Video Games Violence

UZiUZi Eight inches of C4 between the legs. Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13767Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Personal Stupidity or Cause of Problem?</div> In Washington State it is illegal to buy games that dephict a person killing a cop if you are under 18.

Do games cause violence? Debate.

Comments

  • UZiUZi Eight inches of C4 between the legs. Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13767Members
    oops...please move to discussion forum.
  • esunaesuna Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
    edited January 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin--UZi+Jan 7 2004, 01:24 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (UZi @ Jan 7 2004, 01:24 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> In Washington State it is illegal to buy games that dephict a person killing a cop if you are under 18.

    Do games cause violence? Debate. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes, they can.

    If a person knows the difference between reality and a game (Anyone with half a brain) they won't turn violent since, guess what, it's just a game. It would take a complete moron to be inspired by a game to commit violent acts.

    *EDIT: As to the law in Washington State... good on them. It's no secret that youngsters are very impressionable, and don't at all need the encouragement to murder or commit violent acts.

    As a little example, over Christmas my father is santa for a few charities, so that means having kids tell him what they want all day. There was one thing that was asked for over and over again, and my father being, well, my father didn't know what it was, so he asked me about it. It was GTA: Vice City. Bear in mind these are LITTLE KIDS coming to see Santa. We're talking a top age of something like 8 or 9. This game has been (Rightfully) given an 18 certificate by the BBFC, for the violence and strong language, and all the other content, and that means nobody under the age of 18, by law, can buy the game.

    I know what a lot of you may be thinking, you don't believe in censorship, but sorry, all of you, i presume, are 13 or older. Think how much you've aged and matured between the ages of 8 and 13 (For those of us who are older, try and think back <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->), and then think of how impressionable you were as a child.

    Just a little extra to think about.
  • ShadowlinexShadowlinex Join Date: 2003-08-07 Member: 19144Members
    This is the one subject that I can talk about for hours on end, but i'm going to keep it short. I hate how everyone blams games for violence. They never look at the perants that bought or let them play the game. To me it is a lack of prental vision and if anyone doesn't teach there children the real world and the fake world. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Marik_SteeleMarik_Steele To rule in hell... Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9466Members
    <span style='color:orange'>*Phased*</span> to Discussions.
    Do they cause violence? Yeah, about as much as a TV advertisement for a car will get someone to buy that car. If they feel no need or desire to go buy a car, the ad does practically nothing. If something in the recent past has led to the person's increasing interest in going out and buying a car...
  • UZiUZi Eight inches of C4 between the legs. Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13767Members
    Well im a believer that the media/books and other materials...like anything can drive tendancies. But its up to the person to decide how determine games


    As for kids under 18 I believe its up to the mother to decide if some materials are appropriate for their kids.
  • esunaesuna Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--UZi+Jan 7 2004, 01:44 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (UZi @ Jan 7 2004, 01:44 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> As for kids under 18 I believe its up to the mother to decide if some materials are appropriate for their kids. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I don't agree with you there. Being 21 myself the ideas of censorship and rating doesn't particulaly bother me since even if a game was only avalable to people aged 18+, i could still get it, so as a warning, i guess i'm pretty biased.

    I trust the guidelines set down by rating commitees, such as the BBFC. A lot of parents don't care what their kids play, and a lot of kids just don't tell their parents what they play in these games, a thing that gets around both of these disregards to the game's content is an enforced law against minors buying unsuitable games. If your parents actually do care about the content of the games you play, great, it works for you, but sorry, that just wouldn't work in a great number of cases.
  • EmseeEmsee Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16644Members, Constellation
    edited January 2004
    The sooner the US adopts a classification system for games the same as the one for movie and makes it compulsery the better (As in the UK, although I think that the BBFC rating is only forced on games that contain violence or sexual content.)
    It's just common sense. It also provides the industry with a near water tight defence against the rediculous claims that they are training kids to kill.
    If little Johnny goes out and buys a gun and shoots someone, the gun manufacturer can't be held responsable because it is against the law for him to buy it. Hence the blame can only go to the parents and store that sold it to him. Where it belongs.
  • othellothell Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4183Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    <!--QuoteBegin--esuna+Jan 6 2004, 08:52 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (esuna @ Jan 6 2004, 08:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I don't agree with you there. Being 21 myself the ideas of censorship and rating doesn't particulaly bother me since even if a game was only avalable to people aged 18+, i could still get it, so as a warning, i guess i'm pretty biased.

