What do you guys think about violence in video games?

[jt the azn]

Some questions to think about:

Is it dangerous to children?
Is it alright in moderation?
Is it alright if the person has logical thinking?
How about if a person commits a murder spree because of violence in video games?
Is violence so powerful in video games that it is addicting?
Is violence in video games being contagious bad?
Is violence wrong?
etc...

Just add your thoughts about this issue.

 

[KontrollerX]

I like how one of my favorite comedians David Cross summed up this issue by asking a question then answering it.

He said in one of his comedy specials...

"What violent videogames did Hitler give the German republic again I can't seem to remember?"

To answer the rest of the post I personally don't think videogames are harmful to children at all even the violent ones other than the addiction aspect but we have to keep certain videogames away from children to stop the special interest groups from crying to the politicians about it so we older people can still have our fun.

As for violence we are all animals and a violent species by nature.

In recent times we've been tamed but instead of satiating our bloodlust by watching murders in the colliseum we watch fake murders in fictional movies and fake violence in professional wrestling.

Its a primal need/release/whatever of ours.

Desensitization can occur from all of this stuff of course and whether thats bad or not whose to say?

This is a pretty awful world so I figure might as well get used to the worst of it while you're young so if you see some awful real sh!t when you're older it doesn't effect you as badly.

 

[Aboleo]

As you think you shall become. Whatever we are reading, watching, or experiencing affects us and manifests into our actions. If we experience too much violence, we cause violence.

I do not feel that children should be role playing sadistic crap, and I think that grown men could come up with better ways to spend their time, as well. Myself, I enjoy hunting (real animals... not digital ones). But thats just me.

 

[oakraiderz2]

Some questions to think about:

Is it dangerous to children?
Is it alright in moderation?
Is it alright if the person has logical thinking?
How about if a person commits a murder spree because of violence in video games?
Is violence so powerful in video games that it is addicting?
Is violence in video games being contagious bad?
Is violence wrong?
etc...

Just add your thoughts about this issue.

I think you should stop taiking issues from your class and asking questions here. Im sure you believe what your teacher tells you, on the count that your 17.

There may be a spurious correlation, but video games themselves dont make kids or people become violent. There are other aspects that contribute to their deviance.

 

[bob88]

I know where to draw the line between reality and the video game worlds, and can tell apart whats right from wrong, and so can my little 9 year old brother.

I dont think it's dangerous at all.

 

[bigjohnson]

Video games can be used to desensitize and as a form of operant conditioning. Just because Hitler didn't have them doesn't mean they don't have an effect.

If you want good info read some experts, Grossman is a good place to start, with "On Killing" (not precisely on topic but a good primer) and "Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill" which is precisely on topic.

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Religious video game could be just as dangerous as violent video games. Because they teach religion and a certain mind set. This assumed mind set, or mentality, is by no means a true God.. For example, Jesus Christ is not a true God.. What happens when people kill in the name of Jesus Christ? Well, crusades, Iraq, Jerusalem.. There is no God in those places.. True God does not kill in the name of God.. Thus Jesus Christ is a totally gay figure and never even existed..

A religious video game is even more dangerous than a violent video game, IMO.



But, I don't think the content of a video game matters as much as the idea of video game. All video games are dangerous.. They make you sit in front of a tube, isolating yourself, getting less healthier, and more mentally damaged..

Super Mario brothers is not a safe video game!


To make video games safe, it is necessary for kids to play them together, instead of by them selfs.. Where did arcades go?

 

[Bonhomme]

I'll go so far as to say playing "violent" video games may reduce one's tendency to commit actual violent acts.

I saw a fascinating program on some educational TV station that showed how many -- perhaps a vast majority -- of ultra-violent criminal types (like those who attack their parents with hammers and such as young kids) have a part of the brain that is severely under-active.

These people were completely rehabilitated by playing a sort of video game that was designed to stimulate and exercise that portion of the brain to a more normal level of function. Completely rehabilitated. Like one dangerously violent teen who became an upstanding straight-A student, with no behavioral problems whatsoever.

Might these games actually exercise the portion of the brain that needs to be sufficiently active in order to control one's tendency toward violence? I think there should be less speculation and more brain scans done to get a better handle on this issue.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Some questions to think about:

Is it dangerous to children?
Is it alright in moderation?
Is it alright if the person has logical thinking?
How about if a person commits a murder spree because of violence in video games?
Is violence so powerful in video games that it is addicting?
Is violence in video games being contagious bad?
Is violence wrong?
etc...

Just add your thoughts about this issue.

It has little to do with the games, they're a catalyst at best. There wouldn't be a problem the kids in question were taught how to better handle life's adversities.

Twenty-five odd years ago there was a game called Caste Wolfenstein which was pretty much the precursor to the first-person shooter genre. The gist was to run around the rooms of a castle, killing Nazis in order to find and assassinate Hitler.

The soldiers said stereotypical "Nazi-speak" and screamed in agony when shot. Everyone who had access to an Apple II computer played it. It was in just about every school computer lab.

The thing is back then kids were able to deal with issues at school which were benign in comparison to how kids act out nowadays. Back then fights existed but it was just fists and the only weapons available were Louisville Sluggers or a nearby tree branch or rock (don't laugh).

Kids today have no internal control and it's not because of video games. The games are just an outlet until the kids snap. If the games weren't available these kids would still be in the state they are in now; without parental influence and frustrated.

 

[Skel]

I see nothing wrong with violence in video games but kids shouldnt be playing them.

