Effects of Video Games On You

[tjbyrum1]

I was reading some articles about video games making today's generation of kids 'psychopaths' and 'killers' and 'suicidal people' and stuff. Then it started to blame games like Grand Theft Auto and similar games. I want to talk about this.

 

The main point is that the opposition claims the games are crime simulators that show us how to live and act as a criminal. Apparently, it shows us us how to steal cars, pick up prostitutes, kill innocents, etc. And while you can do all that in the game, I normally don't find myself doing that. I'm a story-driven player; I like the storyline, getting to know the characters, roleplaying, that sort of thing... the 'no cheats hardcore' kind of gamer.

 

There's really no reason to pick up prostitutes... no reason to kill innocent civilians... and you technically don't have to do any of that sort of stuff in the storyline - the way Rockstar games are meant to be played. Sure, you can do all that stuff if you want, but I honestly don't see any reason to do it and I honestly don't do it.

 

Red Dead Redemption and Assassin's Creed, as corny as this is going to sound, probably educated me if anything. RDR (the greatest game ever made) showed me how life was in the past... and John was a good person, he may have had a rough start to his life being an outlaw and all, but he was a good person nonetheless; he respected women, loved his family, and risked his life to save them, etc. It honestly makes me want to be like John, a good man trying to watch out for his family and make sure they're okay. Not to mention the great and dynamic and unique characters in the game, plus the good story - the only difference from it and a movie was that I got to experience it the way I wanted. There's nothing morally wrong that John does canonically in the game, unless the player deliberately forces him to.

 

Assassin's Creed on the other hand, again as corny as this will sound, taught me a few Italian words, showed me life in the Crusades/Renaissance/American Revolution. It had a lot of significant historical parts of the game, from the setting to the characters.

 

After playing these video games I've never once experienced sudden urges to kill anyone, steal anything, or any crime for that matter. That's stupid. I'll be honest when I saw this, but I swear after playing RDR John's personality made me feel like being a better person. I don't steal, I don't disrespect anyone, or anything similar to that. I'm an honest and respectful person, and video games are not going to change who I am, unless it's for the better. I'm a man of morals and respect.

 

The fact anyone would be inspired to kill or hurt anyone because of a piece of entertainment, especially the masterpieces that are GTA IV and RDR, is beyond me.

 

 

NOTE: I've been playing GTA since Vice City came out, so I was around the age of 9 when I started playing GTA games.

Edited November 20, 2012 by tjbyrum1

[King Of Monra]

After playing super mario, the first thing I did was eat some mushroom and started kicking turtles around.

and jumping on them, and other animals.

 

going down the sewer as well, high on the mushrooms.

 

 

[Creed Bratton]

Video games lead to violence. Evidence:

 

 

[Mince]

I do concur. While there may be some instances where repeated exposure to violence in games and other media preceded a person committing a crime, and said media did have a small impact on that person's decision, the view that games alone drive people to do this is absurd. I think the fate of advocates of this view like Jack Thompson is enough to shows its lack of credibility. However, beyond that, there's limited scientific evidence to prove direct connections between high rates of playing violent video games and violent crimes committed.

 

From there it usually falls to anecdotal evidence- "Oh, I know a kid who played Saint's Row and stole a car!" Sure, and that was all that happened- this perfectly normal kid who otherwise had no negative influences in his life played a game and turned to crime. Violent games do not make violent people- they may serve as catalysts in a chain of problems with one's life, but they are never the sole cause. Furthermore, actual counseling and management of other problems one has, such as physical and emotional abuse, is more likely to help work towards reducing a person's urges to do such violent crimes, rather than taking away their GTA .

 

So then it falls on the favorite excuse for everything from these types of people- morality. The same backwards conservative morality that, if we still listened to, probably could have kept us in the days of slavery. These violent games are immoral, because it's not right to take part in all this violence. Sure: we watch movies and television shows, read books and comics, and listen to radio programs full of murder, stealing, sex, and other controversial acts, yet games are going to be the turning point that destroys humanity?

 

I'd like to return to the subject of pornography. All these morality avengers love to talk about how destructive and harmful it is, yet the rise in internet pornography has led to a decrease in rate rapes. While I don't use this as some sort of factual foundation for my opinion, I do think it makes sense that violent and crime-filled video games may do exactly the opposite of what they expect it to--decrease the rate of some crimes. Going along with the porn example, it does make sense.

