The Game Nobody Wins

Philadelphia has a violence problem.  This isn’t groundbreaking.  But what is more disturbing is the new form that this violence is taking.  The recent appearance of a phenomenon known as “knockout game” shows that violence is now a game.

I can’t help but think that violent video games contributed to this new development.  While obviously these games did not directly influence all instances of violence, they have fostered a culture that diminishes the horror of violence.  Much ink has been spilt on this topic, but “knock-out” is a very tangible example.  In these video games, you “kill” hundreds without the slightest hesitation or consequences.  It is no wonder that this has translated to real life.  The perpetrators know nothing about their victims and thus can be compassionless.

But real life isn’t like video games.  You can’t just respawn after ten seconds.  These young men are causing potentially permanent harm to their defenseless victims.  And this is all for fun.  I can’t imagine that a normal human being would even consider making this kind of violence into a game.  If our culture is leading teens into these games, how is it affecting us?