I think some games like Manhunt should be banned

[FlutePlayer]

Manhunt
I think this Manhunt game should be banned. It's just going to desensitize people into being killers. Just as the First Amendment prohibits people from shouting fire in a theater when there is no fire, I think it should prohibit "games" like Manhunt. There's a book called Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill written by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Gloria DeGaetano that tells how game manufactures make violent games and get kids to like violence and killing.

 

[DKSuddeth]

welcome to the boards fluteplayer.

I've been playing video games for half of my life, violent ones even, and I've not killed anyone yet. This is a crock of a reason to excuse inappropriate behavior and attempt to avoid responsibility for your own actions.

 

[FlutePlayer]

Why is it that game manufacturers who make violent games condone violence against others? It's because they're desensitized. They then design desensitizing games. Why don't they design games that encourage the player to solve problems with nonviolent means? Looks to me like they want players to be violent.

 

[DKSuddeth]

game designers are going to make games that make money, not to force an anarchist viewpoint on an unsuspecting populace.

There are plenty of non-violent puzzle solving games out there. The violent ones sell because thats what these people want. Personally, I'm glad their behind a keyboard fantasizing about all the murder and mayhem instead of out on the streets actually doing it.

 

[FlutePlayer]

Why would people want to purchase violent games? What's wrong with nonviolent games? Sooner or later, people who play games like Manhunt are going to do real killings.

 

[5stringJeff]

FlutePlayer,

If you don't want to play the violent video games you rail against, don't buy them. If you don't want your kids playing them, don't buy them. But don't force me to conform to your video game preferences. I play games like Delta Force, American Conquest, Medal of Honor, etc. that all involve killing of some sorts. I have yet to kill, maim, or even hit anyone because of it.

 

[Dan]

The whole "violent games/movies/music/etc. make violent people" argument is a cop-out, in my opinion. Anybody who claims any form of art or entertainment inspired them to kill is lying, the seed had to have already been planted for them. Basically, they're just looking for a way to excuse their actions. The people who support these types simply don't want to accept that violent human behavior can't be simplified to a single game or movie.

The guy who shot Lennon (can't remember his name) claimed Catcher in the Rye inspired him. Not a single death or even reference to death in that book. Charles Manson said the Beatles' "Helter Skelter" was a big inspiration to him in his acts. We shouldn't have to pander to the very small percentage of people in this world who are looking for an excuse to be violent and stupid.

As for non-violent games, Splinter Cell, one of the X-Box's most popular games encourages players to figure out non-violent means of solving the problems presented in the game. Of course, you can still just go on a kill-crazy rampage, but you won't win. The #1 game for Gamecube right now is Mario Kart, a very cartoony, very G-rated racing game. One of Playstation 2's most popular series is the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, where you skateboard, and the only violence is maybe a little blood if you fall really hard.

But, I agree with DK, the gaming companies are not making violent games because they want to promote violence, they make them because they sell, and it's a business, and business is all about making the $$$.

 

[5stringJeff]

Originally posted by evilarnold
Hopefully my avatar doe's not make me kill my momma!

Don't say that!! I've been trying to become a rap star for years, and this avatar was my last hope!

 

[Moi]

As much as I agree that the types of violent games, tv shows, news broadcasts etc. do, in fact, make people less sensitive to violence I still don't think banning them is the answer.

There are many people who watch/play them and don't become murders and there are many indications that those who watch/play with them do become more violent. It seems to me that the people who are violent also come from violent families who allow them to play/watch this crap. Isn't their family history as significant?

So which came first- their prediliction to violence (and thus their choice in movies/games) or the games/movies themselves? I don't know the answer.

I don't play violent games, don't watch violent tv nor watch a lot of violent movies. Heck, I don't even watch the news regularly because I just don't like so much violence and pain in my face...it does change my mood. But I'm against the government banning of most everything.

 

[Dan]

Humans in general are violent creatures, there's no escaping it, it's right there in the history books. We are a species that kills to get what it wants on a regular basis and have done so for many many years.

 

[the_hizands]

Folks, society is undergoing evolution. That is why all legacy institutions such as government and religion are under such scrutiny and these legacy beliefs will end up crumbling but will be reborn from the ashes as a -cohesive- and -plausible- conscious.

