Does Gaming Kill?

[Always Hope]

Hello,



Do you think that gaming is causing more violence? More and more violent games are been sold now and some like grand theft auto really do advertise violence. Do you think gaming is killing? If you do can you think of a way to stop it? I myself play games like that but I do think that it does encourage violence to some people. They want to be like the game character so they start fighting and so on. One way to stop it a bit would be to make a violent game have a notice at the start telling them to leave the actions in the game, in the game and show what happens if they don't leave it in the game(prison). So what is your verdict?



Thanks.

 

[Evil Eye]

I agree with Smooth, because I'm biased and hate it when people complain about violence in games

 

[Cranos]

There is violence everywhere. In the news, on tv, in videogames, in music, etc. Can it have an influence on mentally unstable people? No doubt, but there's no reason to put the blame on videogames or any other type of media. The person committed the crime, not the videogame.



Besides, that reason is mostly used in the US where there are a lot of shootings. Yet in other countries where people play the same game, there are a lot less acts of violence. Maybe there's another reason, hmm?

 

[Cranos]

What gave you this idea?

Isn't it quite obvious? I follow the news. There's no need to deny it, just look at any crime statistics that involve shootings. It's ridiculous to blame anything on videogames when there are a lot more influencial factors present.

 

[Cranos]

It's not obvious to me at all, actually. Posting something other than your opinion about it would be a start to me understanding where you're coming from. Say, a news source, possibly.

This isn't the first time I've seen you talk down about the US. You seem to have a very low opinion of my country.

That's not true actually, I've talked down about the republicans, not the US. (unless you see not loving as talking down? :s) I don't have a very low opinion of your country at all, in fact it's very high on the list of countries I want to visit. But, crime rate that involves shootings is higher in the US than in most countries. It's a fact rather than an opinion, also I have not blamed anything or anyone for it.



A quick search on google gave me this: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect01.html

It seems like a source you would accept to be true. If not, google is only a click away.



Let me quote some stuff from that page:

The impact of gun violence is especially pronounced among juveniles and adolescents. The firearm homicide rate for children under 15 years of age is 16 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. Among those ages 15 to 24, the U.S. firearm homicide rate is 5times higher than in neighboring Canada and 30times higher than in Japan

Here is another one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6562529.stm



Or you can just look at all the school shootings in the last 20 years...



I also have to apologize, by acts of violence I meant fatal incidents you hear of worldwide, not your ordinary bar fight.

 

[Bluezone777]

Violent video games don't make people violent. Violent video games make violent people more creative. That's the way I always looked at it. If parents don't like their children playing these games then they should start doing their job as a parent instead of asking the government to do it for them. It's really that simple.

 

[StevenF50]

It's not obvious to me at all, actually. Posting something other than your opinion about it would be a start to me understanding where you're coming from. Say, a news source, possibly.

This isn't the first time I've seen you talk down about the US. You seem to have a very low opinion of my country.

Calm down guys. It is a debate remember, a friendly argument

 

[MrMetroid]

In a word, no. I think people that think so have pretty stupid arguments when they say their reasons, that is if they actually have a valid reason

 

[Dennis]

Like some of the members above me mentioned, i doubt video game spurs violence. The isolated cases attributed to too much video games were due to fanatics and irrational kids taking things too far. In every case scenario there are people who take something too far, and in my opinion, video games don't directly or indirectly spur violence.

 

[Kahnai]

I have played violent video games since I was a kid. Grand Theft Auto being one of my favorites, and fable where you can kill even innocent citizens. Despite this I in no way think I am a violent person.



So I say no, it's like many others have stated it's how you were raised. (At least my opinion is it's how you were raised).

 

[Temerit]

No.

 

[Dorith]

As for my own personal views on this matter, I don't believe violent video games make you more violent. If a person can't tell the difference between a video game and real life, then they have issues. I also don't understand why all the hate is on video games, there are so many other forms of media that attribute to violence as well, yet video games are the ones that everyone is pointing fingers to.

 

[McConnaughay]

Common sense would tell you to leave the action in the game, if you're willing to try to chop someone in half with a lancer, or go through the stages of Hell to save Beatrice than you had problems far before you put the game in your console.

 

[Sinon]

They can be triggers, depending on the mental stability of the person/s in question. Anything can trigger an outburst, and some cases do involve videogames in a large way. An example would be Gabriel Kuhn (NOT SAFE FOR WORK. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Also if you don't like gruesome imagery, DO NOT OPEN THIS LINK. who was murdered and hacked to pieces by a 16 year old because he didn't return some in-game currency on an MMO. Or how about Stefan Pakeerah who was killed in a copycat murder that was originally enacted in the videogame Manhunt.



As you can see, they can trigger violence. But so can any media.

 

[DrLeftover]

I'll have to agree with T on this one.

 

[vodka-wow.com]

People do commit suicide over games.

 

[Evil Eye]

People do commit suicide over games.

True... but that's not exactly limited to games.