[Cerek]

It's also been proven conclusively that children DO "copy" behavior they see on games and TV. That is how young children learn - by copying others.

I saw an experiment done with a kindergarten class a few years ago. One day, the class watched a Barney video. After the video, the kids were given "free time" to play. They "played Barney". They worked together, helped each other, shared toys, etc. The next day they watched a Power Ranger video. During "free time" the kids were "karate fighting" each other and even continued that activity the next morning at the start of class.

I agree that you can't lay the blame entirely on video games and TV shows, but today's generation has grown up on video games with lots of excessive violence in them. And they don't have to go to the arcade and pay a quarter per game like I did. Nope. They have these games on their Playstations and X-box right there at home and can play them as often as they like.

When you are subjected to that much violence on a regular basis, you do become "desensitized" to it. Just look at the newer games if you don't believe me. They have more realistic violence, bigger guns and explosions, etc.

Again, this isn't the sole factor contributing to violence in teens and young adults today, but it can't be denied that it is a contributing factor.