Videogames responsible for V Tech Shooting

[Pae]

Originally posted by Darion


So, are you indicting video games or violence in the media in general? I would agree on the latter, but most argue that video games are the primary method through which children are turned into serial killers, and this I do not buy. Especially considering that the numbers do not support it.

I'm indicating both. You can't JUST agree with the latter and not the former. I mean if you agree that watching violence in the media can have an effect on you, how can you disagree that playing it out and *ahems* WATCHING IT through video games does not?

I don't think its the primary method at all. Point is, there are MOUNDS of things that pile up to cause such things. Its like the swiss cheese model for incident assessment used in Air Traffic Control (found here). Its never just one thing that causes the incident. Its like multiple things that line up just right to allow a single hole through the entire model. In Aviation everyone either blames 1) the pilot or 2) the Air Traffic Controller, nevermind the countless other factors that had impact to the issue in question. The point is, Video Games CAN BE one of those things that contributes. I don't think there's an argument in the world that can refute that, once again if they don't have any influence over your behaviour go look up the thread "How I realized I'm addicted to Thresh" and you'll see multiple indications. To say its the PRIMARY and ONLY reason for such behaviour is false as well, but to outright dismiss it altogether because its not the only reason is just as false.

So with that lets go back to what DR Phil said there Darion:

DR. PHIL: Well, Larry, every situation is different… The question really is can we spot them. And the problem is we are programming these people as a society. You cannot tell me - common sense tells you that if these kids are playing video games, where they’re on a mass killing spree in a video game, it’s glamorized on the big screen, it’s become part of the fiber of our society. You take that and mix it with a psychopath, a sociopath or someone suffering from mental illness and add in a dose of rage, the suggestibility is too high.

I read that and thought he's NOT talking about the V Tech shootings specifically, rather he's making a societal statement regarding the issue of violence in "youth". And even then he admits that video games are not some be all and end all when it comes to violence in youth. He quite explicitly states that it is only a contributing factor "You take that and mix it with....."

[Leshrak]

Originally posted by kiania
I think you mean, "That argument that video games CAUSE violence just doesn't hold water."

Oh. DUH. you're right. heheh.

[Gadiantor]

Originally posted by Elvion
But add in factors like girlfriend dumping you, being a loner, mental problems... man, that is a recipe for disaster.

I think the biggest factor there is mental problems. People who are mentally unstable are dangerous when they reach a breaking point. I might buy the argument that playing violent video games can make a mentally unstable person more dangers. They might take to the idea of killing masses of people rather than just killing the perceived cause of their stress. This doesn't make the media to blame for an incident. The mental instability is more the root cause. I'd buy the argument that violence in media may add fuel to the fire, but they are not the cause of the fire.

The DOJ stats are pretty compelling to me. Violence in media has increased over the past 20 years, but we have not seen the same increase in violent crime. The only other thing left to look at is changes in violent crimes themselves. Have they become more violent? I'm not sure how you measure that, but I think that is the only logical argument to make to support putting any blame on violence in the media.

[Darion]

I'm indicating both. You can't JUST agree with the latter and not the former. I mean if you agree that watching violence in the media can have an effect on you, how can you disagree that playing it out and *ahems* WATCHING IT through video games does not?

I don't know, how about "Because it is not real and I am aware it is not real"? If playing GTA causes you fantasize about stealing cars when you go out into the real world, you should probably recognize the deficiency and not play GTA.

Your arguments are nothing more than "it is obvious that my postulations are correct" without any sort of facts to back it up. I would like to put forth the notion that perhaps, just perhaps, sociopathic tendencies are not caused by playing games, but rather by internal factors that tend to cause most mental deficiencies. Perhaps external factors can also contribute to a greater or lesser degree, but there is no science to reinforce that idea.

[Aristotle]

Originally posted by Belair

What is not often known to foreigners (and please correct me if I am wrong), is that Americans are unwilling to restrict gun availability due to a powerful and deep-rooted suspicion of government; a fear that a renegade president or military official could abuse the power they wield upon their own people. A sizeable minority, or even majority, believe the risk that criminals will perpetrate events such as V. Tech is a painful but necessary price to pay for the freedom to counter such a scenario.

I imagine it unlikely that gun laws will change very much from recent events. It seems the issue in the US revolves around something more than just the freedom for an individual to defend against an armed attacker.

I read this and was really impressed by what an excellent, level headed summary that was of one of the core reasons why this issue is such a thorny one in the US.