Ban or Censor Video Games, Not Guns?

[Foxfyre]

Kids are not walking into stores purchasing video games rated Mature, the store won't sell them to minors. It starts with the parents. They are the ones buying this stuff. Maybe they buy it for themselves then let their kids play it as well? I don't know. But I do know that many, many parents today seem to think absolutely nothing of letting their kid have a cell phone at age 7, an iphone or android with internet access at age 12, tv in the kid's room, computer with internet access in kid's room, Playstations and Xboxes in kid's room. Really? That's like opening your front door and saying 'come on in world and have at it'. I simply don't understand giving a child that much freedom at such a young age.

If the demand for these games/shows goes down and demand for better, less violent/graphic goes up that's when the makers will change what they produce. Unfortunately I don't see that happening anytime soon. The genie may indeed be permanently out of the bottle.

No quarrel with any of that. But cultural pressures can change the culture. When I was a young adult, all the cool people smoked cigarettes. Ash trays were as common in almost every home as coasters on the end tables. It took awhile but gradually places where people could smoke became less and less. In the airport, it was almost funny the poor smokers huddled around the one ash can in the one designated smoking area, or the smokers were assigned a distant area of the restaurant. And then even those designated areas disappeared. It was no longer 'cool' to smoke and it was especially unacceptable to do it around children. Advertisements for tobacco products disappeared from television and in magazines. The remaining smokers, all good people mostly, are all mostly trying to or contemplating quitting. That's what social/cultural pressure can do.

We didn't become a society tolerant of gratuitous sex, violence, and profanity overnight either. It happened drip by drip, pushing the envelope a little until people got accustomed to it, and then a little more, and then a little more until now almost anything goes. That's what social/cultural pressure can do too.

And when enough of us get enough of it, I don't see why we can't start pushing back the other way.

Cultural pressure didn't change the views on smoking, government did. Government decided that since smoking is bad but too many people smoked they must come to the rescue! so they pushed for getting rid of smoking. Government said no more smoke ads, government said no more smoking here then there and nearly everywhere. As it disappeared from places due to being banned then it lost its appeal. Movies also stopped including it so massively, although not completely, which also influenced people. I don't want government butting in with video games and movies because they think it's 'not good' for us; that's not uncle's job. We as individuals and as a society have to make the choices ourselves to reject these types of things or not.

I quite enjoy Dexter and Shameless and choose to watch them; I also choose to take advantage of the parental controls offered by our cable provider and keep those types of shows (and others) out of reach of my two youngest. We can push back but it has to start at home, imo. I don't know that most parents want to be bothered or go to the trouble of pushing back. Very sad.

Government didn't deal with smoking in a vacuum. Had there been a large hue and cry against regulations on smoking, government would have been backed off. In our system of government, government can only do to the people what the people allow it to do. Whining, griping, and letters to the editor aren't sufficient. When we continue to re-elect people who do whatever to us via laws and regulation, they actually do take that as license to keep doing it to us. And if people do not comply with the law, government doesn't enforce the law.

I point to illegal immigration as a case in point. With so many law breakers, government feels powerless to do anything about it so looks for ways to allow it.

I point to prohibiition as another case in point. The people wanting alcohol triggered so much violence in the 20's and 30's and government was so helpless to control it, much less stop it, that the government threw in the towel and repealed the law.

Therefore banning the video games or violent content in the media, movies, etc. is also not the answer. Changing the will of the public is. If the public doesn't want something different enough to make it happen, it won't happen. And if it isn't having a substantial negative effect on the public at large, there is no reason to even try to make it happen.

Paul, I know you believe that there is no difference in events like Sandy Hook, Columbine, etc. than has ever existed in our history. I will agree to disagree with you on that point. I am not focused on violent crime in general, but on a specific syndrome. I think the events in the last thirty years are quite different. But right now I'm trying to focus on first, the reason for it, and second, what can be done about it.

