Videogames - Do they cause violence?

[Ann]

Hopefully this can start an interesting discussion...

Quite a common question in our modern society is the one about videogames. Do they cause violence? I myself am a strong NO sayer. I've played videogames my whole life and I can gladly say that I am not what you'd call a violent person.

When it comes down to it, it's actually the other way around: When I am pissed or stressed out, I play a violent videogame (preferably a fighting game such as Dead Or Alive 2). By beating the videogame characters to bloody pulps I get out my stress and anger and thus avoid from exploding in real life.

What do you guys think?

[aly]

I think I'm on the fence on this one. I'm not a video game junkie by any means but I have played my fair share during my life. They haven't made me violent at all. I'm a VERY nonviolent person and even the sight of a little drop of blood makes me woozy. I like to play Mortal Kombat which is pretty violent but I can make the distinction between a game and reality.

However, I do think it has the potential to cause certain individuals to be violent. So I don't really know where I stand on the topic except that I can see both sides.

[Chinadoll]

I don't think videogames alone inspire violence. It can have some influence, but I think the major deciding factor for whether a person is violent is the environment in which they were raised....not that this always means that someone raised in a place where violence is predominate(sp?), it could have the exact opposite effect...BUT I believe environment is a greater influence than videogames.

My rant...It really irks me when parents blame violence on television or in videogames and go on a rampage for censorship. I don't believe the government should censor, I believe it is the job of the parent. It's really simple, if you don't want your child to see violence on television or in a videogame then restrict their veiwing. Don't lobby the government to do your parenting for you. With v chips in television for parents to restict viewing and ratings on videogames(at least in the US...not sure how other countries do it), I can't stand to see some parents rant and rave about violent content on tv or videogames and that the government should do something about it.

I'm not talking about current government restrictions...ratings on tv shows and video games are good ideas...I'm more speaking of stricter regulations that I hear some parents ranting they want. It reminds me of banning books from certain schools because it may have a bad word.

Anywhoo, I know it was originally about violence in videogames, but I see a paraelle(sp? damn I just cannot spell tonight!) in violence in television shows. I really haven't played videogames since the first Nintendo came out. My sister's playstation 2 makes me almost motion sick. The graphics sure have come a long way. I never did have a problem playing games like Doom on the computer, shoot 'em up military games or sci fi games were ok, but I saw scenes from the game Vice squad or is it vice cop? That sort of violence...street crime stuff creeped me out. I guess it was just a tad too realistic for me. I definitely think it deserves the M for mature rating it has...no way would I let my 12 year old sister play that!

[Soledad]

Chinadoll - I was all set to respond to this one, only to see that you had posted most everything that I'd wanted to say.

[RockyRoad]

We discussed this in english class a few weeks ago.

I play video games, mostly Zelda, and I am not a violent person. Although I don't play the kind of video games where you go shooting everyone...I hate blood and gore.
My opinion is that it could influence violence in young children. If they can be convinced that a fat man goes down their chimneys at night and leaves presents, then they can be convinced that a person's life can be recovered with the press of a re-set button. But as you get older, you learn to tell the difference between reality and fiction, and it is not a danger anymore. And I sure hope that parents are now keeping their kids away from violence.

So I cannot say for sure if they do or do not...because more mature people do not seem like the kind of people who will become violent because of a video game, but for some people that is different.

[iceyshiver21]

I dont think that they do....I have played violent video games and never have really thought about takeing someone down.....

[Ann]

Thanks for all the interesting responses everyone! I too wanna ditto with Chinadoll's comments about how parents should take responsibility and not leave it up to a censoring government.

I read this article today, and I figured I would mention it in here since it does concerns this thread.

So, what do you guys think about this then? Since I hadn't seen the poster in question I went to the official site and downloaded a video which contained the scene. I didn't find it to be offensive, violence-encouraging or anything else that the ASA said. As a matter of fact I thought it was a clever ad which reflected the pun of "Gorey Kombat" instead of "Mortal Kombat".

[RICHARD]

Boy, 7, tries to rob shop at gunpoint

A seven-year-old boy faces charges in the US after he tried to rob a video shop at gunpoint.

Shop manager Vicky McLaughlin wasn't sure whether the 4ft tall youngster was serious or playing a game.

She called the police who eventually managed to grab the gun which turned out to be a fake, reports the Baltimore Sun.

