War is really emphasized in our culture through toys, shows, games and all kinds of other things. From the time boys are little, they're expected to be aggressive and learn to protect others. When I was little, my dad always taught my two brothers that they were responsible for protecting me, even if that meant using violence. I think now-a-days, that's more of an old-fashioned way of thinking. It's not necessarily just men anymore that get involved in the war hype; there are women who join the army and enjoy video games that simulate war. I like to play Call of Duty, but that's just because i think it's a fun game. There is no connection to being a real-life soldier, like people said in class today.
We are desensitized to war-like behavior, though. I remember that when I first played Call of Duty, I didn't like shooting the people in the game. Now I don't think anything of it. People also enjoy movies that are based on real war stories, while some soldiers who have real memories of those wars can't bring themselves to talk about what they saw. I think most people understand that what they play and what they see is not in any way as real as it would be to actually participate as a soldier, but it would be dangerous to desensitize ourselves too much and start to believe that the consequences of violence aren't serious.
No comments:
Post a Comment