 

[PaulS1950]

The reason for it?
There is no reason to the disturbed mind that we can understand.
You MIGHT prevent some of these travasties with better health care but even the psychiatrist treating some of these people had no idea that they were capable of the savagery that they inflicted, so you won't be able to prevent the minds of these individuals from snapping. You can lessen the number of dead and wounded by keeping armed guards in the schools and allowing trained and licensed individuals to carry arms in "gun free zones" but the only way to prevent crime is to erase any kind of freedom at all.

 

[Circe]

I love video games and play them a lot. And my very favorite happens to be a game based on wiping out all the opposition. I'm not about to judge anybody for enjoying something I too enjoy.

But isn't there room to at least consider what these super violent games could be doing to some kids?

One of the things the schizo kids have in common is heavy use of violent video games. They know that; the investigators always look for it. Like torturing animals being a marker for the childhood of a serial killer, the young rampage shooters nearly always play these games for hours and hours.

I just started rereading the Willian Landay novel "Defending Jacob" in which a District Attorney doesn't believe his son killed someone at school, and goes on not believing it for years. The reader begins to wonder pretty soon, though, and I noticed that the kid plays a lot of violent video games for long periods. The author knew how to worry us ---

 

[Circe]

Government didn't deal with smoking in a vacuum. Had there been a large hue and cry against regulations on smoking, government would have been backed off. In our system of government, government can only do to the people what the people allow it to do. Whining, griping, and letters to the editor aren't sufficient. When we continue to re-elect people who do whatever to us via laws and regulation, they actually do take that as license to keep doing it to us. And if people do not comply with the law, government doesn't enforce the law.

I point to illegal immigration as a case in point. With so many law breakers, government feels powerless to do anything about it so looks for ways to allow it.

I point to prohibiition as another case in point. The people wanting alcohol triggered so much violence in the 20's and 30's and government was so helpless to control it, much less stop it, that the government threw in the towel and repealed the law.

Therefore banning the video games or violent content in the media, movies, etc. is also not the answer. Changing the will of the public is. If the public doesn't want something different enough to make it happen, it won't happen. And if it isn't having a substantial negative effect on the public at large, there is no reason to even try to make it happen.

I find this a very interesting post, because I also have been thinking this way, that there is only so much a government can do, for fear of being overthrown or simply ignored.

Suppose this government tried confiscation of every assault rifle: I would love this, in theory, but I believe it would result in revolution and the split up of the country. We are on the edge anyway. I think we are on the edge of collapse as a nation periodically, and one time, of course, it happened. I hadn't thought of Prohibition crime as one of those times, but now I think it was. The Vietnam War protests were very dangerous, I realize now -- that's why they bribed young people to go sit down and shut up by ending the draft.

I have long known people who can't stop something, but they want to seem to be in control, so they "permit" it! Wow. You are saying this is happening with illegal immigration -- the government has to find a way to say it's okay for Mexico to move north, because they simply cannot stop it. The same with these assault rifles, I suppose. I know the government may be powerless to stop all these rampage killings, and little by little we may well move into a culture like Mexico -- where everyone ignores a powerless government and constantly beheads and machine guns everyone else. After all, there are more countries like that than there are civilized countries, certainly in this hemisphere.
We are the outliers: it's the extremely violent and murderous societies that are the norm.

 

[MDiver]

I've been playing violent video games for years and still have no desire to run amok and attack malls, theaters, schools, restaurants or other public places. It's just fictional entertainment.
Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

 

[Circe]

Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

They are in an extreme minority, so far, but rampage shooting is a syndrome with certain typical features, and one of them is indeed heavy violent video game playing.

What young people train to do, they may well go on doing. I remember parents long ago who gave their little daughter ballet lessons for nine years. Then she decided to move to New York and join the New York Ballet. They were horrified --- they had wanted her to be a doctor or lawyer.

Silly them, right? She had a major trained skill, and she intended to use it.

I think that can happen with hate-filled kids who want to get back at people: they've trained much of their lives with these video game assault rifle-type weapons, and so --- that's how they decide to do it! They know how, they've trained.

