Violent Games/Movie

by Saethydd 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Saethydd

  All through my childhood, I was told about the evils of violence (and magic) in entertainment, I doubt I could count the number of movies and video games I wasn't allowed to enjoy for that very reason. I did always watch movies and play video games with a certain amount of violence in them, but I was careful to keep it at the Teen/PG-13 rating.
  

  In the last year or so though I've started trying out games like Skyrim, Fallout 3, and Thief. (Since I still live with my parents I'm careful about where and when I play them.) I've found them to be quite enjoyable, and what's more, I've noticed no uptick in violent behavior. So I decided to do some research, and as is often the case, the Watchtower only considered the sources that support their opinion and ignored the many studies that contradict them.

  http://videogames.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001608

  The above link has a list of articles for and against the idea that violent video games cause violence. From what I can tell, the studies that dispel the idea that violent video games are a cause for violence seem to make more sense. They tend to be broader in scope and duration. Furthermore, the articles that claim a link between the two things seem to be confusing causation with correlation, which is especially foolish when one considers how common it is to play violent video games. As one researcher put it:

  These individuals are ignoring that 90% of young males play video games... Finding that a young man who committed a violent crime also played a popular video game, such as Call of Duty, Halo, or Grand Theft Auto, is as pointless as pointing out that the criminal also wore socks.
  

  So what are your thoughts on this subject?
  
  
• 

  Finkelstein

  In the understanding of human psychology, when impressionable young teens play violent games where they excel and achieve highly within these games, it would be perceivable that some unpopular low achievers would take those achievements outside toward their social relationships in areas like schools or Universities to enact revengeful retribution..
  

  If you look at some the most terrible shooting massacres in schools and Universities you can see this reactionary profiling behavior by the involving attackers.

  ie. the Columbine High School massacre
  

  the Virginia Tech massacre
  
• 

  Saethydd

  But such cases don't even prove violent video games have a unique correlation to the violent students that is any different from the correlation to their non-violent peers, much less the video games are a causal factor.

  The factors that also cause them to be low achievers or unpopular are probably just as likely, if not more likely to be the root cause of such violent outbursts. After all, gratuitous violence itself is as old as the human race, as are the basic factors that create unpopular low-achievers.

  Whereas videos games are a relatively new in invention, and in the interval since their invention violence has actually gone down on a societal level according to the data I've seen. So it seems that one can safely assume that in an otherwise well-adjusted individual violent video games won't spawn violence.
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  Finkelstein

  So it seems that one can safely assume that in an otherwise well-adjusted individual violent video games won't spawn violence.

  Correct but there is the unusual small faction of individuals which these videos do stimulate and influence thoughts of appealing revenge by the use of gun violence.

  That can not be denied in intellectual honesty.
  
• 

  cognisonance

  I think Finkelstein is correct here. I too researched this topic and came across a meta analysis on the topic that essentially came to this same conclusion. No effect of on the vast majority, but damaging to unstable personalities. But I also recall another meta analysis claiming there is an effect on everyone, not just unstable personalities. This was many years ago. Seems there is more recent research on this topic:
  
  Seems looking up the references in this report would be a good place to start.
• 

  wizzstick

  That can not be denied in intellectual honesty.

  Banning guns seems to be a simple idea.

  Here in the UK we play violent games and have no school shootings. We did have one school shooting over 20 years ago and subsequently banned hand guns.

  It's nice living like this.
  
• 

  Londo111

  I've played the Last of Us, Shadow of Mordor, etc...

  It has had no effect on me. I can separate fantasy from the real world. I'm not about to emulate these games in real life, nor do I have the shadow of a desire to do so.
• 

  whathehadas

  What I've always wondered. If the minds who play these violent games can be easily effected, what about the minds WHO CREATE these games? Have there been any game developers who've become mass shooters?
• 

  Simon

  Japan, which has low crime rates, has some of the highest obsession with "violent video games".

  They are often blamed for every bad deed because people view them as an easy scapegoat rather than addressing the actual root cause.

  Last thing I saw in CNN was one of the presenters (with a Muslim background and family) suggesting that ISIS might be caused by violent video games. Sheesh.
• 

  joey jojo

  Have just started playing Conan Exiles, based on the world of Conan the barbarian .

  You start the game with your character hanging on a cross completely naked and you can alter your characters appearance, even the size of their boobs and weiners. Ha ha, 2017, what a time to be alive.

  The game features human sacrifice and slavery. If this isn't enough, the game developers are talking about introducing castration.

  No, I am not making this up. It is one of the most popular games on steam right now.