are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

[kylehaas]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Hmmm.
Violence over the last 20 years has increased?
How about the world population? Has that increased?
Has the amount of disease in our world increased?
Has the amount of resources decreased?

Seems like all of these things rely on each far more than video games.
For instance, 60 years ago we were in WWII. Was that caused by video games?
Millions of people died.

The war in Iraq sure as hell isn't caused by video games.

I kill dozens of people on video games per day.
I have never attacked or even been in a fight with another person in real life,
AND I don't plan on it any time soon.

[ReachfortheLight]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Well ideally, parents would be able to use good discretion and just limit their kids' games on an individual basis. Doesn't seem to happen, somehow.

Video games don't teach you how to use a gun, but they sure get people used to the concept of shooting people, going for the head, etc. In fact, to play violent games well, that kind of thing has to become a reflex. It becomes an integral part of the problem-solving process when you play, so... you can't really write violent video games off as harmless.


Oh, and there's a ton of other stuff "ruining the youth of tomorrow," anyway. I guess that really means the adults of tomorrow, actually. A lot of the youth of tomorrow are still single-celled.

[TWSTR]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

I'm not going to say violent games are good for our society. They're not bad for it, either, though.

I play violent games. Hell, I'm even planning to MAKE a violent game (yes, I'm a programmer). The violence in these games has NO EFFECT on my view of killing, on my friends' views of killing, on any sane person's view of killing. I do not think that since I can play a 32-player online match and kill as many people as I want to virtually, that justifies taking away an actual life. There are people who I genuinely hate and have thought about attacking, but I would never take away someone's life. They have just as much right to live as I do, even if they are a ****er. What does feed modern crime? I don't know. Could it be that other forms of art are contributing to it? Could it be parents not doing their jobs the way they should? It very well could be.

Anyway, the condiluted logic that games help people kill is wrong. I am welcome to counterarguments, if you disagree with me or want more information.

[kylehaas]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

The statement that video games have caused more violence in our world due to an increase over the last twenty years is total bull crap.

No war has EVER been fought over video games.
There is not truly substantial proof that video games have ever killed anyone besides those who don't follow directions and the uber-obese.

Whoever started this thread needs to get outside and get a life.
Billions and billions of living things die daily,
most likely none of them are killed by video games in any way, shape, or form.

Anyone who was ever on the news for killing someone had mental issues.
In our day and time, you cannot get away with killing people, especially in America.
And you sure as hell can't blame video games for making a person retarded either.

[Master_of_the_Faster]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Sometimes, I'm under the impression that the media is just trying to shift the blame of any violent youth to violent video games. I mean come on, if there is a news story about violent video games, once that news story about violent video games is over, there is a chance that the media will show a news story like a suicidal bomber in Iraq with certain material as violent as portrayed in something like Resident Evil or Grand Theft Auto. Not to mention, the people shown on the news are real people, which means that a person could probably think of these type of violent people as role models more than a video game character (though some games may contain real people). After all, if I was incredibly mad to the point of killing someone, certain news reports might cause me to do something bad (though I wouldn't kill someone or do something as drastic), but by playing some video game, I would vent off my anger as I get to control what would happen in the game. Of course, I'm an addict to video games so I wouldn't put down the controller or let losing get the best of me while playing video games unless I had to sleep or stop playing games for some reason.

[kylehaas]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

You are right.
Although I would never own GTA, due to it's content, I know what you are saying.
There are a lot of government/parental figures who are just mad at video games AND want revenge simply because they didn't have them when they were growing up.

It all boils down (or up?!?!) to two things, thing 1 and thing 2.

[Master_of_the_Faster]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

You are right.
Although I would never own GTA, due to it's content, I know what you are saying.
There are a lot of government/parental figures who are just mad at video games AND want revenge simply because they didn't have them when they were growing up.

It all boils down (or up?!?!) to two things, thing 1 and thing 2.

Well, why would government/parental figures want revenge on games because it didn't exist in their time? I mean nothing is stopping them from playing any video games so I don't see how this is of any relevance. Besides, some people wouldn't even play video games if they were out when government/parental figures were growing up.

[perkeyone]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

"violent video games cause violence" should be changed to "religions cause violence" lol

[kylehaas]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Well, why would government/parental figures want revenge on games because it didn't exist in their time? I mean nothing is stopping them from playing any video games so I don't see how this is of any relevance. Besides, some people wouldn't even play video games if they were out when government/parental figures were growing up.

That was a joke.
I thought I would make up some crap; that's what the creator of this thread did.

[masterhickle]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Although I would never own GTA, due to it's content, I know what you are saying.
There are a lot of government/parental figures who are just mad at video games AND want revenge simply because they didn't have them when they were growing up.

I hadn't thought of that, but it does make a lot of sense. I hear a lot of parents telling their kids how much better they have it in comparison to when the parents were young.



I think it's about time for this thread to be let go...we're all dancing around two ideas, it seems.

1) It's the fault of the parents if a child is playing a game that s/he is too young for, they have a say it what games they get the kid, and they can monitor any purchases by the kid...
2) Only a mentally unstable person will let a violent game tell them that they're supposed to go around and do the kinds of things done in games (as in GTA, for example).

"violent video games cause violence" should be changed to "religions cause violence" lol

Don't get people started on "Religion causes violence." >.> Science gets brought in, then it turns into the typical Science vs Religion debate (I have proof vs the bible says so).

[tsugomaru]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Parents don't want kids to own video games because they (the parents) never owned some themselves? Don't be stupid, if a parent really wanted to play video games, they would've gone out and get their own.

~Tsugomaru

[ljw5021]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Pinning the blame for these crimes on video games does not solve the problem, but only delays a possible solution. The most likely factor is poor home life. I grew up playing the original Doom and Quake from when I was 6, and I'm fine. To me, violent video games are a way to relieve stress and are not a source of negative thoughts.

[akuma696]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

I think it's real funny when someone says that a video-game someone commit a crime. Did this game literally tell them to go out and do whatever it is they did? I seriously doubt it. The individual made a conscious decision to do wrong. The only way a violent video-game could influence someone to reenact it is if the person were unstable. And also, I played a ton of violent video games, I mean Jesus I played Postal and it's sequels, and that didn't make me want to go out and kill random people and piss on their bodies. The only reason violent video-games take the blame in violent cases is because it's an easy fallback. I mean really, in the Columbine school shooting what was the first things that were being called out? Violent video-games and music. Nevermind the fact that they were bullied and picked on in school. And how do you think they got the guns for the shooting? Where were they're parents at during all of this. Good questions to ask yourself. There is a saying that idle hands do the devil's work, and i believe that to be true to this day.

[greekanilater]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

thanks guys for your input i reading

[FreezinIce]

Re: are violent video games ruining the youth of tomorrow

Saying that video games are ruining the youth of tomorrow is like saying cement is made of only rocks. Yes, video games are contibuting to this undesirable change in our youth, but video games are only a small margin of the problem. Give some credit to our aggressive society and violent media, both which popularize, glorify, and profit off violence and brutality. Inattentive parents who cry foul but are too lazy to regulate thier childs T.V./video game intake also deserve a shout out, as well as pandering politicians who see the media/video game industry as a target to get them votes from said parents.