But I agree with you that there is no reason to suppose most of us, me included, will use our game training this way.........................

Though it would probably come in handy if there were a home intruder. Hey, couldn't hurt, right?

 

[PaulS1950]

They are in an extreme minority, so far, but rampage shooting is a syndrome with certain typical features, and one of them is indeed heavy violent video game playing.

What young people train to do, they may well go on doing. I remember parents long ago who gave their little daughter ballet lessons for nine years. Then she decided to move to New York and join the New York Ballet. They were horrified --- they had wanted her to be a doctor or lawyer.

Silly them, right? She had a major trained skill, and she intended to use it.

I think that can happen with hate-filled kids who want to get back at people: they've trained much of their lives with these video game assault rifle-type weapons, and so --- that's how they decide to do it! They know how, they've trained.

But I agree with you that there is no reason to suppose most of us, me included, will use our game training this way.........................

Though it would probably come in handy if there were a home intruder. Hey, couldn't hurt, right?

The facts don't bear out your perception of what is happening.
For the last 50 years (more actually) the number of mass murders have not increased. as a matter of fact 2012 was a low year statistically speaking with fewer than normal dead due to mass murders.
Since the introduction of violent video games the incidence of violent crime amoung the 10 - 18 year olds has dropped steadily.

There is simply no evidence that people learn anything violent from these games. On the contrary, if the statistics tell us anything it is that these video games are lowering the violent crime rate of the players. No, I don't subscribe to that belief but the facts point to that if we don't know what other factors are involved (and we don't). Even if the games did trigger some kids to criminally act out you have no power to suspend the first amendment to enact a ban on them. You can't punish people without a trial and a conviction. This is the USA and those are the rights we have and hold most dear.

 

[beagle9]

They are in an extreme minority, so far, but rampage shooting is a syndrome with certain typical features, and one of them is indeed heavy violent video game playing.

What young people train to do, they may well go on doing. I remember parents long ago who gave their little daughter ballet lessons for nine years. Then she decided to move to New York and join the New York Ballet. They were horrified --- they had wanted her to be a doctor or lawyer.

Silly them, right? She had a major trained skill, and she intended to use it.

I think that can happen with hate-filled kids who want to get back at people: they've trained much of their lives with these video game assault rifle-type weapons, and so --- that's how they decide to do it! They know how, they've trained.

But I agree with you that there is no reason to suppose most of us, me included, will use our game training this way.........................

Though it would probably come in handy if there were a home intruder. Hey, couldn't hurt, right?

The facts don't bear out your perception of what is happening.
For the last 50 years (more actually) the number of mass murders have not increased. as a matter of fact 2012 was a low year statistically speaking with fewer than normal dead due to mass murders.
Since the introduction of violent video games the incidence of violent crime amoung the 10 - 18 year olds has dropped steadily.

There is simply no evidence that people learn anything violent from these games. On the contrary, if the statistics tell us anything it is that these video games are lowering the violent crime rate of the players. No, I don't subscribe to that belief but the facts point to that if we don't know what other factors are involved (and we don't). Even if the games did trigger some kids to criminally act out you have no power to suspend the first amendment to enact a ban on them. You can't punish people without a trial and a conviction. This is the USA and those are the rights we have and hold most dear.

So stick our heads in the sand and forget about it eh ? NOT!!!!!! The signature on the crimes has changed, and so have the players involved, where as we have an up take in a certain heinous acts being committed in America lately, where as it involves specifics and also analytical evidence in which gives us a trail back to the sources involved. Sad thing is, is that the source or multiple sources have a way of throwing everyone off their trail, and this for many reasons and excuses that are used and/or is given by these indirect players who are involved. This is why I quickly came out against these players or possible culprits early on, and warned that the trails will become cold quickly in confusion there of afterwards, because this is the signature of the crimes, where as it is quickly grouped in with everything that it isn't or has nothing to do with, just so the act, and those who are some of the indirect culprits as pertaining to these acts, can then somehow live on for another day of action, while we are still sitting here in confusion, and therefore scratching our heads within the word "Duh", and living in disbelief afterwards.

