video games and violence
- Thread starter theconspirator
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Lol, what's with the rice? The US produces more grains- the land is much more suitable to that (would rice even be able to grow in most of American farmland?)
And, back to our regularly scheduled program…
A correlation between the rise in violent crimes among teenagers and the rise in video game usage among teenagers in no way implies that the relationship is causal. It would be near impossible (perhaps even unethical) to set up a study to show cause with both a control and experimental group which negates all other factors besides video games.
However, for the sake of discussion let’s say there is a causal link between the two, that video games do cause violence. The next question would be, why? Video games are obviously fantasy…real life is obviously reality. At the age of reason children begin to differentiate between these two things. They begin to realize that not every thought or idea is applicable in the real world. They begin to understand cause and effect, consequences, and morality (not in a religious sense).
So, if video games do cause teenagers to be violent, the real question that would need to be answered is – why have children lost the ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality/cause and effect, or why have they lost the ability to reason?
A correlation between the rise in violent crimes among teenagers and the rise in video game usage among teenagers in no way implies that the relationship is causal. It would be near impossible (perhaps even unethical) to set up a study to show cause with both a control and experimental group which negates all other factors besides video games.
However, for the sake of discussion let’s say there is a causal link between the two, that video games do cause violence. The next question would be, why? Video games are obviously fantasy…real life is obviously reality. At the age of reason children begin to differentiate between these two things. They begin to realize that not every thought or idea is applicable in the real world. They begin to understand cause and effect, consequences, and morality (not in a religious sense).
So, if video games do cause teenagers to be violent, the real question that would need to be answered is – why have children lost the ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality/cause and effect, or why have they lost the ability to reason?
To add to MPR's point, something else that has to be considered is what other effects video games have. For example, studies have shown that certain video games have led to more complex thinking in younger children especially in certain areas. There might be other positives (as well as negatives) to video games that are important in looking at the net effect of them. It is also possible that letting people take out their violence in video games leads to them being more peaceful in real life.
Then there is the question of if they didn't play those games what would they be doing instead and would that be better or worse? It is a very complex issue, as most similar issues are, but personally I don't think censorship/bans are the way to go about this.
Then there is the question of if they didn't play those games what would they be doing instead and would that be better or worse? It is a very complex issue, as most similar issues are, but personally I don't think censorship/bans are the way to go about this.
I think people can be influenced, but a violent tendency must already be present. I play extremely violent video games, but in "real life", I'm a pacifist who doesn't even kill bugs. There has always been violence in the world, and always will be, video games or not IMO.
Personally the same people that claim that video game violence is the leading cause for school shootings and other acts of violence in young teens, are the same that said rock and heavy metal music leads the younger generation to become more sexual and violent. There isn't a study that I know of that has proven the ties between violence in a game to violence in the real world.
Before the invention of violent video games there were no school violence? Violence in young teens have been there since the dawn of time, it's just who we are. The reason we perceive a large uptick of shootings and/or violence in schools is the advent of the 24 hour news channel and the widespread use of the internet.
Before the invention of violent video games there were no school violence? Violence in young teens have been there since the dawn of time, it's just who we are. The reason we perceive a large uptick of shootings and/or violence in schools is the advent of the 24 hour news channel and the widespread use of the internet.
I completely agree, there really isn't any proof to back any of this up. Sure, many kids play shooting games. They play because it's fun, it keeps you on the edge, kind of. It keeps you entertained and gives you objectives, you can play with your friends and whatnot. I don't see anything wrong with that. It is not the fault of video games if someone goes out and does something crazy, they aren't forced to play it, they simply do.
Worst thing I see about video games is when people just shut down and do nothing else. They can't work, talk to a friend or call home. Just live to get to the next level.
Ah, a buddy of mine would get attached to his screen for hours at a time, wouldn't even get up to eat something. Now that, that can cause a problem, but still nothing anyone can do about it, it's the gamers choice what he does with his time, just as it is what he/she plays.
interesting point, but the rise in violence among teenagers i think is linked to something else, mainly parents and peers treating people who seem a little different poorly, in every one of the cases the kids who acted violently were treated poorly by others, had lesser parents and had nobody to reach out too. Some were even victims of abuse, i think those are far more likely culprates of the violence.
Video games have become a big part of our lives and there is a rise in obesity, sitting at a desk while munching doritos and sucking down pepsi is worse that walking around outside and munching doritos and sucking down soda.
I think videogames have pacifide the youth. Gamers dont tend to want to do much outside of videogames
Worst thing I see about video games is when people just shut down and do nothing else. They can't work, talk to a friend or call home. Just live to get to the next level.
I think they are the behavioral component to the rise in obesity
Truthfully, those that choose to play games for hours on end and do nothing else is someone that has become addicted to games. Obesity isn't really tied to gaming as most of the people addicted to games eat a very unhealthy diet and at a lesser amount.
True but it is tied to a sedintary lifestyle, and consumption of junk food. When playing a video game what exersize are you getting outside of your thumbs?
I don't' really think there is a correlation between video games and violence, I mean so many people play those types of game nowadays and the percentage that become very violent is slim.
Of course, it is possible to become desensitized to it and become violent, so video games do have some role in increases in violence.
Of course, it is possible to become desensitized to it and become violent, so video games do have some role in increases in violence.
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