 

So from there, I just wonder why we try so hard to limit our culture. Playing video games behind closed doors has incredibly over-hyped and over-exaggerated consequences. The anecdotes are weak, the evidence is next to invisible, and the moral complaints are hypocritical. So no, I do not think that violent video games will inevitably lead to violence-related or crime-related action. I've been playing GTA since the age of six and have never been in a fight, broke any major rule, or committed any violent crimes.

Edited November 21, 2012 by mincemate003

[Finn 7 five 11]

 

I'd like to return to the subject of pornography. All these morality avengers love to talk about how destructive and harmful it is, yet the rise in internet pornography has led to a decrease in rate rapes. While I don't use this as some sort of factual foundation for my opinion, I do think it makes sense that violent and crime-filled video games may do exactly the opposite of what they expect it to--decrease the rate of some crimes. Going along with the porn example, it does make sense.

 

Interestingly enough I was going to make a topic concerning this exact notion the other day after watching Fight Club again. Without spoiling anything, in Fight Club the film, men form a Fight Club to release pent up anger/the violent physical side of men that are always being oppressed by women even though it's natural. Now here's how it is related to Video games.

When I play Call Of Duty online competitively I can get pretty frustrated, this is probably the only game that does this, all this pent up rage I just release onto the couch cushions next to me, or on simulated people on the screen.

In my opinion if I didn't have this outlet (Not just Call Of Duty, GTA, Racing games, everything) I would probably be an angrier person, but I have a release, for Call Of Duty it builds up the rage then releases it. Grand Theft Auto I have a sense of achievement and I can just mow down pedestrians for fun, in a racing game it's just the sense of achievement hooning around winning races.

 

I can do in these world what I could never bring myself to do in real life in this simulated world and have a release of the intinctive feelings in get in real life, Hunting and Killing being two major ones. I also like mentioned, can release a bunch of anger on some pixels on screen.

[Mince]

 

Interestingly enough I was going to make a topic concerning this exact notion the other day after watching Fight Club again. Without spoiling anything, in Fight Club the film, men form a Fight Club to release pent up anger/the violent physical side of men that are always being oppressed by women even though it's natural. Now here's how it is related to Video games.

When I play Call Of Duty online competitively I can get pretty frustrated, this is probably the only game that does this, all this pent up rage I just release onto the couch cushions next to me, or on simulated people on the screen.

In my opinion if I didn't have this outlet (Not just Call Of Duty, GTA, Racing games, everything) I would probably be an angrier person, but I have a release, for Call Of Duty it builds up the rage then releases it. Grand Theft Auto I have a sense of achievement and I can just mow down pedestrians for fun, in a racing game it's just the sense of achievement hooning around winning races.

 

I can do in these world what I could never bring myself to do in real life in this simulated world and have a release of the intinctive feelings in get in real life, Hunting and Killing being two major ones. I also like mentioned, can release a bunch of anger on some pixels on screen.

That does seem logical to me. While of course we do try to control our anger to start with, sometimes we do have to let it out in some way. This can either be physical, such as the beating of pillows or other objects, a practice that anger management therapists do support, or emotional, such as releasing it through a personal entertainment outlet. Games satisfy this outlet for many people, including myself.

 

Humans have many urges that we cannot control, including sexual or violent ones. Even people of the sanest minds and best childhoods do. For the sake of the safety of others, it's best that we deal with them alone through outlets. It's better to provide an outlet for these urges rather than to suppress the outlet and downplay the urges.

 

I'd say it's also comparable to how areas without proper sex education are the ones with higher rates of pregnancy and STIs.

Edited November 21, 2012 by mincemate003

[El Dildo]

there's no serious study that has been able to link exposure to violent media to violent behavior.

and it's not just video game games but movies/TV and literature.

 

violent media does not create violence.

if someone is going to grow up to become a killer, they're likely going to grow up that way regardless of what they're exposed to as a child.

 

there have been plenty of sick, horrific, outrageously violent serial killers in the human race since the BEGINNING OF TIME.

violent video games have only existed in our society for about 20 years and violent TV/movies have only existed for about 100 years. so obviously, these things do not encourage anyone to become any more hostile or dangerous than they would have already been.

 

you wanna' know what makes people into cold-blooded psychopaths?

bad parenting. lack of strong role models. lack of educational opportunities. chemical imbalances in the brain.