In a recent republican national survey, participants were asked which they thought was more dangerous: guns or video games. According to the results, 67% of republicans polled think that video games are more dangerous than guns. 14% voted that guns are more dangerous. 19% voted unsure.
For those of us who love gaming, this is some rather annoying news. Thanks to this sensationalist buzz, a state representative in Connecticut has proposed a 10% tax on mature games that would go to fund “informational materials to educate families on the warning signs of video game addiction and antisocial behavior.”
Lawmakers in the past have tried to pass laws similar to this. They have, thankfully, been unsuccessful thus far. Although the goal of funding “informational materials” sounds like a noble goal, when it’s grounded in the same unscientific witch hunt mentality that blamed violence on music in the 90s, Dungeons and Dragons in the 80s, and other forms of media before that, the goal seems less noble and more like a political ploy to scare your voter base to make them easier to control.
Don’t buy into the hype. The only time video games are dangerous is if you decide to take a bath with your Sega Genesis. Or if you owe them money.
