Video games and the Google Generation: The Evolution of Aggression? The Google Generation has been the first generation born into a world in which video games are an established part of the culture. As soon as a member of the Google Generation is born, a video game controller is placed in his or her hand. Indeed, video games are a technology that is pervasive in the lives of Google Gen’ers, especially during childhood and adolescence. The question remains, however, “What effect does the saturation of video games have on members of the Google Generation?” Many cultural/social critics, and even a number of psychologists, have focused on violence as the aspect of video games which has the most major impact upon the Google Generation. These critics have scientific data and research studies to support their argument that violence causes increased aggression in children and adolescents. Hence, their contention is that the Google Generation, as a whole, may be – due to desensitization – more aggressive and more violent than previous generations, as a result of overexposure to violence in video games. School shootings (such as the Columbine and Virginia Tech massacres – both committed by Google Gen’ers) have also been blamed on the influence of violent video games. Proponents of video games cite studies that show that violence among American youths has steadily diminished over the past 30 years (the same general timeframe in which video games have existed). These defenders of video game violence also believe that blaming video games for violence is a “chicken and egg” question – which came first, the violent video games or the violent behavior? Pro-video game critics contend that levels of aggression and the proclivity for violent behavior are much more innate than learned. They argue that violent video games do not create violent individuals; rather, violent individuals are drawn to violent video games. Students can weigh in on this debate, and its direct relation to their generation’s identity, through Project 3. A useful activity to stimulate discussion and thought on the issue is to assign students the following homework: Go to www.666games.net and play any one of the video games provided. Answer the following questions and bring them to class: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What game did you play? What is your initial reaction the game? Did that reaction diminish as you played longer? Why did you react the way you did? What is the point of this game? Is there any positive (or, conversely, negative) value to the game? Would you let a 10 year-old play this same game?
8. Do you think that this video game could increase an individual’s violent or sociopathic behavior? Why or why not? The questions allow students to begin to formulate their own discussion of the issue. Often, attendant questions of “fantasy versus reality” and “proper parenting” also arise from this topic – both of which can be tied back into the other issues confronting the Google Generation (i.e. social networking and helicopter parenting).