No one wants to ban anything, but rather change the extreme violent messaging that is going on within these things, and maybe get back to a time when the messaging was more peaceful in the promotion of, while still remaining challenging, fun and exciting all at the same time.

Lets look at comedy as another area that has disintegrated over time now, and how the comedians of today don't think that they can be funny, unless they are as disgusting (i.e. Bill Mare and others), as they happily can be, and cursing all the time etc. but then think back a ways about a Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Clower, and many others who did not curse or become disgusting in their message or messaging, and how they made people laugh until they cried. Now why can't these comedians of today do the same?

To Barney for them maybe? The desensitizing of todays America has shown to be a very dangerous ordeal for many, but the trails quickly run cold when trying to get at the culprits or their messaging. Why is it that they are getting away with it like they are now ? Are their none who can stand and back it all up to a better time and/or change it into something better for America, or are we through in America finally ?

 

[beagle9]

Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

They are in an extreme minority, so far, but rampage shooting is a syndrome with certain typical features, and one of them is indeed heavy violent video game playing.

What young people train to do, they may well go on doing. I remember parents long ago who gave their little daughter ballet lessons for nine years. Then she decided to move to New York and join the New York Ballet. They were horrified --- they had wanted her to be a doctor or lawyer.

Silly them, right? She had a major trained skill, and she intended to use it.

I think that can happen with hate-filled kids who want to get back at people: they've trained much of their lives with these video game assault rifle-type weapons, and so --- that's how they decide to do it! They know how, they've trained.

But I agree with you that there is no reason to suppose most of us, me included, will use our game training this way.........................

Though it would probably come in handy if there were a home intruder. Hey, couldn't hurt, right?

A bad economy with messages of little to no hope for the young and/or their parents, is yet another piece of this multi-layered cake that is also causing some damage in society these days as well.

 

[beagle9]

I've been playing violent video games for years and still have no desire to run amok and attack malls, theaters, schools, restaurants or other public places. It's just fictional entertainment.
Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

Problem is, is that "abnormal" these days is on the rise, while "normal" is on the decline in society, and yes this is caused by multiple reasons being involved, but some reasons are right there in front of us, and they cannot be denied no matter how it is spun to suggest otherwise.

 

[Foxfyre]

I've been playing violent video games for years and still have no desire to run amok and attack malls, theaters, schools, restaurants or other public places. It's just fictional entertainment.
Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

Note to Paul: You have made an eloquent argument for your point of view and though I still disagree with you, I do respect that. I have read and thought about your posts.

To MDive: But the mentally unstable may be more susceptible to suggestion than the average person. Those exposed to religion may become religious fanatics. Those exposed to basket weaving may become compulsive basket weavers. But the theory is that those exposed to extreme repetitious violence in video games are being programmed to see mayhem as the way to achieve, to win, to be admired, to claim your moment of fame. And at some point they act it out.

 

[beagle9]

I've been playing violent video games for years and still have no desire to run amok and attack malls, theaters, schools, restaurants or other public places. It's just fictional entertainment.
Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

Note to Paul: You have made an eloquent argument for your point of view and though I still disagree with you, I do respect that. I have read and thought about your posts.

To MDive: But the mentally unstable may be more susceptible to suggestion than the average person. Those exposed to religion may become religious fanatics. Those exposed to basket weaving may become compulsive basket weavers. But the theory is that those exposed to extreme repetitious violence in video games are being programmed to see mayhem as the way to achieve, to win, to be admired, to claim your moment of fame. And at some point they act it out.

Even if they don't act it out or upon it, what kind of citizens are they becoming as fathers or mothers, brothers or sisters, daughters and sons, bread winners who are of decent character or not in America ? What are their values or virtues, their parenting ideals, visions or concepts down the line, and what will be their temporments after such bombardments of the cultural things we are finding exceptable more and more in today's societies ? What I am seeing all around us anymore, is not a very good thing at all, and these acts are confirming my suspicions as is being found in it all.

