This is the speech I did for English. I hope you enjoy it ^.^
Virginia Tech – a single student killed 32 colleagues in a violent rampage before killing himself. Columbine High School – 12 fellow schoolmates and a teacher were gunned down by two students who then killed themselves. How are these events connected? Some say that violent video games were the major cause of these terrible and tragic events. Ladies and gentlemen, teachers and students, video games have been widely blamed for society’s failures, but I believe we fail to see the truth, which is that society itself is the problem.
Most things we do can be abused. Even drinking excessive amounts of water can be unhealthy, even dangerous. It is the same with video games; the evil is not inherent in the game. But, if a game does have a rating of “Mature,” it is only suitable for people over the age of 17. So, why are there so many 12 year-olds playing games such as Grand Theft Auto? Why would a parent allow a child to play such titles without caring whether or not they are suitable? It is also the parent’s job to ensure that children do not play video games excessively or obsessively. Permissive parenting might seem beneficial from the child’s point of view, but could cause harm in adulthood. Stores could also be more cognizant of the potential harm and should not sell “Mature” games to youth. Children themselves could also be more responsible about not playing the more aggressive kinds of games.
Why are violent video games so popular? Consider this analogy: most people who go to a hockey game expect at least one fight to break out. Would it be fair to say that hockey is an aggressive sport that would be considered by many to be boring if it did not have violence? It is the same fascination with video games. If video games do not have violence they are considered by many to be boring, because ironically the better games seem to be the more violent ones. This may sound primitive and disgusting, but no matter how much we deny it, there is a fascination with violence in our culture.
Violence surrounds us. Consider the media, the news, sports, and TV. Even more violent traditions, such as wrestling are enjoyed by many people, so why single out video games in the blame game? Is it because many consider video games to be antisocial? Are video games still antisocial? This might have been true in the early days when video games were more single player and isolating. But they have evolved and encourage playing with one’s friends and connecting people over the internet. Going to a hockey game with friends is considered social, so why is inviting friends over to play video games antisocial? Video games should be treated like any other hobby, because they are hobbies.
Violent video games are only okay if they are played by people in the age category that the game is intended for. I do consider “M” rated games suitable for mature audiences. Children’s minds are still developing, so seeing violent things might cause negative reactions. People who are older have developed most of their thoughts and can tell the difference between reality and fiction.
I think that it is wrong to point fingers at violent video games. I hope my speech has convinced you that violent video games are not the cause of violence. Would somebody blame Pac-Man if a student ate somebody else? This may sound ridiculous, but it is the logic behind such lawyers as Jack Thompson. We ourselves must be more cognizant that all things can lead to harm and stop being so permissive about children.
Virginia Tech – a single student killed 32 colleagues in a violent rampage before killing himself. Columbine High School – 12 fellow schoolmates and a teacher were gunned down by two students who then killed themselves. How are these events connected? Some say that violent video games were the major cause of these terrible and tragic events. Ladies and gentlemen, teachers and students, video games have been widely blamed for society’s failures, but I believe we fail to see the truth, which is that society itself is the problem.
Most things we do can be abused. Even drinking excessive amounts of water can be unhealthy, even dangerous. It is the same with video games; the evil is not inherent in the game. But, if a game does have a rating of “Mature,” it is only suitable for people over the age of 17. So, why are there so many 12 year-olds playing games such as Grand Theft Auto? Why would a parent allow a child to play such titles without caring whether or not they are suitable? It is also the parent’s job to ensure that children do not play video games excessively or obsessively. Permissive parenting might seem beneficial from the child’s point of view, but could cause harm in adulthood. Stores could also be more cognizant of the potential harm and should not sell “Mature” games to youth. Children themselves could also be more responsible about not playing the more aggressive kinds of games.
Why are violent video games so popular? Consider this analogy: most people who go to a hockey game expect at least one fight to break out. Would it be fair to say that hockey is an aggressive sport that would be considered by many to be boring if it did not have violence? It is the same fascination with video games. If video games do not have violence they are considered by many to be boring, because ironically the better games seem to be the more violent ones. This may sound primitive and disgusting, but no matter how much we deny it, there is a fascination with violence in our culture.
Violence surrounds us. Consider the media, the news, sports, and TV. Even more violent traditions, such as wrestling are enjoyed by many people, so why single out video games in the blame game? Is it because many consider video games to be antisocial? Are video games still antisocial? This might have been true in the early days when video games were more single player and isolating. But they have evolved and encourage playing with one’s friends and connecting people over the internet. Going to a hockey game with friends is considered social, so why is inviting friends over to play video games antisocial? Video games should be treated like any other hobby, because they are hobbies.
Violent video games are only okay if they are played by people in the age category that the game is intended for. I do consider “M” rated games suitable for mature audiences. Children’s minds are still developing, so seeing violent things might cause negative reactions. People who are older have developed most of their thoughts and can tell the difference between reality and fiction.
I think that it is wrong to point fingers at violent video games. I hope my speech has convinced you that violent video games are not the cause of violence. Would somebody blame Pac-Man if a student ate somebody else? This may sound ridiculous, but it is the logic behind such lawyers as Jack Thompson. We ourselves must be more cognizant that all things can lead to harm and stop being so permissive about children.