    I trust the guidelines set down by rating commitees, such as the BBFC. A lot of parents don't care what their kids play, and a lot of kids just don't tell their parents what they play in these games, a thing that gets around both of these disregards to the game's content is an enforced law against minors buying unsuitable games. If your parents actually do care about the content of the games you play, great, it works for you, but sorry, that just wouldn't work in a great number of cases. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    And that is the problem. The parents SHOULD know what their kids are doing. If they go buy something for their kids, the SHOULD know what they are buying. It is the responsibility of a parent to raise their kids. It really is as simple as that.

    Before anyone says anything... No, I don't believe the solution is simple.
  • AlcapwnAlcapwn &quot;War is the science of destruction&quot; - John Abbot Join Date: 2003-06-21 Member: 17590Members
    i guess they could-if they didnt know the difference between Reality and teh virtual world....

    Little kids shouldnt be veiwing overly violent games. Im 14, and my parents let me play all of the violent games i want, but my one of my brothers whos like 9 is NOT aloud to watch me. I meen, its not good if a 9 year old sees that killing cops in a game is fun, and then goes and trys it in real life.
  • esunaesuna Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
    edited January 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin--othell+Jan 7 2004, 01:59 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (othell @ Jan 7 2004, 01:59 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--esuna+Jan 6 2004, 08:52 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (esuna @ Jan 6 2004, 08:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I don't agree with you there. Being 21 myself the ideas of censorship and rating doesn't particulaly bother me since even if a game was only avalable to people aged 18+, i could still get it, so as a warning, i guess i'm pretty biased.

    I trust the guidelines set down by rating commitees, such as the BBFC. A lot of parents don't care what their kids play, and a lot of kids just don't tell their parents what they play in these games, a thing that gets around both of these disregards to the game's content is an enforced law against minors buying unsuitable games. If your parents actually do care about the content of the games you play, great, it works for you, but sorry, that just wouldn't work in a great number of cases. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    And that is the problem. The parents SHOULD know what their kids are doing. If they go buy something for their kids, the SHOULD know what they are buying. It is the responsibility of a parent to raise their kids. It really is as simple as that.

    Before anyone says anything... No, I don't believe the solution is simple. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    The parents <b>should</b>, i can't help but agree with you there. But my parents rarely gave a crap what i played when i was younger, and in no way would class them as bad parents. Far far far far from it.

    The thing is, if a kid wants a game / movie / cd badly enough, he will get it, somehow. If the parents of aformentioned kid find out about the offending thing and stop him from buying it, he'll buy it behind their back. I know, i've done it myself. But a classification system bound by law DOES stop it from happening. Or at the very least, makes it excessively difficult. It's more a failsafe, if anything.
  • SirusSirus Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8466Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    I completely agree with you Marik. The notion that it is the explicit cause is absurd, there is an underlying behavior that may be sparked by video games, but it does not breed nor create such an attitude.
  • AUScorpionAUScorpion Join Date: 2003-01-05 Member: 11842Members
    I was the quiet, introverted kid in school. The one a bit more intelligent and a bit less physical than the rest. Made fun of constantly because I'm a bit short, and red-haired. As far as attitude I was and still am the calm, long fused type but at the end of the fuse was a Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator (thank you, Marvin).

    I played the games that were supposed to make you violent. The games starting with Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM 1&2, Heretic, Hexen...ect. Games that were supposed to warp your train of thought and make you a satan worshipping wacko or something like Dungeons & Dragons, RIFTS, Call of Cthulhu, and various White Wolf games.

    If it has blood in it, people dying in mindboggling ways, the capacity for strange sexual acts, and it's avaliable for play in the USA......you can rest assured that I've at least seen it, most likely have played it, and definitely have downloaded any patches or files to decensor it and revert it to the original from its country of origin (since thing have a tendancy to be toned down for the american public as is the case in say....Giants: Citizen Kabuto).

    So now I'm 20, nearly 21...and I haven't:

    1. Killed anyone, personally.
    2. Been responsible for anyone's demise/deformation/harrassment.
    3. Caused my parents anxiety or undue stress due directly to my behavior barring the irrational fears all parents tend to have.

    I do however carry a wound from a projectile weapon that was leveled at me in a fit of malice. Ironically this boy never played video games (and to my knowlege still hasn't), was outgoing, friendly, participated in the local church, and in the baseball and football teams of his respective schools.

    Do I think video games inspire violence? No.

    Do I think some material should not be in the hands of children of a certain age? Yes, definitely.

    Do I hate the guy who shot me? Nah, in fact he was and still is one o' my friends. We just got really peeved at one another and he did something stupid. Something I was trained not to do, but his parents never taught him what a gun could do or how to properly use one, any type of gun.

