Blaming Video Games for the VT Massacre...

[hergieburbur]

TwitchGuru's thoughts...

Jack Thompson's at it again...

Blaming video games for violence, especially in this instance, is such utter crap its ridiculous. Whenever something of this nature occurs, our culture always looks for an outside influence to blame. The blame and responsibility belong solely with the shooter in this case. Period.

As the video said, Millions play video games, and Millions more watch violent TV world wide. If there was merit to these claims, we would be seeing a lot more of these instances. Further, Video Games are played world-wide, while incidents of this nature seem to be isolated to the United States for the most part. A last thought is that Violent Video games could also be seen as a stress reliever and outlet for our darker aggressions and actually reduce the likely hood of something like this happening.

Blaming video games makes as much sense as blaming all South Koreans.

 

[infornography42]

Since violent video games have come on the market, violent crimes have DECREASED in this country.

It is funny how that statistic is never addressed by these idiots. In fact the year that Doom 3D was released marked the beginning of a steady decline in violent crimes.

But since when has logic and reason EVER gotten in the way of sensationalism?

 

[robwright]

Hey, it's like I said in the video: if playing violent games filled people with violent urges and trained them to kill, then THG would be one heck of a dangerous place because we sure do play a lot of violent games.

F Fox News for writing that Cho was possessed by Satan (true story).

F Jack Thompson for grandstanding and spreading misinformation during a tragedy.

F Dr. Phil for being Dr. Phil.

And F everyone else who uses this incident to further their anti-gaming propoganda.

That is all on this subject...for now.

 

[hergieburbur]

I have to agree with everything you said, but then, I already hate all three and don't think there is a shred of credibility between the three of them.

 

[dsharp9000]

there are games --- and then real games --- the war in iraq is real --- and somewhat of a political game --- if only all games such as this were only in the computer.

Just saying --- our government makes real war with real weapons and somewhat needlessly from my point of view ---- there was no reason to go into iraq --- there were no weapons of mass destruction --- so why went in --- i guess politician wanted to play a political game --- these are the games that really hurt people --- not computer games.

 

[ben_the_man]

Anyone who is distorted and unstable enough to kill because of exposure to videogame violence is already a threat to society. There is no way video games are causative.

There are problems with the world and our society, like economic disparity and the collapse of the family unit etc that are far more devastating to impressionable minds, and should be the focus of political power.

Why has everyone become so coddled and pathetic. There are real wars, and real suffering our there. For thousands of years, violence was and continues to be our species' way of life. Recreational violence in videogames is not harmful to anyone old enough to distinguish reality from fiction.

 

[stemnin]

The guy was unstable, people tried to help, but he refused. He belonged in a mental instituion.

I play shooters all the time, and I think twice sometimes when i'm about to kill a mosquito! (west nile ain't big here, although they spray anti-mosquito stuff all over, we got a somewhat docile species that is less prone to spread it, and doesn't like human blood so much).

PS Guns freak me out, seriously, get a BOW, try bow hunting. Glad we don't have a 2nd amendment or whatever!

i guess politician wanted to play a political game --- these are the games that really hurt people --- not computer games.

QFT!

 

[sirkillalot]

Right on

If Violent Video games where the cause of deaths like this, there would be a lot more of my neighbors past away.
especially by rpg or crow bar, but i can keep calm......
what are you looking at punk. 8O

 

[tmeacham]

<pours gas>

It can't be a forum without dissent so I will play the devil's advocate here even though I agree that there is NO CAUSALITY between violent video games and violent acts.

Violent video games are a fairly recent phenomenon (at least those with the technology to portray violence in a realistic manner and allow the player morale choices), so there is no data either way on the long-term effects of children playing violent video games. We'll know more in 10 - 20 years.

Also, there is data on chemical changes that happen in the brain after playing video games, so there is some kind of physical effect, but what is not known is if that effect is positive or negative. For all we know, we could be excercising the Corpus Callosum of our brain and improving our balance.

In 1000 years, you can thank video games for humans having supernatural hand-eye coordination.

<lights match>

Go!

 

[hergieburbur]

Along those lines, there have been many studies that recommend that surgeons play video games, as it DOES improve hand eye coordination, and help them to be better surgeons.

One thing that is known for sure: Video Games do NOT rot your brain (see Ma!)

 

[yas]

F Dr. Phil for being Dr. Phil.

amen to that :twisted:

 

[VBDude]

:|

Travis...you need to work on that role a bit longer. Sitting on a fence is hardly controversial...

@Hergie: There was a good interview with Jack Thompson on MSNBC. Did you see that one? I was having lunch with my dad at the time and as soon as it started my dad was agreeing with Jack. (*sigh*) Then Mr. Thompson was schooled by the interviewer.

Why don't you smell what you've been shoveling. [/Die Hard]

Good to see media figures outside of game sites that get it.

I play shooters all the time, and I think twice sometimes when i'm about to kill a mosquito!

:lol:

It's funny because it's true. [/The Simpsons]

 

[hergieburbur]

I've just seen snippets of the interview, I don't think I could stand to sit though the whole thing. As I said before, its a shame that Limbaugh had to be the voice of reason out of that group, even if it was in the context of furthering his political agenda. Personally I think people are overreacting to certain aspects that are not directly related to the killings and blowing them out of proportion. Namely:

Video games do not, have not, and likely will not, cause violence. Yes they stimulate the brain, so does sex. "Normal" properly adjusted and TAUGHT people do not go perform violence because they played it in a game or saw it on TV. Period. This blame game is nothing but a negative result of our society's refusal to take responsibility for anything, and our desire to assign an external cause to everything in life.

