NUSAFM: Teaching the difference between military reality and fiction

The Influence of the Military on Online Gaming: Navigating Misconceptions, Mental Impact, and Ethical Boundaries

A viewpoint

You might wonder how the heading connects to an organization like ours. In my view, it serves as the foundation of our mission. Military institutions that are created to honor veterans, combat missions, and military history, aim to pay tribute to those who fought for our freedoms. Yet, the most vital element to uphold is our dedication to truth. In today’s world, experiences are often fictionalized, concepts sanitized, and visuals tailored to meet our preferences. We see what we want to see, and this challenges the integrity of our moral compass.

This week's blog will dive into how the military's presence in online gaming impacts players, the misconceptions it may foster, and the importance of ethical boundaries to ensure respect for real-world service and sacrifice.

As an organization, it is important for us to stay involved in situations where we can truly make an impact. My aim is to make sure we fulfill our duty to educate young people about the realities of military missions while always showing respect to those we honor.

 How did we get here?

Over the past two decades, military-themed games like Call of Duty and Battlefield have gained massive popularity, attracting millions of dedicated players worldwide. These games captivate not only younger audiences but also adults, thanks to their stunning advancements in graphics and realistic geographical settings. The relationship between the military and online gaming is intricate. Developers aim to create immersive experiences that shape how gamers perceive warfare, while also impacting their mental well-being and understanding of the moral complexities of combat.

How the Military Shapes Online Gaming

The proverbial saying “toe the line” takes on new meaning when you consider the noteworthy influence of the military on online gaming. To make game development realistic and inspired by real-world military tactics, equipment, and history, developers often collaborate with veterans and armed forces personnel for authenticity. This relationship is mutual, as some militaries have used gaming platforms for training simulations and other purposes. In such a mutually beneficial dynamic, it becomes a challenge to ensure the knowledge gained is used responsibly. This raises ongoing debates that show no signs of ending.

 Misconceptions About Military Missions

One of the four pillars of our organization's mission is Education. It is our responsibility to convey that, despite advances in realism, online games often misrepresent the reality of military missions. We must highlight that the focus on action, drama, and personal heroics overshadows the complex, slow, and often ambiguous nature of real operations, as these are simply elements of entertainment.

Misconceptions are common, but through indirect lessons on military history, we can emphasize that true heroism often involves the ultimate sacrifice. It is crucial to instill in young minds an understanding of the emotional toll that comes with such sacrifices.

Education should always incorporate elements that explain real-world realities and should include explaining that:

*games often depict missions as straightforward clashes between good and evil, while real-world conflicts are usually politically and morally complex.

*Violence in games frequently results in injury, trauma, or death, but these consequences are often downplayed, which can undermine the gravity of armed conflict.

*In games, goals are achieved swiftly and heroically, whereas real missions demand patience, teamwork, and often yield no definitive victory.

Mental Influence on Gamers

We often hear that players resort to their ‘gaming world’ to destress. Games tap into the phycological mechanisms that define our human factors. Instant gratification, high rankings, winning missions and a sense of achievement, all release dopamine in the brain. This is the ‘mission of the game’. It is a real awaking to realize how fantasy can program our meditative behavior. This state of immersion is complex. Playing military-themed games can have various effects on a gamer’s mental state. For many, these games provide excitement, challenges, and opportunities for social connection.

However, there are potential negative impacts, and at NUSAFM, through educating the youth in military history, we will always strive to reiterate that;

· virtual violence should never reduce sensitivity to real-world suffering or make combat seem less serious,

· whilst there are younger or more impressionable players, we need to guide them to distinguish between the game’s fictional world and the complexities of real combat,

Respecting the Realities of Combat: Moral and Ethical Boundaries

As an organization, we cannot change or direct the use of combat simulation gaming, but we can highlight through our exhibits the importance of our connections with communities and the preservation of military history. While gaming provides a safe space to explore conflict, clear ethical boundaries must be maintained to respect the realities faced by military personnel and civilians. We will always advocate for this approach, and that;

· games should never celebrate war crimes or inhumane acts,

· stories and missions should acknowledge the real costs of warfare and avoid trivializing loss, trauma, or suffering - we need to tell those stories as to not lose them,

· no real-world tragedies or ongoing conflicts are entertainment. We should remain sensitive to those affected-it is our duty to share the encounters of the brave,

· games can foster empathy and understanding by showcasing the complexities of conflict, rather than presenting simplistic, one-sided narratives-but we are not in control of the development, so we should educate.

Conclusion

We will never change the narrative on gaming or alter its course. As an organization dedicated to preserving the military history of the brave and educating youth with facts and truth, we can contribute by addressing the misconceptions games may create, understanding their mental impact on players, and upholding ethical standards. This ensures that the line between entertainment and respect for real-world military service stays clear, allowing space for both to coexist.

The NUSAFM is an organization made up of upstanding men and woman, some have fought, some have served and some have experienced much. We will always, as our mission, educate where we can, the value of military history. It is after all, the foundation our nation is built on.

Blog by: Natasha Rheeders