The Desert Colossus

I just got the August Issue of Electronic Videogaming Monthly the other day, and they had an article about someone writing some research report about how video games led to violence.  I think they also blamed the Virginia Tech Shooting on video games -yes, highly absurd, I know-  >:(.  I think Jack Thompson was in on this too.

It was a highly exaggerated, overindulged topic that the writer and its supporters made a big fuss over and the final conclusion was the most obvious thing ever.Well I don't remember all the details at the moment so when I get back home (only 2 more days of summer school, heck yes!!!) I'll post some quotes and stuff.

So what do you guys think about it?

Pesonally, no. I have never felt that video games have made me violent. However, I'm not saying it can't happen.

That says "Jack Thompson" all over it. Investigators stated, I think, that the shooter at Virginia Tech didn't play video games, but as many of us know, Thompson was on the news to push his own agenda to blame video games.

I, too, think it's completely absurd. Say, did that article mention anything at all about violent movies being in the picture too? Because really, if you blame video games, you need to blame movies also.

Screw that research, it is actually PROVEN that a killer/shooter is twice as likely to be addicted to violent movies or books then video games, so Jack Thompson should instead be trying to get rid of movies or books instead.

Oh, and Commodore, if you have a pic that basically mean "OWN!!!" then please PM it to me.

Only 40 min left or so before I can go home and check... but I think they also mentioned movies.
Well my dad totally agrees that video games can mess you up... he actually thinks that I'm messed up because I'm into Zelda and all that. He also thinks I've grown more violent. He has no proof of that but he keeps insisting it's true. I don't see how a 4.0 for the last 3 years of my life is messed up... my dad seriously has issues.

..........I am a big supporter of the first ammendment.  Yes, I believe that there are no bounds to the freedom it gives.  The right to free speech is one that is tried constantly.  

Video games do not make people violent.  It depends on the mindset of the person playing.  If an ignorant 23 year old plays a game such as Grand Theft Auto for example, and thinks that it is real, then obviously it would be bad.  But what if a 10 year old were to play the same game, yet know the difference between right and wrong, and know for a fact, that this game is wrong.  Then who's to say who shouldn't play some games?

You know, when someone does something bad and he plays videogames, it's "always related". But if I would save an old lady from some punks (just an example), would any paper mention I play videogames, and a lot of them too?

If videogames caused violence, the world would be a lot more violent. Everybody plays videogames once in a while. everyone, except the Verginia Tech shooter. They searched specifically for games in his room and found NOTHING! Didn't stop Thompson and Dr. Phill of blaming games. It's that kind of nonsense that makes people think games are bad.

Games do not cause violent behaviour. At least, not without being combined with low social contact, ego problems (both ways), bad home situation etc.

And this is one of the many reasons the world is bad, people refuse to admit that something they hate is good and will blame it for anything. Your dad is an example, Rinku. Well, parents worry about their children, mabye he just overdoes it.

Quote from: Rinku on July 06, 2007, 11:32:37 AM
I just got the August Issue of Electronic Videogaming Monthly the other day, and they had an article about someone writing some research report about how video games led to violence.  I think they also blamed the Virginia Tech Shooting on video games -yes, highly absurd, I know-  >:(.  I think Jack Thompson was in on this too.

It was a highly exaggerated, overindulged topic that the writer and its supporters made a big fuss over and the final conclusion was the most obvious thing ever.Well I don't remember all the details at the moment so when I get back home (only 2 more days of summer school, heck yes!!!) I'll post some quotes and stuff.

So what do you guys think about it?

What do I think about it? I think it's absurd!! Zelda? Hell no!! The only kind of violent games are the ones rated M!! Gawsh, how stupid can people get?

Quote from: LadyNintendo on July 06, 2007, 12:01:32 PM
You know, when someone does something bad and he plays videogames, it's "always related". But if I would save an old lady from some punks (just an example), would any paper mention I play videogames, and a lot of them too?

