Article Critique - Violent video games

Essay by creditz89 August 2006

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"Video game violence", by Patrick Masell is a gripping article which criticises the media's negative and biased views on video games. Violent video games have long been perceived as harmful and a potential danger amongst teens, and has evidently portrayed a lot of negative speculation throughout the media.

Masell attacks the media's stereotypical view on violent video games. Justifying his reason, Masell explores his past gaming experiences as viable evidence, as he has played nearly, if not all the violent video games released throughout his life. From this, he goes on to clarify that they have not harmed him in any possible way, and he strongly argues "one can come to the conclusion that gamers as a whole can be influenced by video games to commit crimes. If so, then one could claim, with merit, that all people of Islamic or Arab backgrounds are likely of becoming terrorists."

(Patrick Masell, accessed 06-29-06)

A number of encouraging examples are evident supporting Masell's issue, as he protests "the fact is, many variables go into a youth committing an act of violence and to say video games are chief among them is ludicrous." (Patrick Masell, accessed 06-29-06) He discusses other feasible reasons for inadequate child behavior, even though they've been adjourned to video games. These factors include: a hostile environment, parental neglect or abuse, and impaired mental state. In addition, he uses his friends as further examples, as he states "nearly all my friends have played at least a dozen violent games, but they have not erupted into an orgy of gang warfare as they are physically and mentally stable."(Patrick Masell, accessed 06-29-06)

Masell gives a clear message through his examples and arguments that violence in video games cannot simply be focal into causing a mentally stable child...