Are we being trained for War?

After hearing Stahl’s Thesis on War themed video games, I put the reading down rather scared of the future of the United States. I never once stopped and thought that I might be being trained to fight in a virtual war.  I have played many war-based video games in my time but I never thought that I am being trained to be a solider. However, after thinking about it I can see how it can be true. As soon as the war began, more war based video games started hitting the shelves.   

The Call of Duty series as well as the Battlefield series have both been very popular and have been complimented on their realism. I have thought to myself how cool I thought the games were just on the basis of realism during gameplay and it really did make me feel like a solider in the war and made me feel like I was somehow doing something. The games do give you a sense of patriotism and a sense of belonging to the cause of fighting in the war or against terrorists. In turn I never really thought bad about the war, I thought we were doing what needed to be done to protect the United States and the citizens that reside in it. In many aspects I was a “virtual citizen solider” in the war and I was buying into it hook, line and sinker. I have since come to my senses and formed my own opinions but sadly I know this will not stop me from buying these games just be cause I enjoy them so much.  I am still a virtual citizen solider.