DIGITIZING MANAGEMENT
PING NA THALANG
Way back in October of 2001, I wrote an article on the danger of the impact of computer games on young children. That article, however, focused mainly on how a hyper-realistic gaming experience can influence childrens' social lives.
That message took a different, more tragic turn recently when a local child murdered an innocent taxi driver, claiming to be imitating the action in the popular Grand Theft Auto computer game.
Immediately after the incident, there was an outcry by academics and politicians, calling for the banning of computer games. This is a typical reaction - blaming the game. Sure, the game is violent, but it is no more violent than any R-rated film shown in cinemas or on cable TV channels. The game may have an extra edge of realism over a movie on TV, where players can influence the decisions and actions of their alter-egos in the game.
The fact of the matter is you cannot stop technological advancement. Games will be more realistic, more powerful and they will enjoy more distribution channels in the future. The good news is there will be some responsible game-makers who resort to self regulation of their own products, but the bad news is there will always be illegal game-makers out to make quick bucks by churning out no holds barred blood-guts violent games that will always find their ways into your child's computer, regardless of whether there's a ban on computer games or not.
Should we put the blame on blockbuster The Matrix when two young delinquents dressed up as the movie's antagonists and massacred innocent people at Columbine high school in 1999? If knee-jerk authorities got their way and had banned all movies in cinemas, TVs, every computer games: Could we have been spared the shooting of five young Amish girls in 2006, the murder of 32 people at Virginia Tech last year and the Omaha shopping centre massacre of eight people later that year? I guess not.
"Solving" problems by killing the messengers can easily earn superficial praise, but it doesn't actually solve anything. As a matter of fact, it may even help to elevate the problem to new heights by making children more curious and sneak to underground outlets where they can get lost in their own world without any adult guidance. Needless to say of what kind of long term effect will have on the society.
The root cause of mindless killings does not come from computer games, but they originate from the lack of care and guidance by the ones who are responsible for the well-being of children. Most of us are exposed to one form of violence or another when we watch slasher flicks, play shoot-em up computer games, etc. but the reason that we didn't turn into mass murderers is because we know the difference between fantasy and reality. That ability of differentiation came from advices and guidance of caring parents, friends and relatives.
In the world of hyper-realistic computer games, the parents need to take heed in what the game their children play. Taking heed does not mean censoring out violent games.
In fact, it is advisable to even join in the "fun" and provide advice to your children on the consequences of one's action.
My closing paragraph of the October 2001 article said "Parents should inform children of the impact computer games could have on them. They should be aware that they may get lost in the fantasy world, but once the machine is off, the fantasy is over."
That message was relevant seven years ago. It's still true today and will be even more significant in the future.
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