Stricter gun control laws are not the solution and would ultimately make the solution worse. I grew up in what is pretty much a ghetto (as ghetto as small city America can be), and I can speak from experience that 90% or more of gun crimes are not committed with legal weapons anyway. In HS, I could have easily bought a 9mm any time I wanted, and occasionally a MAC-10 or other fully automatic weapon. How much will stricter laws prevent that? A lot of the people I knew growing up owned guns, I am the only one I am aware of that did so legally. Tightening gun laws (like much other restrictive legislation) only hurts those that hunt, target shoot for fun, or wish to defend themselves (all of which describe me), and makes the streets more dangerous.

All this coming from a Democrat (this is probably the only time you will see me announce or discuss my political affiliation/views on these boards, enjoy it while it lasts).

 

[tmeacham]

:| Travis...you need to work on that role a bit longer. Sitting on a fence is hardly controversial...

Haha, yeah. I was about halfway through the post when I realized that I wasn't advocating much at all. It's hard to take the side of something that you don't completely believe in.

Society needs it's scapegoats so we don't blame ourselves for creating monsters. Videogames are just the latest in a long line of fall guys (rock music, D&D, etc.) Luckily, I don't think anyone takes Jack Thompson seriously anymore. I imagine him getting letters from the anti-game lobbyists that say, "Dude, seriously...stay off our side."

 

[hergieburbur]

Or maybe the game companies pay him now to open his big mouth and make the anti-gaming lobby look ridiculous... :twisted:

 

[erik_tilton]

Hello everybody. I'm a gamer who enjoys his Halo, Warcraft III, and some UT2004. I find these games great because they aren't about crime or street violence. They are more like party games.

I cannot see the benefit of games like Grand Theft Auto and others where you have the chance to kill innocent people, and "enjoy" the thrill of avoiding police.

I believe that the gang-violence games, in an indirect way, teach younger people and those who have not yet reached maturity that violence is a part of our culture and that taking part in it is natural.

Games should be almost like any other recreational activity, stimulating the brain and reflexes, not simulating or falsely simulating criminal activities.

Killing in real life is a criminal act. But on another world, in an alternate dimension, things are more fantasy rather than reality so it is safer in my opinion. Games like Halo take place on a world we will never visit, and the game is about killing aliens or other players shrouded by colored suits.

I haven't read all the posts in this topic but I just wanted to add my opinion to the mix which is probably biased, for video-game violence and video-game criminal activity.

 

[infornography42]

Games like GTA have no business being played by younger gamers. If someone younger than 15 or 16 years old were playing then I would object, but by the time they are 16 years old or older, they should have a pretty firm grasp of fantasy vs reality.

I just wish there were some way that the games industry could convey this age based recommendation to parents and guardians... perhaps some sort of ratings board that provides guidelines on these sorts of things.... If only there were such a thing *cough* esrb *cough*

GTA games are rated M... and I agree wholeheartedly with this rating. The same thing that prevents kids from hanging around with troublemakers and doing incredibly stupid things is supposed to pay attention to this and use the information responsibly, Their parents!

If parents can be trusted to handle these things with movies and such, then the same goes for video games. If the government feels the need to legislate rules for parenting then they need to make it apply to all industries, not just the gaming industry. Thats my $.02

 

[MonocleCat]

http://www.game-revolution.com/static/index.php?section=feature&sub=violence&page=violence

8O interesting


I actually did a presentation on this topic for a public speaking class i had to take last year... Needless to say, my favorite part was the inane Q&A bit at the end. "So, if violent video games don't cause violence, why are they always in the news?" ....... I guess my section on media sensationalism was over that one's head... :?

 

[infornography42]

Yep, I actually researched those statistics myself about a year ago. There is a strong negative correlation between video game violence and real world violence across the population as a whole.

Somehow that does nothing to defuse the idiots who believe video games are making kids violent.

I always wonder how they can be so positive about something so obviously wrong.

Eh.

 

[hergieburbur]

Yep, I actually researched those statistics myself about a year ago. There is a strong negative correlation between video game violence and real world violence across the population as a whole.

Somehow that does nothing to defuse the idiots who believe video games are making kids violent.

I always wonder how they can be so positive about something so obviously wrong.

Eh.

Because it gets them attention and funds more idiotic studies that show the same thing....

 

[infornography42]

I'm not just talking about the media or the researchers. I mean people I have had discussions with both online and off that discard all facts provided and continually state that "researchers have found this and that" without providing specific studies.

It's just frustrating.

 

[hergieburbur]

Understandable

 

[MonocleCat]

I'm not just talking about the media or the researchers. I mean people I have had discussions with both online and off that discard all facts provided and continually state that "researchers have found this and that" without providing specific studies.

It's just frustrating.

Same reason I don't discuss religion or politics with strangers.

 

[hergieburbur]

Same reason I don't discuss religion or politics with strangers.

But then who do you argue with? :twisted:

 

[infornography42]

I enjoy discussing religion and politics... particularly with strangers.

I guess the real difference here is I know WHY they are refusing to listen to facts and are steadfast in their beliefs. I can honestly respect that at least in the case of religion.

This has nothing to do with your immortal soul however, this is friggin video games.

*shrug*