Video games become a part of life generally at an early age and tend to stick for many years. They can range from innocent games such as “Mario Kart” or “Monkey Ball” to more intense games like “Call of Duty.” They are a hobby, sometimes a profession, a way to blow off steam and a way to kill time.

In recent years, studies have tried to prove that playing violent video games leads to violence in the real world. In the “Call of Duty” game, the player is in control of a soldier fighting in a gruesome war. This entails shooting at the enemy strategically, resulting in kids spending hours watching and participating in online violence for fun. The argument is that children are unable to differentiate between reality and the world where they can commit this violence. They become desensitized to the violence, therefore becoming more likely to become violent in reality.

The truth is video games do not lead to a lifetime of violence, as these studies like to suggest. There are so many gamers, many of whom play violent games, and few have ever been violent in their lives toward real people. Video games are a stress reliever, not a stress inducer. Aggression is not something one is taught, but rather something one is born with, according to Psychology Today. Some can maintain it better than others, while some utilize video games to maintain it.

Video games have been around since 1972. Aggression and violence have been character flaws and have criminalized emotions for much longer than 40 years. Before video games, violence was linked to mental instability and anger management issues. Serial killers and mass shooters were considered insane, and anyone who showed signs of violent tendencies was sent to rehab and anger management classes. Video games should not change the way we approach violence and aggression in kids or adults. If anything, the ability to play violent games helps lessen aggression in real-life situations, as it allows players to relieve stress in a virtual world. The claim that video games lead to a reality of violence is ultimately a flawed excuse to disregard the mental instability problem in America.

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