Recreational violence?

[Whisperlily]

Do you feel that the rise in "recreational violence" is tied to the shift away from our reliance on the natural predatory instinct for survival?

 

Perhaps it's because I now live in a military community, or that I have two boys on the path to manhood that I've been thinking about these things lately. Hunting, fishing, tracking animals for food were necessities until relatively recent years. The sportsmanship aspect of hunting and fishing is declining, as well as the popularity of strategic non-violent board games such as chess, etc. I tend to think that these things have been largely replaced in the current generation by the video games, and other not-so-preferable forms of "recreational violence."

 

The problem with the simulated versions, is that there is a definite lack of moral training to go along with the "skills" they are utilizing in the virtual world. If a father is teaching his son to hunt, there is definite guidance in safety and technique. He will be supervised and trained long before be his "let loose" with a weapon.

 

In our home, for the record, we do allow video games. Even I enjoy video games, and I don't think there's anything inherently bad about virtual gaming as a whole. (I really want a Wii ;) ) There are, however, certain games that are absolutely off limits for the children at this point in their lives, and I watch ratings closely.

 

I'd like to discuss your thoughts and opinions on this, your opinion on where it's headed, as well as ideas you have for healthy outlets for boys and men in this area.

[Peek a Boo]

I do believe that ANY activity --violent or not-- that lacks character training will have a negative societal impact.

 

My boys all do TKD, but there is a HUGE emphasis on character and discipline. even w/ hunting --there are always a few hunter dads that Just. Don't. Get. It. and "train" kids wrong. that happens in every area of life.

 

i'm sure there's a predatory component: the thrill of the hunt. the capture of the king. the scoring of Another point. but I think that tends to be human nature, not just guys, lol.

 

And I think even video games can be used to teach character --if we USE them and not just whine about them. even the Bible can be twisted in the wrong hands.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Do you feel that the rise in "recreational violence" is tied to the shift away from our reliance on the natural predatory instinct for survival?

 

This is not the first time in the history of the world that societies have experienced a rise in recreational violence.

 

I think a small part of it is the absence of the need to focus on survival. Not just absence of need, but the satiation of the senses which leads to the desire to find greater thrills.

 

Even more than that, I think it is a decline of the value of "virtue" and virtuous behavior in a society.

[Whisperlily]

This is not the first time in the history of the world that societies have experienced a rise in recreational violence.

 

I think a small part of it is the absence of the need to focus on survival. Not just absence of need, but the satiation of the senses which leads to the desire to find greater thrills.

 

Even more than that, I think it is a decline of the value of "virtue" and virtuous behavior in a society.

 

This is exactly my point. Is there a possible way to channel these needs into healthy alternative? What options do we have to help combat the "slide" we're seeing due to the absence of the focus on survival? What can we do to help in a larger sense?

[abbeyej]

This is not the first time in the history of the world that societies have experienced a rise in recreational violence.

 

Yes, this is very true. (Shudder) Maybe the forms of our "recreational violence" are different than they were in the past, but the concept is hardly new or even necessarily "on the rise".

[Mama Lynx]

DH and I think it is a combination of that, and of the lack of frontiers (frontiers also tend to focus people on survival). DH's solution is to talk our kids into colonizing Mars ;-) I'm winking, but we're really kind of serious.

 

Along with the lack of the necessity of survival skills, and the lack of a frontier, we are also taking away useful work from our young adults and treating them like kids. I think that plays into the situation, too.

 

What can we do in a larger sense? I don't know. In a small sense, I try to guide my boys into activities, like camping, that lead them to practice survival skills, and as they become teens I will look for opportunities for them to have real work. Perhaps that's what we can do in a larger sense - give teens more real responsibility.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

In other words don't give them everything they want. Don't give them half of what they want. Do help them to form worthy goals and give them opportunities to work hard to accomplish them. Any kind of work that is challenging and satifying is a good substitute or prentative of recreational violence. However, it must be accompanied by some kind of ethical teaching, because there are other ways to hurt people besides physical violence.

[Tutor]

Hunting, fishing, tracking animals for food were necessities until relatively recent years. The sportsmanship aspect of hunting and fishing is declining, as well as the popularity of strategic non-violent board games such as chess, etc...

 

I'd like to discuss your thoughts and opinions on this, your opinion on where it's headed, as well as ideas you have for healthy outlets for boys and men in this area.

 

We are teaching our boys and girls (after teaching ourselves) basic survival skills like target shooting (archery, slingshot, and ultimately riflery, but we're not sure on that yet) and fishing. If we catch something, we will use as much of it as is usable. (Right now we are just using targets.) This teaches them respect for nature and God's provision. These skills can always be useful. Just because our society isn't dependent on those skills for survival now, doesn't mean they won't be. It is always helpful to know those things in case of emergency, as well.

 

We also teach them skills from games like chess. The thought processes learned in these types of games have applications in many areas... plus it's just fun.