 

[DJDamage]

Its just like blaming music or violent movies. Its not one source but a combination of many sources and the biggest source of all is the parents influence on their own kids. Today parents work too much and spend less time with their kids and fail to discpline their kids proparly. Add to the fact that today parents are immature themselves because they decide to raise their kids differently then they were raised and instead treat them like friends, and the kids grow up to being a disrespectful little spawns. A good kid would often have a good family and a good parental influence, a bad kid on the other hand:

http://www.break.com/index/father-rips-into-teenage-kid.html

 

[Nip/Tuck]

I see nothing wrong with violence in video games but kids shouldnt be playing them.

Why not? What difference does age cause? I seen 50 year old adults act more immaturely then some teenagers. Video game doesn't cause violence, just like watching movies and TV don't. The main factor to violence are parents.

 

[Aboleo]

But, I don't think the content of a video game matters as much as the idea of video game. All video games are dangerous.. They make you sit in front of a tube, isolating yourself, getting less healthier, and more mentally damaged..

Thats a good point. It is too bad they don't make very many educational video games. Perhaps they could even make video games to teach a second language, or just improve vocabulary in the english language. It seems like I'm living in a society of high-tech morons sometimes...

But, I live a pretty simple life. I don't watch television, I hardly ever read a newspaper because of all the crap they print in it. If the internet gets too commercial, I'll do away with it as well. I really think people need to start reading more books by authors like Jack London, who once said;

"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time."

Profound, isn't it? Read Henry David Thoreau, who said: "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone." Or F. Scott Fitzgerald who stated: "Action is character."

I don't know about you all, but I shall use my time. Sitting around playing video games just seems to be a colossal waste of time...

 

[bigjohnson]

Games don't desensitize you to violence. The reason you feel guilt for killing a random bad guy is because you know he's not real, and because there isn't a consequence to murdering him.

If you were to kill a guy in the street you'd affect his family and friends and have to deal with the consequences of watching him die, that's the difference.

And you pull this fact from what? Your as$? Or are you in fact an expert with published peer reviewed articles and scientific studies to back it up?

Grossman is ex-special forces and currently serves in the military as a head-shrinker, which, in addition to the degrees he has on his office wall give him some viable credentials. Forgive me if I give his views more credence until you qualify yourself as a bonafide expert.

For what it's worth he doesn't (as I recall) claim video games "make people kill" but he does have some very interesting cautionary facts that people would do well to thoughtfully consider.

.... Thus Jesus Christ ... never even existed..

I can always count on you for a laugh.

.... getting less healthier....

Also less literate and well spoken I suspect. Or should that be "less literater"?

 

[Maxtro]

I have mixed views on violence in video games. What bugs me is what kind of person gets off on cutting peoples heads off and torturing others in a game? I think something inside the person is wrong if they enjoy those types of things. Personally I dislike extreme blood in gore in video games and movies. It's just not something that I want to expose myself to.

Right now what irritates me the most is how violence is more permitted in video games and tv/movies then nudity and sex. I simply can't understand how the female breasts are more harmful to little Tommy then watching somebody get cut in half.

 

[Nip/Tuck]

I actually take back what I said earlier, didn't really think it through. I think video games has it's pros and cons. I think like movies they should have limited exposure depending on the age. Adults are capable to understand the difference between reality and fiction, they also have a better understanding of moral values. Government should do more to enforce age restrictions, I hate how 5-16 year olds think killing people is fun on Counter-strike and Halo.

Pros:

- Releases stress.
- Good social activity between friends.
- All fictional all the killing and violence is FAKE.
- Good simulator for real life situation, like airplane pilots go through training using 3D stuff.

Cons:

- Actually brainwashes some kids. Why do you think the U.S. military uses it for training? They get used to combat and killing. They get brainwashed inot thinking that people are lifeless targets.
- Is very addicting and can actually hurt social life.

 

[bigjohnson]

No, just plain old common sense. Nice to see you can debate in a civilised way.

You are stating your non-expert opinion as fact. That's not debating at all and I find it a little offensive to boot, so I called you on it. I'm citing my sources and providing summaries of the content. Huge difference.

Sorry if it bruises your delicate psyche.

Or are you complaining about my use of foul language? If so then I'm sorry but I should warn you that that's not close to the worst you'll see on this site.

On point, Grossman and other experts who share his views are worth an unbiased look. I used to feel the whole "violent media enables violent behavior" thing was yet another way to dodge personal blame but they actually make some valid points.

Cons:

- Actually brainwashes some kids. Why do you think the U.S. military uses it for training? They get used to combat and killing. They get brainwashed inot thinking that people are lifeless targets.
- Is very addicting and can actually hurt social life.

This is very on point with the research I've read. Basically this "training" enables people to follow through and be more effective with their killing. They are conditioned to continue to follow the ingrained behaviors (go for the head shot, reacquire target, etc) instead of being immediately shocked by the acts they have committed.

Again, my recollection of the experts, you should read it yourself for better info.

 

[Aboleo]

Just to make myself clear, I am totally against government regulations on literature and entertainment, even if it is tasteless garbage. If you start trying to regulate everything, the ultimate outcome will be a UPC barcode on your forehead and a microchip in your ass.

All I'm saying is that people, parents especially, should be more careful what they consume. Rating systems should be enough. We do not need politicians to decide everything for us.
Think-- it's not illegal yet.

 

[bob88]

If kids are playing violent video games, it's ultimately the parents fault anyways.

Parents should look closer into what they're buying for their little kids.
For starters, they should look at the ESBR(or what it is) rating on the box.
If it's a mature title, they shouldn't be buying it for their 10 year olds.

I saw a 10 year old almost cry because his mom wouldn't get him Manhunt 2 for Wii the other week. More parents need to learn to say no.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

.... Government should do more to enforce age restrictions, I hate how 5-16 year olds think killing people is fun on Counter-strike and Halo.

And the parents are accountable for??? I mean, how many 16 year olds can spend $60 on a game? They have to get the money from somewhere and play it on a console someplace.