Teaching Kids to Kill

Connections:
Similarities:

·         Through the media children in mostly fist world countries are being exposed to violence in video games, the news, and scripted television. Starting at the tender age of only 18 months, children start to become increasingly desensitized, and tricked into thinking that violence in to be associated with Laughter, cheers, popcorn, soda, and their girlfriend's perfume (Grossman & DeGaetano, 1999).

·         In third world countries like Africa, specifically Sierra Leone, child soldiers are conditioned with drugs to believe that killing is just, that what your commander commands you to do is the right thing, and that anyone who says otherwise is deceiving you. They are also being desensitized by drugs, the drugs make you numb.

·         My connection is that both children are both desensitized to death, and killing, because they see it so much, whether it be a simulation or reality, and they both are being conditioned to act and react in certain/the same, ways.

·         Both children are being exposed to such preposterous acts at young ages, for first world countries it starts at 18 months because although the conditioning is gruesome, it isn’t as severe as how the child soldiers are being conditioned, in third world countries child soldiers are being conditioned later because it is awfully severe, they are immersed in to the ideology of believing that murdering should be fun, and should have a sense of victory to it, as video games do.

 

Differences

·         In first world countries, a simulation is used to desensitise and condition children. For example a video game, players shoot incoming people automatically because that is the aim of the game.

·         In third world countries reality is used to condition children, this includes witnessing multiple massacres, being drugged to numb consciences, being conditioned out of fear for loved one, and/or personal wellbeing.

·         Children in third world countries are being forced to participate (life or death)

·         Children in first world countries practice freewill, thus the “If you don’t like it, just turn it off.”

 

 

Challenges:

·         Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” Ishmael Beah and other former child soldiers may seem to be high functioning members of society, remarkably together and articulate, but does that mean that they have departed for the ways they were conditioned to behave in.

·         Children that are desensitized by simulation, don’t they have morals and values, and if they do not, are they mentally stable. If they are not, than I believe individuals who are not mentally stable, should not be allowed to play these discussing games.    

 

Concepts:

·         That video games, the news, and all other things children watch have and affect on us.

·         We should make an effort to help aid UNICEF bring troubled, and former child soldiers to countries that will not allow that, and will help them thrive and flourish.

·         Everything we, or other people do will condition, and shape our opinions, and outlooks.

·         Young children should not be exposed to suich gruesome acts of inhumanity.

Changes:

Suggested in the text is that all video games affect us badly and will have repercussions in lives.