|
PC Games Increase Violence Quotient
We had no idea how far removed from Mario Brothers video games have become until we sat down to play Grand Theft Auto on a friend's Playstation. What was unforgettable about the whole experience was the violence depicted in such graphic detail. And when we say violence, we don't mean Mario jumping up and down on a mushroom.
The violence in video games involves actions like shooting down pedestrians, running over elderly people, and beating up prostitutes.
That opened up a whole new world for us, and it wasn't long before we go acquainted with games like Postal 2, Doom, and Manhunt - games that feature activities like mass slaughter, and the dismemberment and killing of people with the use of guns, knives, ice picks and baseball bats.
If this sounds gory on paper, you just imagine how they look (and sound) in all their grisly glory.
Moans and screams
When people in games like these die, they do so very realistically. Blood gushes and spurts, moans and screams are heard, and so are the gruesome sounds of weapons or projectiles impacting on flesh.
What is more disturbing than these graphic depictions, however, is the fact that these acts of violence have no real context. The player is even rewarded for his or her aggressive behavior - the more aggressive you are in the game, the bigger the points and the higher the level.
Also, there appears to be a lot of violence directed against women - rape, beatings - and the thugs you have to kill usually have dark skin and African or West Asian features. Thus, these games are also guilty of promoting the objectification of women and racial stereotyping.
>>> Next Page | To Money Management
|