How does it feel to be living in a world that has changed so rapidly around you, that you as a person have become a mere stranger found within it now ? That's how I feel more and more these days, but the good thing is, is that I havn't that much farther to go in life, so it will be left to the newbies to somehow take heed, and then to get to where they need to be in their life, and this before it consumes them and their families totally.

 

[Foxfyre]

I've been playing violent video games for years and still have no desire to run amok and attack malls, theaters, schools, restaurants or other public places. It's just fictional entertainment.
Any individuals actually triggered to do such because of a software game, would have likely done so without the help of any game and they are in an extreme minority.
We need to stop considering penalizing the normal because of the acts of the very few abnormal.

Note to Paul: You have made an eloquent argument for your point of view and though I still disagree with you, I do respect that. I have read and thought about your posts.

To MDive: But the mentally unstable may be more susceptible to suggestion than the average person. Those exposed to religion may become religious fanatics. Those exposed to basket weaving may become compulsive basket weavers. But the theory is that those exposed to extreme repetitious violence in video games are being programmed to see mayhem as the way to achieve, to win, to be admired, to claim your moment of fame. And at some point they act it out.

Even if they don't act it out or upon it, what kind of citizens are they becoming as fathers or mothers, brothers or sisters, daughters and sons, bread winners who are of decent character or not in America ? What are their values or virtues, their parenting ideals, visions or concepts down the line, and what will be their temporments after such bombardments of the cultural things we are finding exceptable more and more in today's societies ? What I am seeing all around us anymore, is not a very good thing at all, and these acts are confirming my suspicions as is being found in it all.

How does it feel to be living in a world that has changed so rapidly around you, that you as a person have become a mere stranger found within it now ? That's how I feel more and more these days, but the good thing is, is that I havn't that much farther to go in life, so it will be left to the newbies to somehow take heed, and then to get to where they need to be in their life, and this before it consumes them and their families totally.

This speaks to my sub theme here about what sort of society we have become and whether that is preferable to the society we were. It certainly hasn't happened overnight. It happens by this one or that one pushing the envelope just a little, waiting for the gasps to subside, then pushing it a little more. As a result what would have been culturally offensive gratuitous sex, violence, vulgar language, etc. in a previous generation is accepted as the norm in this one.

Those who feel that it is normal tend to denigrate that earlier culture. And those who prefer that earlier culture tend to push back on the current one.

But all things considered, I think I can list more negatives as a result of our current culture than what I can find in the previous one. But I'm sure there are others who would disagree.

 

[beagle9]

Note to Paul: You have made an eloquent argument for your point of view and though I still disagree with you, I do respect that. I have read and thought about your posts.

To MDive: But the mentally unstable may be more susceptible to suggestion than the average person. Those exposed to religion may become religious fanatics. Those exposed to basket weaving may become compulsive basket weavers. But the theory is that those exposed to extreme repetitious violence in video games are being programmed to see mayhem as the way to achieve, to win, to be admired, to claim your moment of fame. And at some point they act it out.

Even if they don't act it out or upon it, what kind of citizens are they becoming as fathers or mothers, brothers or sisters, daughters and sons, bread winners who are of decent character or not in America ? What are their values or virtues, their parenting ideals, visions or concepts down the line, and what will be their temporments after such bombardments of the cultural things we are finding exceptable more and more in today's societies ? What I am seeing all around us anymore, is not a very good thing at all, and these acts are confirming my suspicions as is being found in it all.

How does it feel to be living in a world that has changed so rapidly around you, that you as a person have become a mere stranger found within it now ? That's how I feel more and more these days, but the good thing is, is that I havn't that much farther to go in life, so it will be left to the newbies to somehow take heed, and then to get to where they need to be in their life, and this before it consumes them and their families totally.

This speaks to my sub theme here about what sort of society we have become and whether that is preferable to the society we were. It certainly hasn't happened overnight. It happens by this one or that one pushing the envelope just a little, waiting for the gasps to subside, then pushing it a little more. As a result what would have been culturally offensive gratuitous sex, violence, vulgar language, etc. in a previous generation is accepted as the norm in this one.

