MORAL PANICS AAAAHHHHHHHH

Video Game addiction seems to be the buzzword of the media for the issues with youth. Aside from the fact that this is a huge generalization this attitude reminded me to the phenomenon that occurred in the 1960s. This phenomenon was that of the Mods and Rockers. While this was a struggle of two subcultures, the relevance here is the moral panic that difference to the dominant societal expectation causes. Moral Panic was used to describe any phenomenon that was deemed a threat to the social order simply because it was new and went against the grain of the social hierarchy. Video games, while not necessarily new, are still seen as an up-and-coming novelty because of such exponential growth in the past few decades. The way in which video games are seen to be a threat to society are sprung from the apparent links and correlations that can be drawn between video games, drugs and gambling – they are stimulating and a user is instantly gratified through reward systems. 

While being addicted to ‘fun’ in the form of dopamine release is all well and good, society definitely dictates which vices are allowed leeway. Video games are seen to be lethal based on the few extreme cases of suicide and dehydration. Being addicted to food is fine, because obesity is prevalent. Addiction to exercise is okay because exercise is to be encouraged. Addiction to smoking is bad but still looks cool so just quit whenever. Video games encourage a fantasy-filled haze of violence and pornography.VIDEO GAMES ARE DEATH. 

Video games are stimulating. Is this not a good thing? Learning to strategize, work as a team, be creative, show initiative, be cautious…are these all not qualities that are revered in reality? The links between stimulation in games and violence in games is seen to be one and the same. While Bill O’Reilly might perpetuate this cycle of ‘video gamers are murderers’, video games do not have to be violent. A lot of them aren’t. Just as Quentin Tarantino mentioned in the first clip, in reaction to violence, there is a cry to ‘Blame the Playmakers’, as though the creators of games are the creators of societal problems such as violence, isolation and addiction.

This comes back to the tropes of gamers, as video game addiction can be attributed to someone who just 'looks the part':

Addiction can be a reality for some people.

 This does not mean that addiction is the default, or that humans are naturally drawn to vices. ‘Problematic Use’ forms, as many things do, as a series of small logical steps that lead to a greater problem. Before you know it, an extroverted person may move into a habit of playing games to deal with other problems in their life. Perhaps these people are drawn away from their people in their life because the people online are more understanding and less biased. The case depends on the person. All we can do is get involved and be supportive of the gaming community.

Also, RIP Video Games Theory and Culture. You were awesome.

- Sophie McGuinness