In the last days, the riots in London and other cities in Great Britain have of course been a big topic on the news all over the world. It started in London and then spread over the country. After the death of man in Tottenham, the riots started as protest against police or government. It turned however when more and more young people and many teenagers joined the mob. They walked through the cities in the night and started wildly damaging shops, setting cars and houses on fire, breaking windows and stealing whatever they could get out of shops. Eye witnesses of different cities tell how they saw young children in between the age of 10 to 17 among the rioters and looters. They don’t do it to protest against the police, they are having fun!
When I read this, I have to wonder how these children and teenagers think that this is fun. They are not really criminal people. They don’t have a history of crime with the police, many of those who have been arrested are in touch with the police for the first time. How come they go out in the night and start robbing stores, walking around in town, laughing and shouting in the midst of chaos?
Some time ago I wrote about video games and asked my friends what they thought of video games and violence. Several of my friends did not agree with my point of view that violent video games encourage violence in real life. They argued that it was fiction, an unreal world, and children have an outlet for their anger and violence by shooting others on the screen. They told me this would prevent them from being violent in real life. I cannot really agree when I see what is going on in Great Britain right now.
I know many will not agree with me now, if I say that those violent video games have encouraged teenagers to participate in the riots in the UK. I believe however that those video games taught the children that violence and rioting is fun! They see what is happening and they feel that this is their chance to go out and have some real fun, not only on screen! They can now, in the anonymity of the crowd, go out and break or steal other people’s property. It is not anymore only a video game, it has become a real game! They feel secure when they are in a group and are out of control. They are not afraid of the police or legal punishment, although the government does whatever they can.
My problem is not the video games. I am not fond of sitting in front of a screen with a fictive world, playing games, but if people like it, I don’t mind. What I mind though is that violence is enhanced and advocated through video games. Why do these games teach that violence, beating, murder and more is fun? They learned how it should look like when you break into a store and when they see that it works, they get greedy and steal mobile phones, game consoles, electronics and more. I think violent video games have encouraged teenagers to see this all as fun! The makers of these games are also responsible for the attitude that such violence and destruction could be fun and an enjoyable thing to do.
Another very important thought is this: what about the parents? Where are they? What do they think their children are doing outside in the middle of the night? Are they unaware that their teenage kids are committing such crimes? It seems like in movies or books where the author has created a world where children take over control. Don’t these parents have any influence on their children? It is very shocking to see that obviously many parents are not able or don’t care to keep their children away from rioting!
Violence has become fun for many. It is not about political statements or giving a message to police and government. It is fun for them. How did we let this happen?
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I totaly agre! And not at last it also shows that the respect for parants, older people, the sociatie and other human beings is a think that is totaly missing. And i think it is only the video games, there are also this tv shows of stuff like ultimate fighting and this video clips of pure cruely which are shared on smart phones and computers. Sociaty has to look for a change otherwise we will end in a world of hate and cruelty with a totaly destroyed nature. I hope deeply that this change is possible and will be done. Love Armin
Many factors are surely at play in a society when things like this happen. I would recommend the following article to get a feeling for this, though I object to the word “liberal” in the title, as politicallyconservative ideologies now are certainly no better than the liberal ideologies, and may be far worse.
Thank you Deniz for this great article. Of course there are many reasons for the behaviour of those children. It presents a right picture of how society looks like – not only in Britain.
I agree with you. I think video games encourage young people to act like crazy and that people who create and sell that kind of violent video games are responsible for some part, for the behavior of some of the kids, as movies, music, books, etc…
I’m 100 percent agree too….ppl don’t care about others they just wanna money or either they wanna be famous….
U are absolutely right swami!…. Too many children, young impressionable kids being exposed to these SICK computerized WAR scenes… and now we see what they were doing by flooding the tvs, stores , magazines with these advertisements… it’s sickening to think this is what they wanted… and how they are corrupting the people esp the young bloods…
I agree too. I wish it weren’t true, but I am pretty sure the role playing games and violent combat games may have contributed to young people having “fun” in real life. living out their fantasy.
I have played video games since being a kid and don’t feel like going out and destroying peoples property. There is no love in the homes these young people come from……
Dear Garrett,I did not actually mean that everybody who is playing these video games becomes violent and criminal. I just want to say that these games also have an influence and teach children to have fun in violence. Why can we not have fun without it? Look at all the media, there is so much of it! I think it can affect a small and growing mind. It is great it did not affect yours and of course love in a home can definitely balance such influences but certain children, in whose lives other things are missing, too, are affected by this. I am sure about that. 🙂 Much love
to me it looks like all deadlocked structures that keep us in this state of expansion, are about to overthrow into a violent manner where human race is hitting to is destruction and there is a force call it Nature, God or Love who will not let this happen…. this will only make space for new to take place …
Video games may play a role for some kids. It exposes them to violence and destruction, desensitizing them to these ugly realities. But it doesn’t affect all kids in this way, and I think there is more to the riots than that. Some kids probably started rioting because their friends were doing it, and they wanted to be cool. Peer pressure is a wickedly powerful force, and some young teens were probably coerced into the riots in this way. Also, there is a common sentiment in many countries that the police are corrupt and unfair, rather than protective and helpful. This is something that should be addressed from a political, governmental, and societal standpoint.
Finally, a typical reason for teens to lash out and rebel is because they feel lost. They have a lot of angst and confusion and are searching for a purpose in life. I hope we can help guide our growing teens, worldwide, with love and wisdom so that their growing process is guided and eased.