Are violent video games the **real problem**

[Texas_Tickle]

I watched an article on DateLine NBC a few weeks ago, where they basically downed video games such as GTA III, Quake, and Unreal and "Parents Against Violent Games" or "PAVC" said that such video games were just "training grounds for the criminals of tomorrow"

Bill Gates defended the gaming industry and said "the average age of the gamer is between 23-35. Face it, the Mario Brother Generation has grown up"


But in my opinion, to say that Video Games are the source of the problem, is insane. At some point, a parent has to say "I am, going to raise my child.....not the X-Box or Game Cube".

 

[guitman69]

That's just the point of He-Man's thread. These games aren't for kids. It's just that simple.

My feeling all along is that the media doesn't create violent kids. Instead, the already violent kids are attracted to the violent movies and video games, and the aggressive music (be it rap or metal).

I've played video games since I was a kid (granted about as violent as the games got when I was young was a triangle shooting at strange monster like shapes), and I've never shot someone. Hell, I've never even been in a fistfight.

 

[TicklishPhoebe]

Unfortunately, it's not a simple issue. Yes, video games can desensitize children to violence, but so can Bugs Bunny cartoons if the context is not explained.

If the children are made to understand that this is fantasy? Intellectually, I want to say that there's no harm, but I don't know.

How about the fact that we see dozens of acts of violence on T.V. every night, but we never see loving sex between consenting adults (vanilla or kinky) without it being portrayed as dirty? I can't imagine that the video games are the only thing that's desensitizing kids to violence...


BUT - I don't have kids. I don't ever find myself in the position of being at the end of my rope and giving them something - anything - to get them occupied long enought to enable me to fix dinner.

Parents? What about you all? What do you think?

 

[qjakal]

Follow up Story?

They did another one on how easy it is for ANY age kid to buy a game that theoretically can only be sold to a 17+ year old....only Wal-Mart made serious efforts to control their sales. Scary, but i don't believe video games cause the disorders anyway, although they can whet ones appetite for mayhem, no doubt. Q

 

[Krokus]

Honestly?

Honestly? No. I think that video games are the easy target, a pathetic attempt by bonehead parents to mask the fact that they are horrible parents.

 

[guitman69]

I don't buy this "it desensetizes them to violence" crap either.

The human species is far to violent to be affected by playing a silly video game.

 

[amk714]

Lots of teens and young adults play violent video games. If doing that caused them to become violent, there'd be a lot more crime than there is now. Like I said in the other thread, parental responsibility is the key.