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Old 05-6-2007, 09:13 PM   #1
AOL_blows911
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Default Video Games and Teens

So, looking at the 'Rap Music Bad Influence On Kids?' thread, I started to wonder, what really is a bad influence on todays teens? Then on a different forum, I came by this:
http://www.petitiononline.com/shutjack/petition.html

For those of you who don't know who Jack Thompson is, he is a lawyer from Florida. Wikipedia Jack and you get:

"John Bruce “Jack” Thompson (born July 25, 1951) is an American attorney and activist, based in Coral Gables, Florida. Thompson describes himself as a Christian conservative and a Republican.

After an initial foray into politics, Thompson concentrated his legal efforts against obscenity, particularly in rap music and broadcasts by radio personality Howard Stern. More recently, he has focused on violence as well, particularly in the content of computer and video games and their alleged effects on children."

This basicaly sums the man up. Very active against violence and obscenity in the media (particularly in video games and music), Thompson has caused so much trouble that he is being prosecuted by the Florida Bar Association for inappropriate conduct. He preaches that todays video games cause teens to be violent, and games such as Halo (both 1&2) and Counter Strike teach teens to kill without excitement or remorse and can even teach the kids the skills they need to pull off actions such as school shootings. He has also recently gone so far as to blame the Virginia Tech shootings on violent video games. He did so hours after the actual event, before anything had been discovered about the shooter. To me, that seems like an action that was purely to advance his personal career. Not to mention, it was extremely stupid and offensive of him.

So my question is: what are your opinions on violent video games? I, being 16, personaly play a lot of shooter games. I played at least an hour of Halo 2 every day online after it came out, personaly headshotting other players. However, I realize that this is a game, NOT REALITY. I find it ignorant and offensive of Thompson to say that, because I am young and because I play Halo and Counter Strike, I'll go on a killing rampage at my school and feel no remorse about doing so. I can see where some violence may follow games such as Grand Theft Auto, but too a point. If a person is going to go kill other people, then they will kill them regardless. That person has a problem, and needs help. But this is not because they played video games, it's because they already had a mental or emotional condition that put them over the edge.

So....discuss.
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Old 05-6-2007, 09:23 PM   #2
marxandlennon
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Default Re: Video Games and Teens

My view is that if you're that impressionable, a lot of things besides video games could spark that kind of violence. I mean, the tendency to be violent would have to already be there to start with, just waiting for a spark. The fault of Virginia Tech doesn't lie with video games (the shooter didn't play them), but with the fact that he had been institutionalized, but ALLOWED TO BUY GUNS LEGALLY. But yeah, my view is that if parents would actually, say, parent, this sort of thing wouldn't happen. Don't blame video games, blame irresponsible people who shouldn't have procreated in the first place

/the gene pool needs a lifeguard
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Old 05-6-2007, 09:23 PM   #3
Relambrien
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Default Re: Video Games and Teens

Well, it all depends on the person, just like with any form of media. If the person can say, "Well obviously this isn't real" or "Well I definitely shouldn't be doing this, it's horrible and stupid," then there's no problem. But if a person is very impressionable, they could be influenced by something such as video games. They could certainly make it EASIER to kill, but in my opinion, they won't CAUSE a person to kill.

To elaborate: If a person was already planning to do something violent, then exposure to violent video games could probably make it easier for that person to go through with the act. But I don't think they will cause a person without any plans or tendencies to do something violent.

I think it's up to the parents to determine whether or not their child can handle a violent game, and act accordingly. It's not the kid's fault if his parents buy him Grand Theft Auto and bad things start happening to him.
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Old 05-6-2007, 09:28 PM   #4
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Default Re: Video Games and Teens

Quote:
Originally Posted by Relambrien View Post
To elaborate: If a person was already planning to do something violent, then exposure to violent video games could probably make it easier for that person to go through with the act. But I don't think they will cause a person without any plans or tendencies to do something violent.
Exactly what I think. Its not the video game that causes the violence, they merely give an already violent or troubled person an idea of what to do. I'm not saying this is a good thing, but, for example, when the game 'Bully' came out, a lot of people (with Thompson at the head, go figure) screamed bloody murder that it was another GTA game, but in a school setting with kids. The game, however, turned out to be more of a real life school open-ended RPG type game, with the most potent weapons being a baseball bat and a slingshot. Some people just seem to want to use video games as a scapegoat for todays youth violence, and that makes me a bit angry.
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Old 05-6-2007, 09:34 PM   #5
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Default Re: Video Games and Teens

Quote:
Originally Posted by AOL_blows911
and that makes me a bit angry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AOL_blows911
a bit angry
Quote:
Originally Posted by AOL_blows911
angry
Gonna go do something violent because the media made you angry?

(Sorry, I just had to do that)

But yeah, I really loathe Jack Thompson. I don't know what convinced him that video games cause violence, but I think that the majority of gamers are living counterexamples to his claims.
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Old 05-7-2007, 03:38 PM   #6
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Default Re: Video Games and Teens

What IS dangerous to teens right now is what they let take over their lives. If they listen to rap and let it take over their mind, then they'll most likely become what the main subject that rap embodies.
Guys: Gangsters. LET'S GO SHOOT SUM BITCHES
Girls: Sluts. LET'S GO GET FUCKED
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