America is outraged, and it should be. Four U.S. marines were videotaped urinating on dead Taliban soldiers in a callous display of dominance. The Marines have always been a respectable institution and these soldiers have betrayed the honor of their role as soldiers. Yet outrage over this video contradicts the society’s passive acceptance of similar behavior in video games.
For instance, the act of “t-bagging” involves the pressing of the crouch button while over a dead enemy as a way to assert victory and it is often used by players in Halo and Call of Duty. While the virtual incarnation is not graphic, the name betrays its true meaning—a similar action, but far more vulgar.
“T-bagging” is just another manifestation of a machismo culture. This culture exists in most video games; over-emphasized muscles in the players’ suits, massive guns and hyper-sexualized women are all prime examples.
Male children are exposed to violent attitudes at a young age. From toy soldiers to BB guns, boys grow up in the midst of violence. These concrete toys are now paired with violent video games like Halo and War of the Worlds. The toys and games are not inherently bad; using video games has even been proven to improve reaction time and strategy.
However, the link between video games and real-life behavior is tenuous, and it is not my decision to decide if these characteristics are inherently a problem. It is, however, a parent’s decision if and how his or her children should use the virtual world for play. In order to make a more informed decision, parents must expose themselves to the reality of these video games. The best way to do so is if parents play them with their children.
Some of the behaviors that parents find inside their own television sets may prove just as inflammatory as the video that surfaced online. In the midst of its outrage, America needs check its conceptions of virtual play, and see just how playful it really is.