Those who feel that it is normal tend to denigrate that earlier culture. And those who prefer that earlier culture tend to push back on the current one.

But all things considered, I think I can list more negatives as a result of our current culture than what I can find in the previous one. But I'm sure there are others who would disagree.

We are on the same page in this all the way...It all comes down to who is getting over us all, and then over on us all....I used to respect my elders/company owners and the boss big time everywhere I worked, as I was taught this way in my life, and I held them to a high standard when dealing with them, but more and more I began to see a side of them that I couldnot or didnot associate myself with anylonger, nor could I associate them to my values and expectations held of them in my life anylonger, so in this they had become strangers on to me & me on to them, but this is what they wanted anyways now that I see, and the same for the politicians as we have the same problems with them also..... Thanks

 

[Circe]

The facts don't bear out your perception of what is happening.
For the last 50 years (more actually) the number of mass murders have not increased. as a matter of fact 2012 was a low year statistically speaking with fewer than normal dead due to mass murders.
Since the introduction of violent video games the incidence of violent crime amoung the 10 - 18 year olds has dropped steadily.

I notice you assert this repeatedly but never cite statistics to back it up. I have seen a number of people who simply deny that any of this is happening, and that's your argument. I don't think you will find many people to agree with you. 2012 was a disaster year in rampage shootings and 2013 is continuing the copycat killings.

One thing I'd like to clear up is what is included in this terrible public problem: it's not just "mass" murders, however that is defined. (How many dead first-graders before it qualifies as a mass?) Not all of these stranger-killers succeed in making a high kill rate -- they may kill one or two or three.

The real differentiating characteristic is that it isn't personal --- they just want to kill people, any people. So if a high school student is bullied and goes after the bully with a 38, that isn't really a spree killing --- it's murder.

But the guy in Alabama holding the autistic kid in the bunker is a spree killer, even though he only killed the bus driver so far, as of this writing. He didn't care who he killed, he wanted two very young boys, any very young boys, as hostages (for some reason that isn't obvious). The second one he grabbed managed to get away.

The important thing in these killings is that the killers don't care who they kill, they just want to kill, kill, kill -- anyone would consider the Oregon mall killer a rampage killer, but he only actually killed two. But anytime someone comes into a mall and starts shooting shoppers with an AR-15, that's pretty scary. I don't think any of us would want it in a mall near us.

Probably spree or rampage shooting is the better descriptor than mass. They all WANT to make a large kill count, but only some of them succeed. And they are going after strangers: that's key.

 

[beagle9]

The facts don't bear out your perception of what is happening.
For the last 50 years (more actually) the number of mass murders have not increased. as a matter of fact 2012 was a low year statistically speaking with fewer than normal dead due to mass murders.
Since the introduction of violent video games the incidence of violent crime amoung the 10 - 18 year olds has dropped steadily.

I notice you assert this repeatedly but never cite statistics to back it up. I have seen a number of people who simply deny that any of this is happening, and that's your argument. I don't think you will find many people to agree with you. 2012 was a disaster year in rampage shootings and 2013 is continuing the copycat killings.

One thing I'd like to clear up is what is included in this terrible public problem: it's not just "mass" murders, however that is defined. (How many dead first-graders before it qualifies as a mass?) Not all of these stranger-killers succeed in making a high kill rate -- they may kill one or two or three.

The real differentiating characteristic is that it isn't personal --- they just want to kill people, any people. So if a high school student is bullied and goes after the bully with a 38, that isn't really a spree killing --- it's murder.

But the guy in Alabama holding the autistic kid in the bunker is a spree killer, even though he only killed the bus driver so far, as of this writing. He didn't care who he killed, he wanted two very young boys, any very young boys, as hostages (for some reason that isn't obvious). The second one he grabbed managed to get away.

