Comments on: Why Shouldn’t I Play Violent Video Games? http://ldswhy.com/qa/why-shouldnt-i-play-violent-video-games/ Questions and Answers Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:12:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Natalie Robison http://ldswhy.com/qa/why-shouldnt-i-play-violent-video-games/comment-page-1/#comment-1406 Natalie Robison Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:37:57 +0000 http://ldswhy.com/qa/?p=859#comment-1406 I had the unique opportunity of teaching a group of youth at a local juvenile detention center. In my preparations to teach I happened upon an article describing the addictive nature of smoking. I learned that the nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the nervous system creating an initial high; however, once the body becomes accustomed to the nicotine the nervous system goes haywire if it doesn't get it. The only way to calm the frazzled nerves is to smoke another cigarette. This is how addiction begins and at this point it becomes very, very difficult to quit because the body now NEEDS the nicotine just to feel normal. What does this have to do with violent video games? I asked the youth at the detention center what there favorite video games were. They all started talking excitedlty about these awful games, describing in great detail the most graphic violence imaginable - each trying to out do the other. I continued my lesson by trying to help them recognize how the playing of violent video games causes feelings of anxiety and aggression which can lead to violent behavior. One teenage boy raised his had and disagreed with me saying that when he is upset and anxious he plays violent games to calm down. I was reminded of how smoking has become an addiction when it is needed to calm one's nerves and immediately saw the connection with this young man and his reaction to violent video games. Out of all the youth in the room, he was the one I was most scared for because the only way he knew how to calm down was by using violence. Knowing this about him, what do you think would happen if he got upset with his girlfriend? How do you think he would calm himself down? You got it - with violence! Now I don't know for sure what happened that ended him up at the detention center - but based on his response, I have a pretty good idea. And I'd be willing to bet that he'll continue to end in detention until he's behind bars for good. Why? Because he has already demonstrated his addiction to the chemicals released by the brain in response to violence. Do violent games affect you? You bet they do!! I had the unique opportunity of teaching a group of youth at a local juvenile detention center. In my preparations to teach I happened upon an article describing the addictive nature of smoking. I learned that the nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the nervous system creating an initial high; however, once the body becomes accustomed to the nicotine the nervous system goes haywire if it doesn’t get it. The only way to calm the frazzled nerves is to smoke another cigarette. This is how addiction begins and at this point it becomes very, very difficult to quit because the body now NEEDS the nicotine just to feel normal.
What does this have to do with violent video games? I asked the youth at the detention center what there favorite video games were.
They all started talking excitedlty about these awful games, describing in great detail the most graphic violence imaginable – each trying to out do the other. I continued my lesson by trying to help them recognize how the playing of violent video games causes feelings of anxiety and aggression which can lead to violent behavior. One teenage boy raised his had and disagreed with me saying that when he is upset and anxious he plays violent games to calm down. I was reminded of how smoking has become an addiction when it is needed to calm one’s nerves and immediately saw the connection with this young man and his reaction to violent video games. Out of all the youth in the room, he was the one I was most scared for because the only way he knew how to calm down was by using violence. Knowing this about him, what do you think would happen if he got upset with his girlfriend? How do you think he would calm himself down? You got it – with violence! Now I don’t know for sure what happened that ended him up at the detention center – but based on his response, I have a pretty good idea. And I’d be willing to bet that he’ll continue to end in detention until he’s behind bars for good. Why? Because he has already demonstrated his addiction to the chemicals released by the brain in response to violence.
Do violent games affect you? You bet they do!!

]]> By: Kia http://ldswhy.com/qa/why-shouldnt-i-play-violent-video-games/comment-page-1/#comment-1355 Kia Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:26:36 +0000 http://ldswhy.com/qa/?p=859#comment-1355 This talk by Elder Bednar last year was very good to help me understand why we should not. http://www.lds.org/broadcast/ces/0,7341,538-1-61-1681,00.html This talk by Elder Bednar last year was very good to help me understand why we should not.

http://www.lds.org/broadcast/ces/0,7341,538-1-61-1681,00.html

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