In line with the last case in which a child under 13 has stabbed (causing injuries) to another person, taking inspiration from a video game character, I think we all have a series of issues pending that we should begin to explore. It happened over the weekend, but only a few days had passed since two other 12-year-old pre-teens (also Americans) starred in a similar event.
No, it is not my intention to criminalize this video game (of which I speak below), and NO, it is not my intention to point to video games as a cause for children to adopt inappropriate behaviors for their age. My children also have consoles (a laptop and a desktop), and precisely one of their favorite games is what Marcos talks about in the previous post; They also play with action content.
Of course, my children can not buy games of PEGI 16 or 18 (not even with their money), why ?, because the oldest has 10 ... If you do not have the same responsibilities, the same autonomy as older people Why should I play a game intended for older age? There are things that children should avoid because they are harmful (rather than adults), such as drugs; and there are things that they simply could not do because of their physical abilities (climbing Everest) or intellectuals (writing a 500-page novel). The argument 'well my friends ...', is not worth me, I am very stubborn for that; Each family has its standards.
Let's go with Slenderman
Do you know him? It's terrifying, how do I know about him? A friend of my son has it on your tablet, my son has played, yes (at the friend's house); I have also seen a demo, and different videos (with the child next door), starring your favorite youtuber. Slenderman is terrifying, but not only that.
Slenderman is a being? very tall and thin, whose head lacks features (it has no eyes, mouth, nose, ears or hair), it is dressed in black. Many years ago an urban legend was created online, from some very disturbing images that placed this figure in places close to the play of children that subsequently disappeared. Sometimes it appears with several tentacles as arms leaving the body.
With the legend underway, the kidnapping of children was attributed to Slenderman, his preferred environment was the forests, and if possible there was fog
Slenderman made the leap to video games, yes: in the American age classification (ESRB), the T is clearly indicated - suitable for teenagers, or from 13 years -. What's up younger children who play around the world is a great truth. It is a game that keeps the player in a lot of tension, and that causes many shocks, because the action takes place at night, and appears when you least expect it, you see a lot of action, and also shots and blood; It belongs therefore to the genre known as 'Creepypasta'.
What happened to those girls emulating their favorite video game?
Well, I don't know if he was the favorite of them ... let's just say that they played with some intensity, judging by the results. According to my son, a person who does that already has a previous imbalance (yes, he speaks like this), but I answer him, well, it may be, but with 12 years? And also, what else does Slenderman have been the trigger? and not the cause? we see the result.
One was 13, the other 12, are similar but different stories at the same time ... we are talking about the age (or almost) from which it is recommended, what we do not know is when they started playing (my son met him by the friend who commented above, at 9, the other child was 10). The first of which I speak starred in the event just a few days ago, stabbed his mother, although he does not remember anything that happened.
His mother claims he had mental problems and I was obsessed with the character that stars in this post. One of the news indicates that I had even created a world in Minecraft for Slenderman, although my son says that to see if that newspaper has gotten a little involved, because in Minecraft it is also possible to find 'Enderman' an ominous character ...
The second girls they mentioned had stabbed a friend, and they intended to kill her, although they didn't, they wanted to impress Slenderman
It seems that all 'believed' to follow orders from Slenderman
During the game, the player is chased by Slenderman, who tries to intimidate him while the first one picks up the notes that have been previously indicated, when the game modes are unlocked, I suppose that This is when the problem begins if those who are exposed are young children. In addition, if you are playing and this being looks at you, it can confuse you, during the games other characters appear who have been possessed by the lanky guy and with nothing at all.
Children and terrifying or violent content
Now I am not going to do any analysis (another day it will be) conscientious, a priori we can leave it in that those responsible for the acts are the people themselves, and it would also be possible to point out that teenagers are able to control violent emotions in real life.
But I don't talk about that, you must first take into account the intensity of the exposures, and taking that factor into account, assess whether according to what ages certain contents are appropriate. And secondly we have the factor 'children who play games classified for older people' and also with inappropriate content, this is negligence (call it permissiveness If you want).
What really worries me is not that they see an arm cut with a chainsaw (an example), but because of seeing beheadings, liters of blood, little respect for life (virtual in this case), cruelty, etc ... a child loses sensitivity, and increases his tolerance
Many pre-adolescent children like terror, it happened to me, and I don't find any inconvenience whenever it is controlled (it is not the same to hear a story from an older friend, than to spend two hours playing 'run that I catch you' with Slenderman) . After all, when exploring fictitious fear, we experiment with unusual emotions in real life, and this is a factor that gives the situation appeal.
The late psychiatrist Peter B. Neubauer, analyzed during the 80s the effects of horror films on the psyche of children; one of his conclusions was that usually those children with an emotionally healthy family life had no problem differentiating fantasy from reality; On the other hand, those who grew up in an environment of suffering connected the images of the films to those of their own life.
Today, and it is not that much has happened, we would also take into account the presence or not of the parents, the parental guidance exercised (or not) to avoid exposure to certain content, etc.
I think (it is my opinion) that if we care about what our children eat, or how they are doing in school, if we ask them what they have played with their friends (do we do it?); we should also know what they play on the console. At least at home, do all parents know that video games are at home or among us there is someone who disinterestedly does not know what is it that has left our daughter her best friend ?; away from home too, of course, although we do not prohibit going to friends' house, but it is not enough to know what they have played, and what they think of the game, and then give them our opinion.
