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[Outcast2004]

I watched this last night and it mostly focused ont he run of school shootings in the mid 90's and mainly those loons from Columbine.

Now as I watched this I found myself loathing these so-called "experts" who linked the games with their violent acts. I sat there and discussed this with my wife as well.

Now I'vebeen playing games since the Artari 2600, so I've seen it all. I've payed Doom, Mortal Komabt and so on and so forth ad nauseum. Did that turn me into a psycho that wanted to muder other students while I was in HS, no. Not all.

Just then Lore Laning came on and voiced the ultimate opinion on this topic. Now I can't remember it verbatim, but it was somthing to the effect of;

Where were the PARENTS during all of this? Why didn't they get involved when these kids were building an ARESENAL?!?

I worked retail for a very short time, so I know how ignorant parents can be to this fairly new media known as video games. And nothing drove me nuts than parents of 7 or 8 year old kids who let them buy and play games like GTA:SA, at least until I asked them if they were sure they wanted their kids to be playing something like that. At that point the happy buying parent usually turned into a scowling parent who almost had the wool pulled over thier ees by their darling child. There's a lot of ignorance and juist not giving a shit that fuels alot of problems.

IMO, and I may be wrong, I feel most of the problems stem from 2 things. Non-involved/ignorant parents and their environment. If a kid is teased and treated like an outcast (no pun intended) thats more of a reason for them to go nuts. No because "doom told them to".

There was one that drove me absolutely bonkers though, there was one kid who went on a rampage. He claimed that "Doom tught me how to aim and fire a gun", BULLSHIT! Scapegoatist prick. The kid was a fuckwad who wanted to shirk blame bacuse he was nuts!

I've fired many guns, I have a Dad who hunts and have had some experience with firearms. There is NO correlation to it, WORLDS apart.

Now I know this sounds a bit scatterbrained, but thats just the way I type when I'm at work. So discuss...

 

[svenuce]

Is this up on the web yet anywhere? I missed tivoing this

 

[DonasaurusRex]

that was a stupid ass special. Most acts of violence emulating games are accidents the kids were just playing. Now if some people think GTA would motivate a normal child to just go off on a murder spree they're retarded. Theres already something wrong, usually its a lack of maturity if you go around emulating a game in real life.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

I watched I think the first 20 minutes of it. Here's what needs to happen... Game developers don't need to argue before senators.... If the senators CARE about the kids... then have a fucking debate with us KIDS!

It stated that the demograph of the gaming industry has shifted (dur) to a 18-35 year old audience anyways. Honestly, the government saying what we can and or cannot play isn't there job. What they SHOULD push for is parental coaching on what is IN videogames.

Tell the names of the games, what's in the game, objectives, how much violence is in them, what the story of the game is.

I know for one when my kid starts playing video games, I'm going to be open and up front. I doubt I'll let him or her play "ultra" violent games like I did growing up... but that's just smart parenting. Small doses until they understand what is real and what isn't real.

Sadly it was said best in some stupid Jetta commerical one time.....

Because in real life.... there is no reset button.... :lol

 

[Outcast2004]

that was a stupid ass special. Most acts of violence emulating games are accidents the kids were just playing. Now if some people think GTA would motivate a normal child to just go off on a murder spree they're retarded. Theres already something wrong, usually its a lack of maturity if you go around emulating a game in real life.

Also the fact of a complete lack of parenting.

Of course in the sue happy US, kids can do no wrong. It's always the "media's" (insert media type here) fault.

I guess I can be proud in the fact that when and if I have chidlren that I'll be an active participant and be aware of what they take in.

 

[FunnyBunny]

Now if some people think GTA would motivate a normal child to just go off on a murder spree they're retarded.

This is the most frequent misconception of modern research on videogames today.

No reputable researchers argue the above quote. Nobody in the scientific field, who is actually conducting research, has stated a child goes out on a killing spree immediately after playing Grand Theft Auto.

What researcher do argue, is that violent media -- television, film, videogames -- has the ability to influence certain attitudes and behavior . Therefore, it is worth studying.

I used to believe violent games had zero impact on the people who play them. But the research is too compelling to stick with that argument.

 

[pj]

I thought it was pretty funny that there were like 4 commercials for liberty city stories during the special

 

[ChennehCis]

I did an essay on this topic, basically my findings were similar to Duke Ferris on Game Revolution:

http://gr.bolt.com/articles/violence/violence.htm

Not only is crime at a low (compared to the 80s and 70s according to Bureau of Justice Statistics: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/gvc.htm#Violence ) but "according to a 2001 U.S. Surgeon General's report, the strongest risk factors for school shootings centered on mental stability and the quality of home life, not media exposure."

http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html

The PBS site makes a interesting point of how the term "links" is used in research findings.

Another excerpt: "In these studies, media images are removed from any narrative context. Subjects are asked to engage with content that they would not normally consume and may not understand. Finally, the laboratory context is radically different from the environments where games would normally be played. Most studies found a correlation, not a causal relationship, which means the research could simply show that aggressive people like aggressive entertainment. That's why the vague term "links" is used here. If there is a consensus emerging around this research, it is that violent video games may be one risk factor - when coupled with other more immediate, real-world influences — which can contribute to anti-social behavior. But no research has found that video games are a primary factor or that violent video game play could turn an otherwise normal person into a killer. "

 

[FunnyBunny]

Most studies found a correlation, not a causal relationship, which means the research could simply show that aggressive people like aggressive entertainment. That's why the vague term "links" is used here. If there is a consensus emerging around this research, it is that violent video games may be one risk factor - when coupled with other more immediate, real-world influences — which can contribute to anti-social behavior. But no research has found that video games are a primary factor or that violent video game play could turn an otherwise normal person into a killer. "

We have a winner.

 

[I3rand0]

Association does not imply causation.

 

[Amused_To_Death]

Some people are just pre-disposed to violence and violent behavior. Did anyone read about our history? In the days before guns, people still killed people, in some most horrific ways. Yet we have politicians think that people will live in harmony if guns are taken off the streets...Same for drugs...I recall kids torturing small animals before anyone knew what a videogame was, I'm sure most of them are probably in jail now. I find it ironic that tens of millions have played videogames and 99.99999% of them are well adjusted, productive members of society.

Could it be that crime rate is declining in recent years because violent people are getting an outlet to their violent tendencies through videogames instead on other people?

 

[Outcast2004]

Could it be that crime rate is declining in recent years because violent people are getting an outlet to their violent tendencies through videogames instead on other people?

SHHHH!!! That makes sense, we can't have that. Liberman's and thompson ninjas will be sent soon to dispose of you an dyour "logic"

 

[bjork]

Sadly it was said best in some stupid Jetta commerical one time.....

Because in real life.... there is no reset button.... :lol

They stole that from Chatterbox.

"Lazlow, life doesn't HAVE a reset button."

No, but this show does!

:dialtone:

I love that button...

 

[FunnyBunny]

Could it be that crime rate is declining in recent years because violent people are getting an outlet to their violent tendencies through videogames instead on other people?

It's called the theory of catharsis. By and large, it's tested false.

 

[Deleted member 1159]

I don't know if I still have it around, but I once argued in my English 2010 research paper that we needed more graphic violence in the media, and painting a pretty picture on life wasn't the way to deal with these issues. I received an A and the paper was used for a model the next semester