The important thing in these killings is that the killers don't care who they kill, they just want to kill, kill, kill -- anyone would consider the Oregon mall killer a rampage killer, but he only actually killed two. But anytime someone comes into a mall and starts shooting shoppers with an AR-15, that's pretty scary. I don't think any of us would want it in a mall near us.

Probably spree or rampage shooting is the better descriptor than mass. They all WANT to make a large kill count, but only some of them succeed. And they are going after strangers: that's key.

Yes there is this fear by some who post here, that if they don't downplay it all somehow and in someway, then it will lead to a direct assault on the second amendment by a portion of the government as controlled by the left who is in charge for this term in which was re-elected, but I say if they would just be real and speak to the problem in an honest and open manor, the same results for them in which they desire will come, because the government is open to all suggestions when it comes to citizens (especially children) dying in these situations.

The main thing, is to be honest about it, and smart about it in an honest way in order to by pass the idiots who think they have to attack the second amendment or legal gun owners (who are no threat to no one but bad people) if they are placed in defense mode, where as all the feel good lefties whom knee jerk and act dumb about it all want to do, is to make their point somehow, and in someway in order to apear the smartest, and to stay ahead of the frey. This they do for fear of being left behind on the situation or accused as enablers in the situation if they are enablers, especially when the ax to these sorts of things finally falls in any direction it may fall in, or once an understanding is learned within the real deal of what is going on or has been allowed to go on all because of _______________________________________ ?

 

[Uncensored2008]

That is something new to consider. However in comic books the plot is constantly changing so you don't become fixated on a single scenario. And it requires using imagination and some creativity to have fun with a GI Joe so I see that as generally a healthy thing. The video games though--it is the same repetitious violence over and over and over as the player tries to hone his skills and get more and more proficient. I think the way that might affect the brain could be different.

That would true IF they play only a single game. I looked through my Steam library and was shocked to see 168 games (don't tell my wife!) These range from hardcore flight simulators like Flight Sim 2010 and KA-50, to racing sims like NFS and Dirt (1,2,3), to RTS games like command and conquer, Rise of Nations, Empire Earth, to the Total War games, to Hack & Slash like Torchlight, Diablo, Dungeon Siege, to real RPG like Skyrim and the Witcher, and of course the FPS games as well.

The point is, that most gamers have a WIDE variety of games, and I don't even get into the sports games, which add another whole realm.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Ban guns
Ban Hollywood violence
Ban antidepressants


It's all the same blame game.

If everyone is to blame then no one is at fault.

It's the age old dodge.

 

[PaulS1950]

Society evolves with each new generation. It is as we reach out teen years that we begin to question what we have been taught. We test it all and what still works we hang on to and what doesn't goes by the wayside. Clothes, music, moral standards, foods and everything in our lives is openly examined. It has been going on since the first teenager walked upright. It is a natural progession in most mamilian species but especially in primates. The young always seem to challenge the status quo.

 

[Foxfyre]

Society evolves with each new generation. It is as we reach out teen years that we begin to question what we have been taught. We test it all and what still works we hang on to and what doesn't goes by the wayside. Clothes, music, moral standards, foods and everything in our lives is openly examined. It has been going on since the first teenager walked upright. It is a natural progession in most mamilian species but especially in primates. The young always seem to challenge the status quo.

The young have always pushed the envelope and tested the 'system', yes, and most of the changes that resulted have been positive. It is how we have evolved and improved ourselves as a culture and society. But the cultural revolution of the 1960's was the first time ever that so many of the young totally and completely rejected most of the traditional values of their parents/the older generation. And a lot of that has not produced improvements but has rather created a more vulgar, more coarse, more selfishly permissive, and more dangerous society.

I don't know if we can ever unring that bell, but I am hoping that the young of this day can be educated in constructive ways so that they will push the envelope back the other way and thereby again improve us as a people.

I have to believe that the whole problem of social violence cannot be blamed on a proliferation of guns as former, much more peaceful societies, were even more armed than is the current generation. And certainly violent video games is not the whole problem either. But I think we're going to have to set aside the partisan blame game and sanctimonious finger pointing and look deeper to find solutions.