The Greater of Two Evils

by Rumikoholic

The percentage of American youths prone to violent acts is no greater than it is in other countries. We simply publicize ours more fervently than most. I find it humorous how crazed the public seems to get based-on the sensationalistic tone of our media. After all, who can forget the big “mosquito” scare not too long ago when a total of 20 people all over the entire United States died of an illness that millions of people got and didn’t even know they had…

I’m not blaming the media for capitalizing on the natural survival instinct turned paranoia of the general public. I mean it is their job to keep us informed. They’re simply doing it in a way that will best improve their ratings. It does, however, do an excellent job of painting us in an unflattering, often unrealistic, light.

That brings me to my actual point. (I’m sure you’ve been waiting quite a while for that one. ;) ): The fault of those children’s actions lies solely in themselves. Their parents didn’t force them to kill those other children. People are naturally predisposed to doing what they want, not what someone tells them to.

Those people who think that video games are to blame for the world’s ills would do so even if it wasn’t echoed in their ears by the media. It just wouldn’t be as readily accessible an excuse by the children, themselves. I seem to recall people saying the same things about Warner Brothers cartoons, when all those character got anvils dropped on their heads…

Video games don’t make people mindless killers. Poverty does not make people thugs and drug dealers. A woman wearing a short skirt does not mean she wants a group of men to pull her into the back of their car and rape her for 10 hours straight. And, how many people actually saw the number of dead prostitutes go up after it was recommended by the creators of GTA that they shoot the street walkers after having sex with them to regain your health in their first game..?

The fact of the matter is: People’s actions rest solely on themselves. Only when innocent people stop blaming themselves and stop allowing the guilty parties to blame others can we finally move on…