Look, fingers get pointed -instantly- at what surrounds a kid whenever a negative act is performed. Chris Rock said it best when he said, regarding Columbine "everyone pointed fingers at the music, what they were listening to, what games they were playing, whatever happened to CRAZY!?". Bill Hicks stated "People say "oh what a tragedy, he did acid and jumped off a roof cus he thought he could fly. What a moron! if you want to fly, try from the ground first. No great loss, he was an idiot."

When it comes to kids, teach them common sense. Plain and Simple. Gee, should I take this hammer and embed it in my friends skull cus I saw a colored cartoon who can't die did it?

Creativity -can- be cradled in reality.

Video games provide a great means to build hand/eye coordination, and nowadays they've evolved wonderfully into these rich landscapes with wonderful music, and such incredibly creative variants of subject and content matter.

Some say that each generation that passes is of less quality than the previous.

No! Each generation that passes learns from the mistakes of the previous, thus opening eyes further to oodles of inherent hypocrisies, especially in western culture. What is this? It's evolution, our generation is evolving from a one source for "news" to independent media sources who aren't fueled by cash or how many view it, but fueled by truth.

I believe the one renaissance that will arise from this is our nation will stand up from the recliner, enjoy the weather, ride a bike, play poker with friends, go to concerts, and not expect the tv to babysit their kids

Evolve and teach kids common sense. Play games and have a good time but remember that an artist lives inside every one of us, just free it. if not once. your life will be fulfilled and your days will be brighter.

Thank you for reading, I am pleased to have stumbled onto this board.

 

[DKSuddeth]

well said, and welcome to the board.

 

[5stringJeff]

A fellow Washingtonian!!! Right on! Welcome hizands!

 

[the_hizands]

What a trip, I'm from Puyallup, lived there until I was 18!

 

[5stringJeff]

Too cool! I actually just moved here a few months ago. We first lived Gig Harbor - moved here when I was 15 - and I've lived in Tacoma and Edgewood as well. I do enjoy Puyallup, although the traffic still sucks!

 

[r3volut!on]

wow, I have to say that Hizands post was the best one I've read all day. Thank you for bringing that to us

The first mass-market home video game consoles came out when I was in grade school, and I've been playing video games ever since then. I've always been drawn toward the more violent games, though I'm not sure why that is. It's fun. I especially enjoy first person shooters with military themes.

I've also watched many violent movies - some of my favorite movies are mob movies like Goodfellas, Scarface, and the Godfather Trilogy. I also really enjoy the violent, bloody military-themed movies like Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket.

To this day I've never had any desire to kill. I've never even so much as punched another person. I've never been in a fight and I've never done anything violent to anyone. I'm an anti-war, anti-violence, "bleeding-heart" liberal, through and through.

What this proves to me is that violent behavior does not come from our various media platforms. It's a combination of genetics and upbringing.

It is woefully indicative of American culture to go around pointing fingers at everyone/everything else for our problems. We all need to start looking at ourselves a little more closely than that.

 

[bushin04]

yeah but we're not a book burning, or video game burning country. if we're gonna force people to not get what they want because we think it's bad for them, then we should also ban books like Catcher in the Rye and The Bible

 

[MtnBiker]

Originally posted by r3volut!on

It is woefully indicative of American culture to go around pointing fingers at everyone/everything else for our problems. We all need to start looking at ourselves a little more closely than that.

Well said, I believe you could use that point for many circumstances beyond video games. Self-reliance

 

[Director of FIA]

Of course Manhunt should be banned. So should Grand Theft Auto "games" and Ethnic Cleansing (a "game" in which the player assumes the role of a KKK person or skinhead) and goes around killing African-Americans, Latinos, and Jews. In fact I think all "games" that promote killing should be banned. "Games" that promote killing are nothing more than poison. They desensitize players and condition them to like killing and to be violent. An example is the board"game" BattleTech - the makers of that game condition players to be violent - BattleTech is a sci-fi war"game". The "designers" of it brag how they're "violent people".

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by Director of FIA
Of course Manhunt should be banned. So should Grand Theft Auto "games" and Ethnic Cleansing (a "game" in which the player assumes the role of a KKK person or skinhead) and goes around killing African-Americans, Latinos, and Jews. In fact I think all "games" that promote killing should be banned. "Games" that promote killing are nothing more than poison. They desensitize players and condition them to like killing and to be violent. An example is the board"game" BattleTech - the makers of that game condition players to be violent - BattleTech is a sci-fi war"game". The "designers" of it brag how they're "violent people".

Can you point me in the direction of where I can find this ethnic cleansing game, that sounds great!