AMEN!!!

Really, it's messed up people that cause shootings like that and that play video games that gives us gamers bad names. Really, people that cause shootings like that are a minority, but people are acting like video games are going to make them into a majority!

Sure, I play violent video games. Zelda, for one; Ratchet and Clank, too; there's also Kingdom Hearts; I like playing Halo, even though I'm not good at it; and I'd like to play Resistance someday, too. Yeah, as if I'm going to shoot every person I see because I like games like that. ::)

Talking about the effect other media has on you: I cannot give the full details, because I just couldn't bear to read about it in today's paper. Just thinking about it....

Yesterday, a young man was tortured to death back here in the Netherlands. For as far as I know, the killers wanted to imitate a movie they saw. Hostel 2, I think. Makes you wonder why movies are never questioned, altough I'd love to know what kind of people the killers were to begin with.

Because if movies were cut, all generations would suffer.  If games were cut, mostly our generation would suffer.  

It's a judgement based on keeping what's good to them.

And that is what makes all video game revolutinaries like Jack Thompson retarded. They don't even realize that you are more likely to be addicted to another violent thing and/pr have had troubling pasts and mental/emotional problems.

Well they're freaks! If they're stupid enough to get influenced by a movie why should the rest of us get looked down upon?

I think it's because video games are more recent than movies are. Older people (for lack of a better term than older) aren't willing to give up a part of entertainment that they enjoyed when they were younger, so they're probably willing to blame the more recent things and keep tradition. I think it's kind of like taste of music: some people think the newer generation is bad for you, but their parents probably thought the same about their tastes. I think it applies here similarly.

Then again, I'm probably wrong. I don't know how else to explain it. :-*

You're most likely not wrong. Humans tend to be scared of what they don't know. I've noticed that all who wish to ban games, don't know a single thing about games. They see movies and images, but never play themselves. They don't even bother to experience what it is like and judge before even the tiniest of research.

Video games don't cause them to become violent, they already are, so they play violent video games.

I can agree with everything LN says. And Maggy, too.

So I'm finally home and bring all of you quotes from the article. Those of you with weak stomachs or can't tolerate such nonsense are advised to stop reading now:

"Following the April 16 Virginia Tech shootings, the Washington Post reported online that the killer had a history of playing the PC squad-based multiplyer shooter Counter-Strike..."
(that sounds like a very lame excuse for killing people to me)

"...antigame crusader Jack Thompson raised the specter on CNN. Dr. Phil played the blame game on Larry King Live. (of course, we all expected them to, right?)

"The mass murderers of tomorrow are the children of today that are being programmed withthis massive violence overdose" - Dr. Phil. (What bigger lies will he spin?)

Then of course, "scientists still aren't sure if playing violent games leads to real-life violence at all." So then they have to run stupid experiments. Basically they had 32 kids play some shooting game for 15 minutes each and someone studyed some of the players of an online game called Asheron's Call for 56 hours. The conclusion? "I found no evidence of increased aggression or aggressive attitudes." (All I can say to that is 'Good morning to you too, sir.')

Another experiment had 167 people play Doom 3 and Project Gotham Racing. The conclusion for this one? "The people who had previously filled out questionnaires reflecting an even-keel personality were less aggro after playing a violent game. Those who... more aggressive...were more susceptible to these hightened emotions." (Who died and made him Captain Obvious?)

One Dr. points out that games like dodgeball, paintball, and even losing a card game makes people violent, but as EGM points out, "No one is calling for these games to get banned."

Some keep insisting that "The impact of videogames on violent behavior has yet to be determined." (Just lay off already!!!)

Well in the end someone with a brain finally said, "As with the entertainment of earlier generations, we may look back on today's games with nostalgia, and our grandchildren may wonder what the fuss was about."

Most of the older, obviously smarter, always correct adult -ahemcoughahem- proof that video games mess with our minds was mainly big fancy words and phrases repeating the same thing over and over in the desperate attempt that most of the people reading it won't understand and just go with it.

