Ancient to Modern: Perpetual Scapegoating of Video Games for Ethical Corruption and Dependency
Rolling Dice, Pressing Buttons: A Historical Perspective on Video Game Morality
By Dr. Lindsay Grace, Knight Chair of Interactive Media, Associate Professor of Communication, University of Miami
Games Have Always Been a Hot Topic
From the height of ancient Roman culture to the digital age, games have been a controversial subject, frequently blamed for societal ills and political manipulation.
The Buddha and Chess: An Early Gamble
Historians can trace back the origin of board games like chess as far back as 3100 B.C., with the ancient Egyptian game of senet. While the Buddha praised the cognitive and emotional benefits of such games, he also expressed concerns about addictive behavior associated with play.
Chess has been an integral part of human history, serving as both a peaceful competitive venture and a catalyst for intellectual development. Yet, the Buddha's warnings about addiction seem to have been overshadowed by the game's numerous benefits.
A Dicey History
In ancient Roman civilization, popular pastimes like dice games became targets of political controversy. Roman emperors lamented their negative impact on society, even banning these games ostensibly due to their immoral nature. However, the enforcement of these laws was sporadic, and it was eventually sports that came under fire, not the games of chance.
The Puritan Crusade on Games
The seventeenth century saw a religious struggle over the legitimacy of leisure activities such as games and sport, a disagreement similar to modern-day debates. Puritans, in their push to eradicate Roman Catholic influences, disapproved of both the idea of play and the public's enthusiasm for it. In the end, games and sports not only survived but thrived in the culture.
Pinball: A Modern Moral Panic
Centuries later, in the mid-twentieth century, political concerns over pinball machines arose as a moral panic, with some politicians decrying it as a tool of moral corruption. New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia famously destroyed pinball machines during the city's ban, which lasted from 1942 to 1976. The parallels between the pinball controversy and modern-day video game debates are strikingly obvious.
Recurring Themes, Ever-changing Context
Throughout history, games have faced political concerns and bans that reflect broader societal anxieties about their impact. While the details have varied, the core issues of morality, violence, and social influence have remained consistent, echoing the ongoing debates surrounding video games today.
Originally published by The Conversation, 10.09.2019, under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution/No derivatives license.
Enrichment Data:Throughout history, games similar to modern video games have faced political concerns and bans, reflecting societal anxieties about their impact. Here are some historical examples that parallel modern-day concerns:
- Pinball and Arcade Games in the Philippines (1981):President Ferdinand Marcos banned video game consoles, arcade games, and pinball machines in the Philippines, labeling them as "destructive social enemies."
- Video Game Controversies in the United States (1990s):The release of violent video games like Mortal Kombat and Night Trap led to public outcry and Congressional hearings on regulating video games, marking the beginning of ongoing debates about the influence of video games on society.
- Past Legislation Attempts in the U.S.:In 2005, Senator Hillary Clinton introduced a bill to restrict the sale of mature-rated games to minors, but it did not pass. California also passed a law in 2005 requiring violent games to be labeled and sold only to adults, but it was blocked by courts due to First Amendment protections.
- Hearts of Iron Ban in China (2004):Hearts of Iron was banned in China in 2004 because it was deemed to contain unfavorable views on war and history, reflecting how games can be censored due to political sensitivities.
- Mega Man 5 in Vietnam:The game Mega Man 5 was not released in Vietnam due to a level resembling the Vietnam War, an example of how games can be banned due to historical sensitivities.
These examples illustrate how political concerns and bans on games have been a recurring theme throughout history, similar to modern-day video game controversies.
Books on the subject of video game morality might explore the social-media backlash against popular games with violent or mature content, as such controversies mirror historical debates about games like pinball and Mega Man 5. In addition, entertainment scholars could delve into the role of social media in shaping public perceptions of video game morality, an area that has gained traction in recent years.
