A psychologist connects violence and video games. The trigger is the battle royale game Fortnite, which is said to be one of the games where killing people is at the forefront. One psychologist believes that such players desensitize the youth to violence.
On the US website Psychology Today, psychologist Dr. Leonard Sax warns of the “Fortnite epidemic.” Parents should have the courage to forbid their children from playing the game. According to the psychologist, Fortnite aims to kill people and is therefore not suitable for individuals under 18.
In addition, children need to learn self-control if they want to be successful later in life. It is the parents’ job to teach this to their children.
Psychologist warns against Fortnite, proposes “good games”
What does Sax have against Fortnite? Children should learn social skills face-to-face, be physically active, and get enough sleep. According to Sax, a child obsessed with Fortnite would do none of these things.
Moreover, Fortnite is one of the games where killing people is at the forefront. Allegedly, such games desensitize youth to violence.
What does the psychologist advise? Parents should set limits for their children and in the case of Fortnite, say that it is not an appropriate game.
Sax does not mean to say that parents should completely ban video games, but they should teach their children self-restraint and set guidelines that the children should adhere to while playing video games:
- No more than 40 minutes of video games per day on school days
- No more than one hour per day on weekends
- Game time does not accumulate: If the child does not play for three weeks, it should not mean they can spend seven hours on a Saturday playing video games. That is binge gaming and harmful
- Additionally, children should be allowed to play video games only after all their homework and chores are done
Dr. Sax also advises that children should not play games where the main goal involves killing people. In addition to Fortnite, this includes Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto. However, games like NBA Live, Wii Bowling, Madden NFL Football, or Candy Crush are perfectly fine.
Self-control important for future life
Self-control as the highest value of education: Many parents give in to their children’s urging to play Fortnite to make them happy. According to Sax, this is the wrong approach. One must do better.
According to Sax, parents should awaken a yearning for something better and more permanent in their children, rather than “video games or Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner on Instagram.” Parents should also not worry about their child’s popularity among peers. According to the psychologist, popularity among teenagers is a significant risk factor for future life.
Studies have shown that “self-control” is immensely important for children and their later careers. It is more important than a high IQ, good grades, or many friends. Those who learn self-control as children will have the best chances of being wealthy, healthy, and happy 20 years later.
While it has become unpopular to say such things today, this taboo is a reason that fear and depression among American teenagers are on the rise. Sax refers to his own book “Boys Adrift: the five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men.”
If the child strongly believes they need simulated combat in their life, then Sax suggests taking them to paintball one afternoon.
Who is this psychologist? Dr. Leonard Sax is a family therapist in Pennsylvania and an author. With books on the topic of “parenting,” he has made it to the New York Times bestseller list.
Fortnite is a topic that many parents are dealing with due to the low age rating by the USK and its high popularity among children and adolescents:
