Abstract: Because of certain Christmas gifts, your days may be numbered.

As we step, somewhat gingerly, into the new year, we must be aware that our streets have become just that bit more dangerous. Imprinted on our backs will be targets, and all we have to do as we go about our business is wait for the sound of a shot. And whom do we have to thank? Supposedly caring, loving parents.

When I was a crewmember aboard the Starship Enterprise, I very rarely had my phaser on stun; the reason being that most of the aliens I faced wouldn't have shown me any mercy, so it seemed logical, Captain, that they would expect none in return.

Similarly, as sheriff, my duties included chasing no-good varmint out of town, and if they were gun-slinging cattle rustlers, sometimes it was necessary to draw my trusty Colt .45.

Whatever my challenge though, I was always reluctant to squeeze the trigger. It meant I often lost a quick draw showdown outside the saloon, but then I always looked into the eyes of the cute girl who lived next door as I drew my last breath.

Playing games is an important part of growing up. It encourages creativity and role playing - the capacity to step outside our physical boundaries and generate scenarios. It is a critical part of preparing us for the challenges of the real world. Granted, we may not grow up to be cowboys, but in the process of interacting with other players in imaginary storylines we are faced with real life inter-personal choices: do we give the other person the benefit of the doubt, do we play fair, do we cheat - even a little bit - what is the scope of the game, how do we weigh up options, what determines a 'win', how do we lose, how dramatic is the ending, and at what stage to we call it a day?

This is important because we are social beings, and in order to develop relationships we need to learn to give and take. Playing games with others teaches children this important skill because they learn that a game has consequences for all players, that people are unpredictable and have emotions that need to be considered, and that they often act irrationally. Children therefore have to become sensitive to the myriad verbal and non-verbal communication cues that others produce under different circumstances. After all, if you don't play fair you'll soon be playing on your own.

Does it therefore not seem rational to question how playing games on a computer or a game console can develop the same interpersonal skills? They may fine-tune reaction times, but how prepared for the intricacies of human interpersonal relationships is a child whose exposure to feedback is via a simulated graphic interface of a sequence of 1s and 0s?

But there's a more serious issue than the lack of human contact in such games. A survey of electronic games bought over the 2011 festive season has shown that of the 10 most popular, six were 'first-person shooter' games or were centred on the player performing acts of extreme violence. These included Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Gears of War 3.

Of course, it's easy to blame the makers of the games for creating visually realistic scenes of violence and bloodshed for young people to interact with; but they're just catering to a demand. Note that many of the games listed above are simply the latest instalments of clearly popular lines of games.

No, the real people we need to scrutinise, and who should be the cause for concern, are those who have fuelled the demand. In many cases these are parents who have either bought the games or have never questioned why a game keeps their child indoors, wired to a screen, locked in a wide-eyed screaming frenzy, celebrating the widespread massacre of those before them; when they should be outside and developing the complexity of relationships with real people.

For each such electronic game that passes through the tills there is someone thinking, "I don't see anything wrong with developing a taste for violence and savouring the sensation of killing someone".

If that person is considering buying a child the latest edition of the controversial Grand Theft Auto series due later this year, then they'll be training that child in the discipline of pulling someone from their car, blowing their face away with a powerful firearm, then jumping into the victim's car and racing through the city streets at 200km/h with the police in hot pursuit. It's a scenario that far too many South Africans have nightmares about.

Later this year the Dangerous Weapons Bill will be passed into law and then realistic-looking toy guns may no longer find their way into the hands of children. Some may say that's a pity, because although the bill is aimed at preventing individuals using replica guns to commit crime, it means those same toy guns will not play a part in the type of games and role-playing I enjoyed as a child. Given the current climate of violence and fear in the country, like many parents, I think it's a good thing.

However, although playing cops and robbers may one day fall into the realms of history, our future will remain precarious - and dangerous - if parents continue to use electronic games to develop a culture of violence in their children.

Originally published in The Sunday Tribune, 1st January 2012 http://www.darylilbury.com