering the effect of violent games upon the psyche. I do not think that they can force anyone into committing acts of violence. It seems to me that cases of game-related violence tend to come from people who are already unhinged in some way and/or have played the games to excess (e.g. a thousand times). Most casual gamers are unlikely to go out and shoot or stab people.

  That being said, I am concerned about the effect of games on our sense of justice/revenge and our self-definition. Regarding the first point, vendettas and private assassination contracts and acts of passion seem to be quite common in games, whereas the formal proceedings of a court seem to appear rarely. (An excellent exception appears in Knights of the Old Republic, however, where the player is given various options for influencing  a wookie judge.)

 Regarding the second point, cultures or individuals that define themselves as warriors struggle with a number of disadvantages their stance creates. Firstly, war is not a desired end-state of humanity. People dream of an age of peace when war will be no more. Those who define themselves by war are effectively limiting themselves - they have no part in the future of humanity. Furthermore, the human aging-process limits us, even as strategists planning campaigns. Secondly, war is not always justified; if you are so obsessed with fighting that you look for occasions to fight, then something has gone very wrong. Thirdly, war is not a creative process. It is the reconstruction after war has ceased that employs man's creative talents. Don't get me wrong - I know many of man's greatest scientific and technological discoveries have been fueled by war, but their short-term aims have been to control or destroy the enemy, not to create something that improves people's lives. The improvement of people's lives is largely a task of people at peace.

  So, where does this leave us? Well, I think it leaves us wanting more. I don't intend to stop playing (at least not in the short-term), but I am reconsidering what I want out of games. A chance to be more creative, to solve problems - this is beginning to hold more appeal than the repetitive hack 'n' slash, shoot 'em up experience. Still, an outlet for rage is useful...the wheel turns.

God bless.