Violence in the Home

Description

A picture of a video game cover.

Sociological Interpretation

The majority of us have all played a video game at least once. We get so caught up in trying to do the task asked in the game that we do not see realize in order to do so, that there is quite an amount of violence in many of the games.

We surround ourselves with violence at school (bullying) and with the news (crime). Then, we deliberately bring it into our homes by purchasing and playing games like Call of Duty. Cleary, this is not meant for telling people they should not play video games but to realize how much violence is truly around us and how easily it is to become influenced by these every day things. This brings up Lonnie Athens’ Violentization process.

Violentization is analogous to socialization. In other words, people become the kind of people they are as a result of social experiences. Some of these are consequential and unforgettable, have a lasting impact and leave a permanent mark regardless of their wishes. The significant experiences which make people dangerous, violent criminals do not occur all at once, but gradually over time. It is a development process with discernible stages.

There are four stages to the Violentization Process. The first stage is Brutalization. This includes three elemental experiences: violent subjugation; personal horrification; violent coaching. All three add up to the coarse and cruel treatment by others with lasting and dramatic impacts. The second stage is Belligerency. Desperate to do something about the violent treatment, the decision is made to resort to violence if necessary to stop the treatment. The person resolves the use of serious violence if provoked and if it has a chance of success. The third is Violent Performances. This is the transition from a resolution to use violence to its actual use. The last and final stage is the Virulency stage: a readiness to use extreme violence to attack another with minimal or no provocation.

Not all people that play violent games actually become violent (majority of teens have not) but that is not to say that it has not happened before. People just need to be more aware of how much violence is truly in and around our society.