like Call of Duty: WWII —

像是「決勝時刻：二戰」

“I need morphine” —

「我需要嗎啡！」

Destiny 2

「天命 2」、

and Battlefield,

「戰地風雲系列」

are among America's most popular entertainment.

都是在美國大受歡迎的電玩遊戲

And politicians have been quick to say

政治人物很快地對此表明立場

that the violence on screen

螢幕暴力可能造成

contributes to violence in real life,

現實暴力

such as mass school shootings.

例如校園槍擊事件

“Congress should fund research into the effects

「國會應投資進行研究

that violent video games have on young minds.”

暴力電玩對青少年的影響。」

“Violent video games have encouraged the killing

「暴力電玩鼓勵

of innocent people for sport.”

隨意輕浮地濫殺無辜。」

“I'm hearing more and more people say

「我聽到越來越多人說

the level of violence on video games

暴力電玩

is really shaping young people's thoughts.”

形塑了青少年的思想。」

There's just one problem with that.

只是有個問題

Back in the 1990s, people were worried

回顧 1990 年代，人們擔憂

about games like Duke Nukem, Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil.

毀滅公爵、真人快打、惡靈古堡等電玩

Over the years, these games have become

幾年過後，這些電玩變得

more lifelike, with better graphics,

更逼真，更高畫質

more detail and more violence.

更精細、也更加暴力的電玩

And some of the gunmen who have terrorized schools

眾所周知，有些校園恐嚇事件的兇手

have been known to play these kind of games.

都玩過這類電玩

The Columbine shooters played the then-controversial game Doom,

哥倫比亞校園槍擊案的兇手玩毀滅公爵

even building their own customized levels.

甚至設置了專屬的層級規模

The Virginia Tech gunman played similar video games.

維吉尼亞理工學院槍擊案的兇手也玩相似的電玩

And the neighbor of Nikolas Cruz,

尼古拉斯·克魯茲 (佛州校園槍擊案兇手) 的鄰居

the accused Parkland shooting suspect,

也是該槍擊案的嫌疑人

told The Miami Herald that Cruz may have played

告訴「邁阿密先驅報」，克魯茲可能

violent video games for up to 15 hours a day.

一天玩暴力電玩的時間長達 15 小時以上

While some studies may have found correlations

有些研究發現

between playing violent video games and violent behavior,

暴力電玩和暴力行為之間的關聯性

they have not been proven to cause actual crime.

但尚未證實會直接導致犯罪行為

Some studies even suggest the opposite.

有些研究反向建議

“We find no evidence of an increase in crime

「我們找不到暴力電玩增加犯罪的證據，

associated with video games and perhaps a decrease.”

同時也沒有證據能支持減少犯罪。」

“Unexpectedly,

「意料之外的

many of the results were suggestive

許多研究結果顯示

of a decrease in violent crime in response to violent video games.

暴力電玩會減少暴力犯罪的發生。」

Some psychiatrists warn of the dangers

一些精神病理學家

of focusing solely on video games.

對只探討暴力電玩提出警告

“To look at violent video games,

聚焦在暴力電玩

in my opinion, is a red herring.

依我看來，是擾亂視聽、轉移焦點

It's not going to lead to anything helpful in regards to gun violence.”

對遏止槍擊事件毫無幫助

The argument has even been rejected by the Supreme Court.

這項提案被最高法院拒絕

In 2011, it ruled that California cannot ban the sale

2011，明定加州不得禁止

of violent video games to children

販賣暴力電玩給孩童的法令

on the grounds that they cause real world violence.

因為法令中提到「電玩導致暴力事件」

But the narrative has an appeal.

但是最高法院也同時呼籲

It's a simple explanation in a debate

現況可能

that has become increasingly caustic.

更加惡化