Violent Reality

Referring to the article of Violent Video Games, Jeffery Goldstein mentioned, “Regardless of the degree of violence in a video game, players tend to focus on the game’s mechanics and its object, rather than its violence.” And I believe this is relevant to violent films or any genre of film for that matter. Irrespective of the violent content that different mediums may expose audiences to, it isn’t enough to say they will act out those violent actions with the intention of harming someone or something. Kevin spoke about ‘representational violence,’ when after viewing violent content in a film one would pretend to be a character of that film and act out the related violent actions. In Kevin’s case it was that of a Jedi. I can personally relate to this as I have found myself imitating violent actions immediately after coming out of a cinema, depending on what the film was about, such as multiple punches to the air or kicking a rubbish bin. However, it doesn’t go any further than that. I guess it’s just an extension of how we might engage with textual fiction (or am I just immature) but at the same time being well aware that it was a film (not real) and that it won’t erode our concept of reality and ‘actual violence.’ As a regular gamer of War Games, I am not at all inclined to act in the same manner. I reserve that only in my world of concern. I don’t quite understand why this is but that has been the same response I have received from friends and other fellow gamers. I guess it rings true within my circle of gamers that, ’players tend to focus more on the game’s mechanics and its object, rather than its violence.” But I believe the age and maturity is important, whether they are a gamer or a younger person within the vicinity of the violent-game being played. I noticed this at a friend’s house. My friend was playing ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and his 3 year old son after moments of observing what was on the screen would run around the house mimicking the shooting actions with verbal sound effects and hand gestures. Of course he won’t go off to kill anyone at that age but my main concern was the erosion of his concept of reality.