The antigaming article is called "Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and Life" and if anyone is brave enough to read it its apparently at the American Psychological Association's website www.apa.org.

I have lost trust in this world. The current generation (the one who is paying the bills and taking jobs) is officially idiots.

Hmm... I'm starting to wonder... the possible reason why everyone of the adult generation today shot coke enough to fry their brains?

(Sorry, I've been watching a lot of drug oriented movies lately... Scarface, Goodfellas, Blow... and some of that crap was VIOLENT! Especially Scarface..._)

And do you feel any aggression towards us for watching said movies?

Very good point Gamefreak, and I don't think that JQ doe....

Oh wait. There's me.

Okay, ahem... sometimes.  I'm swearing more often sense seeing Scarface... to the point where it's like an imitation of how AL Pacino was in the latter half... just swearing under his breath.

I swear a bit, but I know when and where to do it.  In the middle of Thanksgiving dinner when you drop your food, is not a time to say it.

Well, we can all say by this that JQ is under the influence of the movie to a minor extent. Of course, however, it is only cussing. And everyone cusses under their breath at least once. (I've done it too, actually)

Video games are for fun. They do jnot, i any way, make me more violent.

The entire argument that video games make everyone a violent psychopath is just retarded.

Quote from: Rinku on July 06, 2007, 11:32:37 AM
I just got the August Issue of Electronic Videogaming Monthly the other day, and they had an article about someone writing some research report about how video games led to violence.  I think they also blamed the Virginia Tech Shooting on video games -yes, highly absurd, I know-  >:(.  I think Jack Thompson was in on this too.

It was a highly exaggerated, overindulged topic that the writer and its supporters made a big fuss over and the final conclusion was the most obvious thing ever.Well I don't remember all the details at the moment so when I get back home (only 2 more days of summer school, heck yes!!!) I'll post some quotes and stuff.

So what do you guys think about it?

Well, my nephew used to play alot of violent videogames, and he was really violent. But I think most of it was because he had bipolar. As for me, I rarely play those kinds of games, I'm not violent, but I'm tough. There's a difference.
My grandma said to my mom and my mom said to me "Don't take crap from anybody! If someone hits you, you hit them right back!"

It really doesn't make sense that the people who critisize games never actually play them... ::)

Oh yeah, video games make me violent.

I just run around smashing pig's faces in with a sword while wearing a silly hat and green shirt.

'Cause like... I can't tell the difference from reality in a video game because we all know gamers are unstable enough to cause mental problems.

I also attack zombies in hospitals in abandoned towns. Oh, and lets not forget-- I attack swarms of Tonberries and Heartless on a daily basis.

I inhale everything I see and gain its abilities! And I'm PINK!

I belive video games can make a person violent only if the  person in question is either  extremely  stupid or is some sort of psycho.
Either way people like that should to be  kept away from all forms of media , even saturday morning cartoons after alll we wouldnt want them to drop anvils on people, would we? :)

EDIT: But i do belive playing too much video games  can be a bit unhealthy(like an addict with no life)
I am  a casual gamer ( i play video games for usually no more than  1  hour a day)
It's not a good  Idea to let video games control  your life.
It's important to establish a balance between the  real world and gaming

However, a study has shown that people that play video games as well as people who are Internet users (on average) score higher on IQ tests than average.

Still, this makes me wonder what Jack Thompson's IQ is if he's as much of a video game hater as he makes himself out to be. :P

You know something else? According to Popular Science magazine, playing video games can make your eyes stronger, and the people they tested that played video games did better during scavenger hunt type things. People who play video games also make better surgeons: video gamers made 35% fewer mistakes on written surgical exams and also made 35% fewer mistakes duing actual surgeries.

Maybe I should become a surgeon...

