Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked

This article is swimming with logical fallacies. The first one I noticed was Myth Number 1: “The availability of video games has led to an epidemic of youth violence.” This is an example of the “strawperson” fallacy. Strawperson is an oversimplified version of another’s viewpoint that can be easily disputed. Although there may be some people who believe this “myth”, I have not read such a harsh and final conclusion in any other article on video games. I believe the actual “myth” is that psychological evidence shows that if people play violent video games in which they are rewarded for aggressive behaviors, then their natural tendency should be to become more violent. The argument I just stated has nothing to do with statistics, only with psychological science.

The wording under Myth 7: “Video Game Play is Socially Isolating” is an example of stacking the deck because the author ignores evidence in favor of the “myth” and flaws in the evidence against the “myth”. One example is the second and third sentences, “Almost 60 percent of frequent gamers play with friends. Thirty-three percent play with siblings and 25 percent play with spouses or parents.” The author fails to mention who defines a “frequent gamer”, and who defines who plays with friends, spouses, or siblings. Perhaps a “frequent gamer” plays with other people about once every two weeks, but then plays on his own for the rest of the time. He can be defined as a “frequent gamer” who plays with his parents or siblings or friends, but it doesn’t make him a “social” gamer.

The disproving of Myth 8: “Video Game Play is Desensitizing” is a perfect example of a false analogy. The author begins by talking about how apes know the difference between play-fighting and real fighting and then uses this as evidence why children can play violent video games and avoid being violent in real life.
I believe the author of this article is so much in favor of video games that he uses Logos Fallacies to twist stories and evidence and persuade the audience that they bring good to those who play them.