But, when questioned by police, the boy insisted he had been trying to hold up the shop in Annapolis, Maryland.

The boy, who police did not identify, was charged with attempted armed robbery and released to his mother.

Ms McLaughlin said the gun looked real and the boy had been dressed all in black, with a sweat shirt hood pulled tightly around his head.

"We're still in disbelief that somebody attempted to rob us - and it was a seven-year-old," she said.

In Britain the boy would not be charged with any crime as the age of criminality is ten.

But the law is different in the US and the child could face a range of penalties, depending on whether he has a criminal record.

"It's definitely not taken as a joke when someone points a gun and announces a robbery," said Officer Hal Dalton, a police spokesman. "It could have gotten him killed."


there's a connection in there someplace.....

[Ann]

RICHARD, I honestly don't see the connection. Just cause he was trying to rob a video store doesn't mean he was influenced by videogames!

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Ann
RICHARD, I honestly don't see the connection. Just cause he was trying to rob a video store doesn't mean he was influenced by videogames!

it was a little joke, VIDEO store, KID, VIOLENCE (hold up)..

where did the kid get this idea??

probably not from videogames but from a cathode ray tube, for sure.....

my point was HOW kids are influenced by what they see.

not unless one of his parents took him along on a robbery...

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by Ann
RICHARD, I honestly don't see the connection. Just cause he was trying to rob a video store doesn't mean he was influenced by videogames!

I think that there is a connection.. how else might a kid like that know how to cover himself up and point a gun, were it not for violent media (be it videogames, TV, etc)?

I don't think that videogames and other media (I really think they all go together) CAUSE violence - BUT if a child's primary babysitter is a TV and assorted peripherals then I think there is a problem. As long as kids are taught that it's fake, then I don't see it as a problem. However I don't think parents/guardians/caretakers enter into those conversations enough with kids. When I did day care I saw kids acting out violent TV shows until I talked to them about it and explained how it all worked. Then I also made rules about how it was NOT ok to Power Ranger kick their playmate in the jaw.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Nomilynn
Then I also made rules about how it was NOT ok to Power Ranger kick their playmate in the jaw.

geez, i have some explaining to do to my brothers....

[popcornbird]

I definitely believe it DOES influence kids in a bad way. Girls, probably not. Boys, for many, probably yes. I for one *hate* violent video games. I play them like once in a few months when my brother insists that I play against him, but I hate it. I don't like such games. I'm not the kind of person that likes to see violence and even if its *just a game* I don't like it. It does NOT influence me at all, but I do believe violent videogames have a very bad affect on the minds of certain young people. It cannot be the specific cause, but I'm sure it plays a big role in it. They have games nowadays in which you have to be a robber, or a criminal, and I really hate those games. Even though they are rated M or even 21 +, I know 12 year olds, 10 year olds that play them. In my opinion, violent video games play a major role in corruption in today's society. It defintely doesn't influence all people, but I believe it can have a bad effect on the minds of *many* wierd minded people. I'd rather stick to the racing, building, tycoon type of games. JMHO

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I try to stay away from the contraversial topics.. but here goes..

I think that it violent t.v..../ video games.. do influence children... I mean if they didn't see it off the t.v... / video game where would they learn it..?!?!

and in society now a days.. you can't really censor EVERYTHING... your child does... i mean kids are bringing guns to schools...
I (in my own opinion) believe that the government / or someone needs to get the TRASH off the t.v.'s and away from our children. AND some adults too...

Society has become so immature and to a point NASTY to where ANYTHING GOES.. when it comes to the media...

my husband LOOOVES video games and has every system out.. and in the X-BOX magazine it was advertising a bike game.. where if you had a certain code you could see nude pictures of women... AND REALLY... like a kid couldn't get a hold of the game and the codes behind their parents back... and rating it M .. just makes it even more tempting.. and take DOA.. the volleyball game... when kids go into the video game store or read in the gaming magazines about it .. it screams sex.. and I look at violence the same way in videogames....

I am starting to think that people just don't care what little kids see anymore!!!

[Cookiebaker]

My 2 cents is that I believe that it DOES affect those who have a problem establishing reality/fantasy. I used to babysit for a girl (she was around 5 at the time) and she had a REAL problem with this. She thought that animations were real. I don't think if I was a parent that I would allow my children free access to TV or video games. There's too much life to be wasted in front of the tube.