gaming Do you believe violent video games are linked to violent acts?

[DR Leper Lupinstein 410]

i played the goriest games out there, watched some messed up movies, and even grew up in a broken home cuz of my dad. but i didn't run into school shotting kids up and stuff. statistically, i should be either in prison, in a looney bin, or dead on the sidewalk, but i'm not! because my mom and STEPfather actually took time to teach me right and wrong. something parents don't do anymore, they just put their kids on meds and hope they'll be okay. until their kids become evil brats or worse, butcher their school and then they wonder what went wrong. maybe, parents should start actually taking the time to teach children how to exercise self-discipline rather than doping them and just elaving them to themselves.  

[Fridge 382]

The short answer is no.

 

But to expand a bit on that;

 

We're just the latest medium in a string that have been used as a scapegoat to shift the blame away from our societies inability to spot and look after those that are 'unwell'. Before this is was tv and movies, before that it was comic books, before that it was radio etc.

 

If violent video games caused violence surely there would be many many many more shootings, stabbings and beatings. Also take into account that people doing this past time is on the rise. So yeah when they go search a shooters bedroom they may well find a console. Ad games there.

 

As for the figures usually spouted by politicians when it comes to stuff like this etc. a great example of how they can be twisted is this:

 

Last year the amount of crime caused by non-UK residents in London rose by around 25%.

 

Ok that makes it sound like a quarter of all Non-UK residents in London are committing crimes, until you hear this pair of statistics;

 

Last year the population of Non-UK residents in London rose by around 25%

Last year crime within London rose by 34%.

 

Suddenly it doesn't sound like a quarter of people coming in the country are on the rob.

 

I may have drifted off topic there but I hope people get what I mean.

 

And as for Obama's investigation into violence and video games... Well hasn't that been done, by several independent studies with no conclusive results over the course of about 10 years?

[hawkflame 3,310]

I think that it's possible that violent video games might *desensitize* people to real violence, but to say that it causes it is way too big a leap for me to make. 

 

Anyway, there ahve been complaints about video game violence for 20 years, at least since the first Mortal Kombat.  Somehow society is still intact.

[HallowsEve 52]

No, I don't think that violent video games are linked to violent acts. I personally think that it is just an excuse. If they were playing video games, then something else would have been blamed instead. Not only that, but they most likely would have made the same decisions whether or not they played the games. I just think that blaming video games for the actions of a select few is ridiculous. If it really did influence people into doing violent acts then there would be quite a few more shootings than there have been.

[featheredone 56]

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Edited June 13, 2022 by featheredone

[Appetite4Democracy 452]

No. Video Games don't cause violence.

 

The Columbine shooting was caused by bullying. Violence is the main cause of violence.

[Just some guy 1,070]

No.Video games are likely to be the cause of violence as guns are.

 

It's not the object that kills people,it's the man that kills people.Blaming the deaths of people around a video game or movie or any sort of object or piece of entertainment that has violence is ignorant.As much as society doesn't want to believe it,people will kill without remorse or thought for no damn good reason.Blaming it on other things just gives them a scapegoat to vent at so they can go "No,a human wouldn't do that!It's clearly this thing that influenced them to do it,it must be the creator's fault!".

[Rainbow Dash 1,472]

Whenever i hear a politician bring this argument up i say "ladies and gentlemen give it up for so-and-so" in a sarcastic manner. Saying violent video games leads to violence is like calling people incapable of thinking. In reality most people who go on a shooting rampage either suffer from deep psychological issues that have been overlooked or under treated or are in the middle of a mental breakdown. The fact they played a violent video game is irrelevant  mostly because they are the most played or famous for the time. the only time when this argument could hold any validity is if the person was a confirmed mental patient or someone who is known from suffering from a deep mental disease but even then there would be little to no blame to the video game. It all boils down to the fact that people use violent video games as a scape goat when they have no logical evidence. my opinion though sorry if it offends

[Nim 28]

I think video games have nothing to do with the violent acts of others. Sure, people who usually do commit these acts play video games. But blaming video games for their actions is like blaming food for obesity. 

[Commander Urdnot 2,680]

People blame the games because it's much easier to blame the games than to stand up and take responsibility for their actions. Video games are a scapegoat.

 

I've been playing violent games my entire life, and I wouldn't even dream of hurting anybody. Violent video games aren't responsible for violent acts; violent people are.

Edited February 1, 2013 by UrdiePie

[Quiles 77]

No. Not in the slightest, and anyone who tries to claim otherwise is telling complete crap.

The number of scholars who claim to know of a link, then proceed to miscite studies and make up information is incredible, I have yet to see legitimate science showing this at all.