Video games do actually have many helpful side effects, like TW said. However, unfortunantly, for those who stick to the theory that they make us violent beasts, then there is no convincing them, no matter how strong the evidence.  :(

Once again, the flaw of the world: People only believing what they want to believe.

Another flaw of the world: People only hearin the bad side of the story. Just watch the news for an example.

Next, I bet people will start saying that it's the smart people who are the violent ones. :-*

Then id be pretty damn violent, wouldnt I? In fact we'd all be violent. We're all geniuses! :D

I guess I would be doubly violent since I'm both smart and I play video games! C'mon, lets go light the neghborhood on fire! ;D

Am I right in assuming Zoratunic was one of the people who voted to run around whacking everyone with a metal pole?  ;)

To quote Joey Wheeler: There is a slight possiblity... :P

Still, I wouldn't be surprised if people selected that choice out of sarcasm. I know I would, if that's a choice.

Anyway, there WAS quite a bit of violence in the world to being with. They'd have to have a PRETTY good argument in order to convince everyone that the media is the sole source of it.

One that would unlitmately fail. Lawyers usually rely on big, gigantic words people don't understand to make a point. Of course, they'll have to bring this case up to other smart people (judges, for example) who will most likely know most of these words, so that plan fails all-together. And any self-respecting person should know that violence was already in the world LONGGGGG before any invention involving electricity existed, although now the news of crime gets around much quicker. If they think that the world suddenly got violent the day ping-pong was invented, then they are idiots. (for those who don't know, ping-pong was generally the main inspiration for video games due to its popularity)

Quote from: MagmarFire on July 11, 2007, 11:01:09 AM
Still, I wouldn't be surprised if people selected that choice out of sarcasm. I know I would, if that's a choice.

I wasn't sarcastic... >.>

QuoteOne that would unlitmately fail. Lawyers usually rely on big, gigantic words people don't understand to make a point. Of course, they'll have to bring this case up to other smart people (judges, for example) who will most likely know most of these words, so that plan fails all-together. And any self-respecting person should know that violence was already in the world LONGGGGG before any invention involving electricity existed, although now the news of crime gets around much quicker. If they think that the world suddenly got violent the day ping-pong was invented, then they are idiots. (for those who don't know, ping-pong was generally the main inspiration for video games due to its popularity)

So you are saying we should all go play Pheonix Wright to understand lawyers.

Quote from: Rinku on July 11, 2007, 10:47:07 AM
Am I right in assuming Zoratunic was one of the people who voted to run around whacking everyone with a metal pole?  ;)

No, I chose the sane option, however, that post was completely sarcastic.

Oh.... must've been Licky then  ;)
Well, I'm relieved to see that the majority of us are still sane.

Why do Jack T. and doc Phil hate games? I don't see them bashing T.V. They probably wouldn't even bash .hack//all(it's setting is always The World, except Liminality).

Does anyone think schools are going to be bribed to bash games?

They hate video games for the same reason I hate stupid people... because they can and they see a problem with it.

Yeah, schools might bash video games soon...

And if they do, then I'll show my school the studies that show video games are good. The only bad thing that could actually come out of video games is addiction unless someone playing it has mental problems. But then again, there are far worse thing you could be addicted to, so why care about video games as a top priority?

Like Fisk said, because they can. We should email all the politicains about this, and send them that copy of EGM(which I have).

Do you guys have any idea how many emails and other crap they get per day? Might as well email santa claus. Most of them will listen to their own short-sighted beliefs and say 'f*** everyone else man, I'm the man in power'

You know back in 1993/4 Congress held hearings on objectionable content in games, namely Mortal Kombat and Night Trap. The result of this? THe formation of the ESRB.

Of course there was objectionable content and they're sort of entitled to- isn't Mortal Combat rated M?

JQ said:

Quote from: JQ Pickwick on July 15, 2007, 01:35:12 PM
You know back in 1993/4 Congress held hearings on objectionable content in games, namely Mortal Kombat and Night Trap. The result of this? THe formation of the ESRB.

