Is it violence if I'm jumping on a turtle?

One question which has intrigued me lately is “what is violence?” It’s easy enough to say that “stabbing someone to death with a knife is violence”, but where’s the threshold? Obviously murder is the high water mark, but where’s the low water mark? Is it violence if I'm jumping on a turtle in Super Mario? To me, it comes down to context and intent.

I say intent because I’m a law student and, as an element of assault, intent is required to establish the act. You must intend to cause harm (or do so recklessly but that’s a legal debate not suited for FTVMS). Linking this to videogames, where a game is specifically set up/designed to include punching/kicking/shooting/destroying is there intent coupled with these actions. Yes, it is a given that there is interactivity and players do decide which enemies to kill and which not to kill but, on a more fundamental level, there is not choice – killing is part of playing the game. So, when violence is contextualised in that way does it necessarily make it violent?

Think of it this way: the object of a boxer in a boxing match is to WIN. The object is not to cause the other boxer long-term brain damage or to cause immense pain. Of course, we don’t know what goes on inside the heads of every boxer but we can generally say that the aim of the game is to WIN and not to be violent necessarily. The same goes for video games. It is a subtle distinction but I think it is one that makes a big difference.

The second thing that needs to be taken into consideration when considering videogame violence is, as mentioned, context. A good point was brought up in the tutorial which highlights just how important context is. In a game such as Medal of Honour you are fighting an opposing army that is trying to kill you. Your actions of ‘violence’ in that context are undertaken in self-defence. Contrast that to the type of mindless, unprovoked violence that sometimes occurs in Grand Theft Auto (i.e. running over pedestrians) and you start to see where the lines blur.

And it is not only the context of the game, but also the context in which games are played. Some people may play games to vent their anger or aggression. I know many people who play war games not for the violence but for the strategy aspect of it. Too often, the context pre-supposed is that of a murder simulator training kids to be killing machines but where’s the notion that kids are playing games because they like to solve problems?

Personally, I’m a pacifist but on the other hand I love going to hardcore shows and getting into mosh pits/hardcore pits and hardcore dancing. I don’t see it as violent but many people would consider the music and shows very violent. It’s a matter of context, but also of understanding. Music is an emotional release and I’m sure for many people videogames are too.

Now I just want to use that as an excuse to post some August Burns Red as an example of what I'm talking about. And here's some hardcore dancing/walls of death.