My convoluted thoughts on violence in video games

My classmate Jooh recently posed this question to us on his blog:

"We have been watched super-realistic virtual worlds through various medias, such as movie, TV, youtube, and etc. and it deems that there is no limitation in virtual world. People can fly, can become an animal.  I recently watched a demo play of "God of War 3." It was filled with blood and cruelty. However, is it appropriate? Even though there is no limitation of expression in Virtual Reality, why do we need this?  I want to hear from you.  Please share your thought about the cruelty that seems across the line of freedom of expression."

I decided to weigh in...and below is my convoluted thought patten.  I struggle to find a place to stand on this issue, but I thought I'd share.  My response:

This is a very complex issue to discuss...and as a US citizen, I find myself quite confused about where exactly I stand on this.  On one hand, my country is a violent place, with relaxed gun laws, domestic abuse, violent criminal behavior, and nightly news reports filled with fear and danger.  On the other hand, the United States seems to have a love affair with violence, so much so that many of our most famous heroes in games, film, and television, are ultra-violent types.  Kratos in God of War.  Scarface in the movies.  Jack Bauer on 24.

Amazingly enough, the US, in contrast to, say, Europe, has a much bigger hang up with nudity, sexuality, and any expression of sex in media .  Violence is accepted and showcased far more than anything related to sex, in my opinion.

So, what am I saying here?  I'm saying that violence sells in this country, and because of that, violence is showcased across all of our media.  Games such as Mortal Kombat, God of War, and Modern Warfare tap into a primal need in many people to see and feel the exhilarating rush that comes from watching violence, and that need is stoked by the fact that violence is glorified in so many ways here.   Why are so many video games about killing other people, or killing aliens, or fighting people?  There is something there, something that humans have a primal urge to see, and possibly experience themselves.  But I have to believe it also is caused by the society and culture we live in.

On the other hand, I grew up with semi-violent videogames, albeit in the Nintendo 8-bit era...where the violence was much more "pixelly" and less realistic.  And I was able to understand that it wasn't real...but nowadays, as the lines blur and graphics like God of War get more disturbing and realistic, will kids be able to understand it?  And video games offer much more than a television show or a film, because in a video game, you are able to actually produce the violent act...to take a life...or to shoot "someone" dead without a real thought as to the consequences.

(thanks to gamesradar.com for the image)