Violent Video Games

Tara asked me tonight if I played violent video games and, of course, I responded with a resounding yes. She was a little bit taken aback, but the fact is, violent video games are great for society. Allow me to expand:

Every week I go to work. I deal with the traveling public, aka the idiot road show, I work within the national airspace system which was designed in the 50's, and one of my coworkers needs an instruction manual on how to use their brain. For all you flight attendants out there, yes, I'm referring to you. So basically for four days my patience is tested to its limits, and I return home frustrated and angry. Ground stop delays, and screaming babies, and yelling passengers, and the flight attendant needs ice, and "you lost my luggage," and I JUST WANT TO SHOOT SOMEBODY!!!! Thankfully for the traveling public, I am able to release my considerable ire on a violent video game instead of them. Very few things are as satisfying as blasting a 3D animated monster with a double-barreled shotgun. Especially when in your mind you're really shooting at the guy in seat 3 B who accused you of lying to him about your maintenance delay, or the chic in 16 C who refuses to get off her cell phone after the door is closed.

I realize there are a lot of people out there who think violent video games contribute to violence in our society. What a load of shit! If it wasn't for the release people like me get from violent video games, there would be a helluva lot more violence going on in the world. People in service industries everywhere would be blasting customers and coworkers alike on a weekly basis. Then again, considering some of the people I'd have shot by now, maybe that's not such a bad idea...