Video Games as Good Clean Fun

This generation has been marked with the ability to create overweight children, primarily males, with really strong thumbs, with the learned capacity to kill without hesitation or remorse by use of video games.  I have repeatedly heard that the video games played today by the youngsters (children, teenagers, young adults, and some middle-aged though kid-at-heart) teach them to kill and desensitize them to violence.  I have heard this from many Christians and a few non.  I know some people consider video games to be evil and the cause of many evils.  I know others who love them yet think nothing of them.  So, amidst all this diversity in opinion and practice of video games, what can be said?

Halo is probably my favorite video game of all time.  It is a shooting game that can either be played against the computer or other players.  Halo rests in a military science-fiction setting in the future (around 2550 CE).  This game is also rated "M" for "Mature."

I would like to look at video games by narrowing the scope to just Halo, and to consider the positives and negatives of playing this game.  First, let's begin by exploring the negatives of the game.

• Playing Halo has no redeeming value
• It is senseless killing
• It requires no physical strain
• It is time consuming
• Playing Halo desensitizes players to violence
• Through rampant killing
• Through encouraging violence
• Through advocating aggressive behavior
• Playing Halo teaches
  
• Negative values
• Aggressiveness
• Violence
• Killing
  
• How to kill
• Head shots vs. body shots
• Assassination techniques
• Combat tactics

The list above shows three distinct areas of Halo's negative aspect: the lack of redeeming value; it's tendency to desensitize players to violence; and it's ability to teach negative values and how to kill.  I suspect that anyone with some sense and reason would see these and be completely turned off to the game, or any video game for that matter, but before they should dismiss the game and the gaming industry entirely, allow me to also explore the positive aspect of playing Halo.

• Playing Halo teaches positive values
  
• Accomplishment
• Self-worth
• Comaraderie
• Team work
• Determination/Perseverance
• Playing Halo developes thinking skills
• Problem-solving
• Hand-eye coordination
• Strategy

Now, I could continue on and list many positive sides to playing Halo, but most people reading will more likely than not think that the negative overwhelmingly outweighs the positive regardless of the positive aspects I provide.  Therefore, I would like to suggest that Halo is a great video game, but is not ment to be anything more than a game, and, like all other things in this world, requires moderation.  In addition, there is no difference between the blood-shed of Halo--a make-believe game--and real-life paintball.  Evidence also suggests that more people are desensitized by tv and movies than they are by video games because of their ability to relate to the viewers.  Books can also be terribly graphic--like the Bible's book of Judges and Ehud, for example, whose graphic murder of the king of Moab is told in detail.  And just like the Bible, or crime books, or murder-mystery television shows and movies, video games require certain levels of maturity.  If I had an eight year-old son, then I would not allow to watch CSI, nor would I let him watch Blade with Wesley Snipes, because I would know that he more likely than not cannot tell the difference between reality and fiction.  He would incorporate some of the actions and thoughts from those things into his own mind and actions if he did not become terribly frightened from all the blood, violence, and fangs.  I would know that he was not mature enough to understand what was going on in the show or in the movie.  In the same way, video games require a certain level of maturity.  Halo is rated "M" for a reason.  Those kids unable to determine reality from fiction are not "M" compatible, and therefore, should not be playing Halo, or any other game similarly rated. 

When it all comes down to it, games like Halo are no different than boardgames, sports, cards, movies or television, or leisure reading--they are something to do in your spare time, something of a challenge, something to win, and something to associate with others.  Certainly, those negative aspects of the game are harmful for those not bearing "M" capable minds.  However, for those that do, the positive side becomes a huge plus worth while.  But is that all?

I have also heard that violent video games cause more aggression in the players than simple puzzle-solving games.  I am first-hand proof that this is false.  Puzzle-solving games that I cannot solve generally provoke me to anger far beyond violent video games like Halo.  For example, Tetris at times really makes me mad--pen-throwing-at-the-wall mad--simply because I can't get my lines down fast enough to win.  However, when I play Halo, which I constantly lose because I am not all that great at it, I don't throw my pen at the wall and I don't get mad.  Not only that, but I have heard that playing violent video games brings out the violent side of the player in real life situations.  I have played many a violent video game, from Halo to Street Fighter, and I have never been in a fight, never punched or kicked anyone, and am actually very passive in real life.  But, it must be noted that I did not start to play these games until I was well into middle and high school, age 14 and 15.  By that time I had developed an awareness of fiction from reality.  By that time I already had values concretely set in my heart.  By that time I did not mold myself to the game but simply played them for what they are: a challenge to win a fictitious scenario.

Therefore, I must conclude that there is nothing wrong with this game or any other video game in that of itself.  If you cannot, however, determine right from wrong or reality from fiction, then maybe you ought not to be playing video games in the first place.  If you think that these games are evil, then you must also hold, in order to be consistent, that the following are as well: CSI, the television program reported to teach criminals how to not get caught with murder; Jackie Chan or Jet Lie movies; Saving Private Ryan and similar war movies; murder-mystery novels; and even the Bible, which contains many murders of people, kings, and even Jesus. 

I would suggest that up through near high school age children and teenagers have their video games moderated by their parents and also to limit the amount of time that they play.  Remember, like anything else, moderation is the key.  We don't need couch potatoes and video game zombies.  Yet, it is important to realize that these games are not inherently evil.  Stick to the age levels on the boxes through these ages and moderate the use and the children should be fine.  As for adults go, all systems are go, but remember to play in moderation as well, just like you should exercise, eat, and watch tv with moderation.  Video games can be good, clean fun when the maturity level is parallel to the video game, and when done in moderation, and when done in this manner it results in teaching and reinforcing the player's, no matter what age, values of accomplishment, self-worth, comaraderie, team work, perseverance, and thinking skills, such as problem-solving, strategy, and hand-eye coordination.