A horrendous tragedy occurred at Virginia Tech yesterday, where an armed man killed 32 people in classrooms and wounded 15 others. My heart sunk with grief when I read the news.
“Something has to change in the mentality of this country,” I protested to myself.
For years, I’ve been convinced that the violent video games children play and murderous movies they watch have produced insensitivity to killing and violence in their thinking. Their moral sense gets dulled and pushed into dormancy while they develop an attitude of “The killing doesn’t matter. It’s all pretend, not real.”
But the mindless mindset developed when playing these games is real in the sense that it affects a person’s attitude about life and how they conduct themselves toward others. It’s an uncaring, thoughtless, callous, indifferent and self-entwined attitude that leads to mindless destruction and self-destruction. It’s not healthy.
It’s been a challenge to help our 13 year old son understand this point, who loves to play video games. “That’s all they make and sell,” he protests. And he’s almost right. It’s very difficult to find engaging video games that don’t have some element of destruction in them. So it has been an on-going effort to educate his moral sensibilities to the importance of keeping his thinking free of the subtle destructive influence these video games perpetuate. I’ve wanted him to understand on his own why they’re harmful, not just because I said so.
So, this morning I asked him if he’d heard about the killings.
He said, “Yes.”
And then I had a little chat with him about keeping our thinking free of violent influences so events like this don’t occur.
He listened attentively.
I was impressed!
I pointed out that in the article the killer was observed as being unemotional about his murders. There was no expression on his face. He was like a mindless zombie on a heartless mission, the newspaper reported. Then he shot himself.
I told my son that large doses of violent games have a similar effect on their players. Gamers start shooting and killing so much they become uncaring about what they’re doing. They don’t think anything of it. It becomes normal to them. And then I explained this is why mom and I don’t like violent video games.
He listened without resistance, for which I was very grateful! And he even agreed with what I said. Hooray!
I think our years of talking on this subject have paid off.
It’s been a challenge because most of his male friends play these games everyday, and when he goes to their homes, the video games are often front and center of activities they choose to play.
Something does need to change in the mentality of our country, and perhaps much of the world. Mindless killing, pretend or not, is not natural or normal and should never be seen as such. It’s evil. It’s very evil, and should be treated for what it is.
I’m praying for all people touched by the tragedy yesterday to find peace of mind, assurance of life eternal and a release from grief. Large doses of Love alone will quench the fear, anger and remorse such events trigger.
But I also ask, “What can I do to help turn the tide of violent thinking so events like this don’t happen again?”
I began with talking to my son about it this morning. It’s a start!
You may have practical tangible steps you can take too.
Thank you, Evan, for your insight on this. I actually hadn’t thought of media involvement, no longer having children at home. But I’ve heard this complaint before among parents and those involved in the education of children. Perhaps this incident will awaken thought to the need for better quality and higher standards?
Thank you for this view of the problem presented. So far no media has looked @ it this way.
How can we pray about this challenge?
To above,
There are certainly many different ways to look at the cause of such tragedies. The influence of media is one that jumped out to me having dealt with it so immediately in the raising of our children. But perhaps the biggest point is to realize we don’t have to accept such violence as “normal” or unavoidable. It can be constructively addressed and healed. It helps to understand some of the mental causes at work behind the scenes that allow violent acts to surface in the first place.
It’s always been amazing to me that depraved human mind finds violence to be entertaining.People don’t bat an eye when they see murders and violence on TV.
Humanly, a lot of these problems would be eradicated if arms were not available. I guess this is the price we pay for our “freedom’s”. (to bear arms). It sounds great until things go out of control.
Incidences like this are most difficult for me as a Christian Scientist. I’ve seen people walk out of Wednesday testimony meetings because someone declared that events (such as this) are “unreal”. Will there ever be a day when violence will be eradicated for the human experience? It was around in Jesus’ day, so I guess not. But what do you say to people who are affected by such violence? Surely, telling them evil has no power or reality would not be helpful.
To above,
Telling someone who just witnessed horrendous evil that it’s not real, is not usually helpful because it appears so real to them. It’s the spirit of Love that needs to be felt in times like that, for it’s the spirit of Love that heals, not the word of Truth.
The world thought has a long way to go before it relinquished its faith in evil, thus the large number of evil acts that happen around the globe. As human thought is evangelized with Love, and people are genuinely more loving toward one another, the world will become an increasingly peaceful place. This will take much work and centuries to demonstrate fully, and the time to begin is now.
Thank you for addressing this event from a stand point that can be accepted by all. As I learned about this event I was at the middle school where I teach kids who love violence in books, movies and video games. Several months ago, one of the classes conducted a survey of their peers asking why they like video games. The number one answer was ” You get to kill people; blood and gore” This is exactly what crossed my mind when I heard the news. But what I apppreciate is your comment that we can’t respond to our friends by saying “This isn’t real, ” and “It never happened.” We know this for our own highest thought, but we need a more humane answer that will turn thought and fear and terror around. I love that you were able to reason with your son as to the effect these media exposures have on his own thinking so he can choose a more healthy path. Hollywood will only produce what the market demands. So we, the market, must demand something else. We must help kids realize they make choices that subtly and powerfully affect their thoughts and behaviors.
To above,
Amen!
Thanks…
My understanding is that it is not the video games but the sense of disconnection individuals have with their family, with their society that is the problem. As the story unfolds we may find the person who has done the killing has been violated in some way and therefore is so angry they don’t care about others.
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Healing in a crises does not always come immediately. Our thoughts and prayers are to know the perfect truth of God’s continued direction of Love. We know that the loved ones are in a better place and the spiritual existence continues before and after the material existence.
This tragedy took me back to the most amazing “teachable moment” I’ve had in my career. Shortly after 8:30 A.M. on September 11, 2001 while my class of 25 twelve and thirteen year old students watched — the twin towers fell. It was a conflict resolution class and in those moments of stunned silence my only thought was “dear God what do I say to these youngsters?” Soon out of the silence came a very small voice in the back of the room asking “why would somebody hate us that much?” The answer that came out surprised even me. I found myself asking a list of why’s involving recent bullying incidents in our school. Why would someone humiliate a person that way or intentionally hurt someone they didn’t know. The list continued as the students took over the discussion with the final point being we all engage in inhumane behaviors and have to stop this kind of thinking and acting first in ourselves then in our own neighborhoods if we ever want to see it erased from the larger world experience. It was the most amazing 50 minutes I ever spent in a classroom.
It is unfortunate that intolerance and hatred are back in fashion in this country and that greed has sent us on a chase for the $$ instead of loving and caring for each other. Like you said awhile back — we have to learn to love people and use things – not love things and use people if we want to stop this.
For my own part today — I searched out every disenfranchised child I could find and put them in a position to see and feel their conscious worth.
Tomorrow I will find more…..
To anon above,
Excellent! You are an inspiration… Thanks for sharing.