President Trump’s meeting with video game executives and their critics after the latest school shooting is yet another example of complete blindness when it comes to understanding the root causes of violence in the United States. Violent video games have become a predictable scapegoat for politicians and other critics to place blame in the immediate aftermath of mass shootings committed by young people. As early as 1976 and barely two years after Pong’s first rally, the video game industry has been accused of influencing aggression and violent behavior in children and teens. Video games have exploded into the mainstream, from geeky hobby into cultural norm. The United States ranks as the second largest consumer of games in the world. A 2008 report by the Pew Research Center found that over half of American adults played video games, and a whopping 98% of teens did as well, fueling speculation about their negative impact on society. However, a more recent report in 2015 found ...