Persuasive speech; How violent video game affect children Essay

Persuasive speech; How violent video game affect children - Essay Example The increasing trend of using technology and gadgets is reducing the degree of outdoor activities for children. This results in increased durations of indoor activities that mainly constitute of watching TV and playing video games. According to Reinberg, US kids spend around 8 hours watching TV and playing video games every day. The modern video games have alarming levels of aggression and violence in them since they are mainly based on warfare or combat themes. Anderson stated that many scenario based games revolve around the killing of innocent characters with guns, knives, fighting etc. Exposure to such level of violence and aggression for elongated durations affects the players on a short term, as well as a long term basis. Kooijmans stated that violent games cause an increase in destructive cognitions and negative arousals. He also stated that violent video games induce hostile attitudes and beliefs among the users on a long term basis. The high quality of graphics and animation make the scenarios look genuine and give the perception of a real life. Anderson stated that experience of such real life violent situations makes the individuals insensitive to other people’s suffering and pains since they view such details on a daily basis in the form of animated characters. Benedetti pointed out that the increase of violence in video games is having another severe effect on the new generation; shootouts in schools. There have been numerous instances where students have opened fire at their fellow students and caused massacres. Examples of such incidents include Colorado shootout in 1999, Viginia Tech School shootout in 2007 etc. Layton stated that the shooters in the Colorado shootout were excessive players of ‘Doom’, ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Wolf 3D’. These games were considered to be popular and common violent games of that era. Layton also