Let's Play Hostility

When I first came across this article in the New York Times the first thing that came to mind was seeing it on the headline of one of Yahoo’s news feed. So, I decided to make my audience people who would be looking for quick but informative details. The audience can be seen as people, who are into video games, parents who are buying video games, or even marketing people. The essay doesn’t necessarily appeal to only one group of people, but rather a broad range. The way Yahoo presents their news is often short, quick, and simple and that is what my rewrite is targeting towards. The original article Shooting in the Dark by Benedict Carey can be found in the science section of the New York Times or http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/studying-the-effects-of-playing-violent-video-games.html?ref=science

So there might be a small connection after all. Benedict Carey wrote an article for the New York Times about the controversies on whether or not violent video games can result in violent or aggressive short-term behavior but also long term as well discusses the new research that is found. The idea that being a gamer can make you violent that sounds absurd doesn’t it? Not according to social scientists who have been studying the affects of media violence on behavior since 1950s and video games since 1980s.

            Carey points out the idea that video games are indeed much more bloodier and realistic than they were 10 years ago. But does this necessarily mean that all our boys will grow up to be hostile and aggressive men? Well the answer isn’t definitive. New research has shown that playing violent video games "does stir hostile urges and mildly agressive behavior in the short term." Now there is no need to have too much fear, because there is no proof that these short-term behaviors will adapt and grow into long-term behaviors if the kid becomes a habitual gamer.
         In a high school survey "a third to half of those player have a habit of 10 hours a week or more." Then "one question that researchers have not yet answered is when, exactly, a habit is so consuming that its influence trumps the socializing effects of other major figures in a child's life?" So, does this mean that children should be limited on how much video games they play for the sake of their future, or does this mean that having a temporarily aggressive child is the consequence of a gory video game? 

Rest assured that none of the hostility and aggressive behavior that builds up over time from video games will cause extreme acts of violence, such as the Aurora Theater shooting or even the Columbine. There is no definitive research that proves that violent video games lead to long-term violence or such dangerous behavior. Some argue that violent media or video games "socialize" children into becoming violent; while others say that there is more than just the media and games that play a role. There is no definite answer, but it is proven that even just 15 minutes can make a short-term difference. Despite the fact that video game sales have gone up since 1996; the number of violent youth offenders has gone down. We have nothing to fear until new data is out, and then we will have to revisit the idea of an agressive generation.