    He was a bang up shot though. That BB from the crossman air rifle came 2 millimeters from my heart and peirced my left lung, nearly collapsing it.
  • CutterJoeCutterJoe Join Date: 2002-12-30 Member: 11594Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--esuna+Jan 6 2004, 09:52 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (esuna @ Jan 6 2004, 09:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--UZi+Jan 7 2004, 01:44 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (UZi @ Jan 7 2004, 01:44 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> As for kids under 18 I believe its up to the mother to decide if some materials are appropriate for their kids. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I don't agree with you there. Being 21 myself the ideas of censorship and rating doesn't particulaly bother me since even if a game was only avalable to people aged 18+, i could still get it, so as a warning, i guess i'm pretty biased.

    I trust the guidelines set down by rating commitees, such as the BBFC. A lot of parents don't care what their kids play, and a lot of kids just don't tell their parents what they play in these games, a thing that gets around both of these disregards to the game's content is an enforced law against minors buying unsuitable games. If your parents actually do care about the content of the games you play, great, it works for you, but sorry, that just wouldn't work in a great number of cases. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Bravo esuna. As a parent myself, albeit hes only 16 months old, I do believe that parents should take an active role in what children partake of on the computer and whilst watching television. Fortunatelty for me I hold a Bachelors in Computer Science so I'm up to par on what games are being developed and what exactly are in those games. Heck I play most of them but not with him around. I usually wait until he is out of the house or asleep. My wife and I both believe that it is souly up to us to raise him and we cannot let games and television affect how he views the world. If you ever seen a five year old watching power rangers then you know what I mean. Crap they can hurt people pretty bad kicking them in the gonads and such. So as for me and my house we shall limit what our children watches and plays. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • ShadowlinexShadowlinex Join Date: 2003-08-07 Member: 19144Members
    I agree mostly, but I think and believe that a mother/father should teach realism before there child begins even playing games! If my perants cought me stealing or buying a game behind there back i would cought dead with a thump tac in skull.
  • UZiUZi Eight inches of C4 between the legs. Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13767Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--esuna+Jan 6 2004, 09:05 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (esuna @ Jan 6 2004, 09:05 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--othell+Jan 7 2004, 01:59 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (othell @ Jan 7 2004, 01:59 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--esuna+Jan 6 2004, 08:52 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (esuna @ Jan 6 2004, 08:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I don't agree with you there. Being 21 myself the ideas of censorship and rating doesn't particulaly bother me since even if a game was only avalable to people aged 18+, i could still get it, so as a warning, i guess i'm pretty biased.

    I trust the guidelines set down by rating commitees, such as the BBFC. A lot of parents don't care what their kids play, and a lot of kids just don't tell their parents what they play in these games, a thing that gets around both of these disregards to the game's content is an enforced law against minors buying unsuitable games. If your parents actually do care about the content of the games you play, great, it works for you, but sorry, that just wouldn't work in a great number of cases. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    And that is the problem. The parents SHOULD know what their kids are doing. If they go buy something for their kids, the SHOULD know what they are buying. It is the responsibility of a parent to raise their kids. It really is as simple as that.

    Before anyone says anything... No, I don't believe the solution is simple. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    The parents <b>should</b>, i can't help but agree with you there. But my parents rarely gave a crap what i played when i was younger, and in no way would class them as bad parents. Far far far far from it.

    The thing is, if a kid wants a game / movie / cd badly enough, he will get it, somehow. If the parents of aformentioned kid find out about the offending thing and stop him from buying it, he'll buy it behind their back. I know, i've done it myself. But a classification system bound by law DOES stop it from happening. Or at the very least, makes it excessively difficult. It's more a failsafe, if anything. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Notice how you did not grow up violent (at least I hope not <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> )

    But see the thing is violence is seen everyday, movies, tv shows, video games ect.


    But are they to blame for todays problems? Personally I think its an individual problem with the person not the game. I've read alot of text that has caused me to want to "kill" someone/thing but I never actually go out and do it.
  • ShadowlinexShadowlinex Join Date: 2003-08-07 Member: 19144Members
    UZI well put bingo right on the head of the nail! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • ParasiteParasite Join Date: 2002-04-13 Member: 431Members
    The problem is we dont value personal responsibility anymore...we put responsibility into the hands of government and lawyers, and assume every accident has some monitary value. We take full individual credit when our actions are helpful, yet we find a scapegoat if our actions are harmful and seek monitary damages. Society (being parents and peers) reinforces this idea, ie, when you get good grades its bacause <i>you</i> tried your best and <i>you</i> acheived a noble goal, yet when you yell at your younger brother at a family gathering, its bacause you "drink to much soda" or "play to many video games" as though negative actions can only come about by outside influence while good actions come from within? What a crock of ****. You are fully responsible for any and every action you take. There is no scapegoat, only mental imbalance, wich is another issue entirely.

