Darth Wong wrote:Don't oversimplify their argument. They're saying that violent games and movies "desensitize" people to violence, and they have an assload of experiments and statistics to prove it.
I'm pretty sure that if i saw someone get shot I'd do something like be sick or faint, despite playing computer games... So much for desensitization to violence from computer games.
You would have to be insane to not be able to separate reality from computer games considering current gaming technology. Now with the equivalent of holodecks, then there is the possibiliy that this type of confusion would occur.
I've played violent games and watched violent movies since before i could talk. Did it desensitize me? No. The Troubles in Ireland did that me. Seeing a guy shot in a movie or game is nothing like seeing some one standing meside you go down with a gaping hole in his chest.
As I wrote to the guy in question (still no response), it's not movies, or TV, Comics or music that resualted in my trauma. I had my face smashed by a violent drunk stepdad. I have seen someone shot, I have been shot at. I have smelled the fear on a dog as it was dying from being hit by a car, and then flinched as his owner put him down.
The scariest folk song lyrics are "My Boy Grew up to be just like me" from cats in the cradle by Harry Chapin
Lord Pounder wrote:I've played violent games and watched violent movies since before i could talk. Did it desensitize me? No. The Troubles in Ireland did that me. Seeing a guy shot in a movie or game is nothing like seeing some one standing meside you go down with a gaping hole in his chest.
No, but it could arguably be considered similar to shooting somebody with a rifle from a distance. Countless hours playing videogames does arguably desensitize you to the visual effect of somebody getting shot. As I said before, that's why the key point is that desensitization is not equivalent to incitement.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
The problem with the 'games make you violent' theory is lack of study on the effects of desensitization.
Also, that the major players of video games are teen-agers doesn't help. Most teenagers are aggressive by nature. Hell, by 'design', so to speak.
I do agree with people saying it's the parents letting there kids buy violent games and not checking them out.
For example, anyone remember 'Commander Keen' and 'Wolfienstien'
Commander Keen; kid on a pogo stick with a STUN gun. 2-D, kinda funny
Wolfienstien: First serious 3-D game, blast the nazies, minimum blood and gore
thos are fairly fine for a kid. Wolf's graphics keep it low.
Compare them to 'Redneck Rampage'
I think the best thing would be to tone down graphics a little (do we really need to see a man's head explode) in games marketed for teen's (password protect the better graphics for adults and psyho's like us all, at least it's an attempt), and maybe move from stuff on Earth to fantasy and Sci-fi
The problem is marketing it for teens, then slapping a "Mature" rating on it.
But then MechWarrior II: Mercenaries was rated "M" when it came out. I saw it in a bargain bin the other day for $10. And rated E :p
That's the wrong way to tickle Mary, that's the wrong way to kiss!
Don't you know that, over here lad, they like it best like this!
Hooray, pour les français! Farewell, Angleterre!
We didn't know how to tickle Mary, but we learnt how, over there!