That was before the ESRB rating system. Don't skim through posts next time, 'kay?

Sorry....
Well, to continue my streak of pessimistic predictions that come true, I bet one day the government will ban video games forever or make it illegal for kids to play rated M games. Maybe not now, or in a few years, but one day they will.  :(

You mean like how they banned rock music, comic books, television, and the internet? This isn't the first form of entertainment this type of thing has happened to, you know.

Some adults can be too dramatic. Some of them think that dying your hair weird colors is a sign of rebelion or that they'll cause trouble. Bull. I have purple hair, and I'm not a troublemaker.

Almost everyone takes stuff at face value. Doesn't matter if  they claim the obvious 'don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover' bull.  They still always judge stuff by face value 9 times out of 10.

I understand... see, I wear black mostly and my mom thinks it's "gangster". If anything, it's goth or emo, but she insists on "gangster". Playing video games doesn't help boost my reputation with her either.

Quote from: saria returns. on July 07, 2007, 08:25:59 PM
I belive video games can make a person violent only if the  person in question is either  extremely  stupid or is some sort of psycho.
Either way people like that should to be  kept away from all forms of media , even saturday morning cartoons after alll we wouldnt want them to drop anvils on people, would we? :)

EDIT: But i do belive playing too much video games  can be a bit unhealthy(like an addict with no life)
I am  a casual gamer ( i play video games for usually no more than  1  hour a day)
It's not a good  Idea to let video games control  your life.
It's important to establish a balance between the  real world and gaming

Well then I suppose it's very unhelthy to be obbsed with a video game that hasn't came out yet?And talking in hand motion with out realising it? :-[    opps...

I actually don't think playing games a lot is bad for you at all. o_o

Hell, Trauma Center helped my Chemistry test, and Silent Hill 4 actually came through for me during History. XD And though it's not really an academic class, Devil May Cry, Silent Hill, and Fatal Frame have helped me in Art. That is to say; I feel a lot more confident with realism because of them. 8D;

I think what Walrus said is true.

Some games help you know a little about each subject (History, Science, Math, etc). In fact, some games, like Brain Age, are supposed to help you.

But in LoZ case, and games like it where you need to think of a strategy, raise your strategy skills.

I say if people want to have violence and commit crimes, DO IT IN GAMES!! Then, you don't have the risk of going to jail or prison, and you have the FREEDOM to do it, over and over again!!

Quote from: Ouran High School Host Club on February 26, 2008, 07:06:10 PM
I say if people want to have violence and commit crimes, DO IT IN GAMES!! Then, you don't have the risk of going to jail or prison, and you have the FREEDOM to do it, over and over again!!

Or they should, you know, get professional help.

Quote from: Commodore Ford on February 26, 2008, 08:57:41 PM

Quote from: Ouran High School Host Club on February 26, 2008, 07:06:10 PM
I say if people want to have violence and commit crimes, DO IT IN GAMES!! Then, you don't have the risk of going to jail or prison, and you have the FREEDOM to do it, over and over again!!

Or they should, you know, get professional help.

Lmao, or that.

Games violent? Oh common. Some games are fun just beacause you can kill someone on the street for no particular reason. Well, except robbing him. And the most important thing. Games are made to do what you will CANT or WONT do. And thats why they are so fun.  :)

I'm not a particularly violent person, but kicking nurses down stairs, hitting NPCs with pipes, and etc. in Silent Hill is a huge stress relief. o_o

Quote from: the Walrus on February 29, 2008, 02:29:24 PM
I'm not a particularly violent person, but kicking nurses down stairs, hitting NPCs with pipes, and etc. in Silent Hill is a huge stress relief. o_o

GTA too.  ;)

I don't like GTA, sorry. D:

I'd say it's too violent, but, you know, undead serial killers are not much better... u_u;

And lets not forget Himan. I didn't really like that game  ::)