With all of the violence in the United States, especially on college campuses, other school grounds, movie theatres and others, I began to wonder the same thing most adults and law makers wonder: What actually influences young adults? Could it be video games? How about movies? Music?
What about all of the above or none of the above. I don’t have children, but I have spent plenty of time with teenagers and young adults to be able to answer that question for myself. I don’t believe that movies, music or video games make teens and young adults violent. Violence in nature is a strong force. Yes, it moves all of us in different ways, but different things affect different people.
Adults lump all younger people in the same group for years because of their similarity in ages. That’s not exactly fair. My maturity level is far different than someone even of the same age. You can’t lump all people of the same age together into one tiny group and label them “easily influenced.” That isn’t fair to those of us who are mature for our ages in comparison to those who are absolutely immature. How can we change the minds of the adults who put these labels on us? We have to step up and actually show them.
Video Games: I don’t play video games often, but I watch my fiancé and his friends all the time. They’re all well- adjusted adults who are still in school, have jobs, get good grades and play these violent games (sometimes on a daily basis). Granted, there are men and boys who play these video games and decide it would be a good idea to act out what is on the screen. Why put all of these men/boys in the same category when it’s obvious that all men and boys do not act or respond to the same violent stimuli in the same way? You shouldn’t, but adults don’t seem to see it the same way.
Movies: These are an important part of the way people grow up. The first time many people are exposed to sex or violence is in movies. Of course, people experience sex and aggression in their everyday lives because, as Sigmund Freud said, sex and aggression are our two basic instincts. That being said, why does everyone believe that movies are what help trigger violence in young adults? There are plenty of other things that can trigger violence in a person.
Music: Not very long ago, Marilyn Manson’s music was blamed for the shooting at Columbine High School. How can this be possible? There are plenty of people who listen to his music without killing others.
I listen to Manson sometimes, but I’ve never felt violent toward another person after listening to, or singing (gasp!), his lyrics. Some of the lyrics are very dark, yes, but rap musicis the same way. Eminem has some pretty dark lyrics floating around out there. His song, “Stan,” is about a crazed fan and how he would respond to that fan. It’s a dark song and a dark video, but the crazed fans make up about .10 percent of all the fans combined. Maybe Manson or Eminem’s music does trigger some people’s urges to commit murder or harm someone else/themselves. Maybe it doesn’t.
Do adults see women who play violent video games in the same way? Not usually. Yes, boys are typically more violent than women, and most violence in the news lately was enacted by a male, but why aren’t women’s actions questioned when they listen to hardcore music, watch violent movies or play violent video games? Maybe I have this all wrong. Maybe video games, music and movies are what make people violent or make the violence come alive in people. Maybeit doesn’t. Will we ever find out what makes us tick? Who are we to say, and how can we say for certain what causes violence in people? I’m sure that movies, music and video games aren’t the only causes of teen angst. I don’t think that playing a violent video game or watching a violent movie or listening to an angry song when you’re pissed off will make you want to hurt another or yourself. I could be wrong, but I honestly don’t believe that the entertainment industry is responsible for the many violent deaths each year.