    Look at the numbers, if 100 million people play games, and 2 of them kill thier classmates, is games really having a violent impact on the minds of an entire generation? If so why did only .0002% of those kids commit a violent act? Because they were imbalanced to begin with...and you still couldnt convince me that games were the cause of the violence.Obviously there is a age appropriate content, and obviously you cant raise a productive child by plopping them in front of a TV 24/7, but TV and games are not and never were meant to be babysitters or educators...they are meant for entertainment and nothing else.

    We congratulate the chef if he makes a fine steak, but the chef will blame the butcher if he undercooks the meat... I dont understand where this erosin of values began, but its completely out of control. You are your own person...you are your actions, your actions are <i>not</i> the work of outside influences. They are your own. Scapegoating is killing this country.
  • ShloomShloom Join Date: 2002-07-25 Member: 997Members
    I'v been playing violent video games since before I went into kindergarden. I am VERY far from being a violent person if you talk to my friends they will probably say I'm one of the most mellow people they know. Games don't cause violence and there is no need to keep them from small children.
  • ParasiteParasite Join Date: 2002-04-13 Member: 431Members
    edited January 2004
    I disagree with that, I think there is such a thing as age appropriate content. My 5 year old would not be playing Postal2. Its not that I beleive my child would turn violent, just a parental descision. I beleive there is a time in a childs life where they should learn about certian things...usually, when they ask about it...they are ready to learn about it. I think that the sooner you learn about the harsh realities of the world, the sooner you lose a certian aspect of childhood. I would want my kid to be a kid for as long as they could.
  • esunaesuna Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--Parasite+Jan 7 2004, 04:09 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Parasite @ Jan 7 2004, 04:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I disagree with that, I think there is such a thing as age appropriate content. My 5 year old would not be playing Postal2. Its not that I beleive my child would turn violent, just a parental descision. I beleive there is a time in a childs life where they should learn about certian things...usually, when they ask about it...they are ready to learn about it. I think that the sooner you learn about the harsh realities of the world, the sooner you lose a certian aspect of childhood. I would want my kid to be a kid for as long as they could. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Since you're a parent, and you're obviously willing enough and interested enough in video games to know which ones are or aren't suitable for kids, do you oppose or support Washington State's decision, or would you support a harsher, legal age limit for games?
  • ParasiteParasite Join Date: 2002-04-13 Member: 431Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--esuna+Jan 7 2004, 02:14 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (esuna @ Jan 7 2004, 02:14 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Parasite+Jan 7 2004, 04:09 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Parasite @ Jan 7 2004, 04:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I disagree with that, I think there is such a thing as age appropriate content. My 5 year old would not be playing Postal2. Its not that I beleive my child would turn violent, just a parental descision. I beleive there is a time in a childs life where they should learn about certian things...usually, when they ask about it...they are ready to learn about it. I think that the sooner you learn about the harsh realities of the world, the sooner you lose a certian aspect of childhood. I would want my kid to be a kid for as long as they could. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Since you're a parent, and you're obviously willing enough and interested enough in video games to know which ones are or aren't suitable for kids, do you oppose or support Washington State's decision, or would you support a harsher, legal age limit for games? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Not a parent, I was speaking hypothetically. Sorry <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->

    Lol, I barely even realised that this is about a law in Washington, I guess I ignored it as a passing comment because theres no link or supporting evidence...I'd have to read more about it.

    Thats like saying "They kill pigeons in Germany, what do you think about that?", theres just not enough information for me to draw any kind of conclusion or form an opinion. My comments were based off the discussion that followed the origional post.
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    edited January 2004
    US homicide statistics over the past 50 years:

    <a href='http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/hmrt.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/hmrt.htm</a>

    Notice how the rates were highest in 1980, the dawn of video games sales. Note that from 1990 to 2000 (where video game sales exploded to become a huge market force), homicides decline to almost a 50 year low. Still think they're related, or that violent behavior more likely matches economic conditions?

    edit: clarified my monkey-typing
  • UZiUZi Eight inches of C4 between the legs. Join Date: 2003-02-20 Member: 13767Members
    edited January 2004
    <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
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