Violence In Videogames: Does it Translate to the Real World?

[Pantslesswonder]

Hey everyone. I have an essay due next week for my English Composition class, a topic of my choice. So, I ask you all about violence in videogames, because its somthing that effects all of us.

Does videogame violence translate to the real world? Do violent videogames really make violent people, or is it all just bull?

Is this just a paranoid society that is attacking the latest expressive medium, or are peoples worries justified?

Is Jack Thompson warranted in his blatant attacks on videogames, when there are more violent things out there, such as movies, TV, and music?

And if violent games do cause violent behavior, wouldnt that mean other media's would as well? (IE, Saw, Marylin Manson, ect...)

I'd just like to see what other gamers think of this, and have their feedback on it.

[x SexyPink x]

Firstly, what is this essay on? Cause this topic is tough to get hard evidence on. But if you want my opinion, video games along with tv, movies, and music all contribute to the ideas that form in your head. When you play a game like halo, some people might think it'd be awesome to be in the army. But honestly, i don't think it makes violent people. I think it could contribute, but seriously, parenting and other factors are way more influential than video games

[Fuzzy]

Violence in the media is a very broad topic. Even in video games it has a lot of information based upon psychological, sociological, and case studies with varying results. Does it directly cause violence? No. Can it influence a person to become violent? Possibly, but be aware that it can also cause a person to do several other actions aside from being violent.

[Pantslesswonder]

Violence in the media is a very broad topic. Even in video games it has a lot of information based upon psychological, sociological, and case studies with varying results. Does it directly cause violence? No. Can it influence a person to become violent? Possibly, but be aware that it can also cause a person to do several other actions aside from being violent.

This is a concept that I am also drawing on. If someone is so disturbed that they cannot differentiate between a game/movie/song and reality, they shouldnt be playing it. If it were a child, it is their parents job to make sure such things dont happen.

[x SexyPink x]

enviroment, parential guide definitely have way more influence then video games. it'd be interesting to see what a kid growing up with only violent video game influence would be like. maybe if we one day could clone kids or something

[Dizzydude]

Violence in video games, depending on the person of course, would have a slight impact on their behavior. It also depends on age, maturity and just how you're made up. No it doesn't cause kids to go around and shoot up their neighbourhood, but it would definitely increase certain things (such as blood pressure, adrenaline and heart rate) which in turn could make a person become a little more aggressive.

Comic books were blamed for causing kids to rob stores and such, TV and movies were, music still can be brought on the bandwagon, but it's video games that's taking the blunt force of all this.

Video games are a release for a lot of people, they shouldn't be condemned just because parents can't look at themselves as the culprit for their child's behavior.

[Fayth]

I dont think any sane person could actually say they video games CAUSE violent behavior. I have no doubt in my mind though that they strongly contribute to it.

I believe that a child who is taught aggressive behaviors is more likely to commit violent acts. Video games, along with movies and TV, teach these aggressive behaviors, and some even show that it is okay to be violent. However, I also think that there is a lot more to it then just that. Video games alone will not make someone violent.

Video games, though, are probably worse. While playing a video game you're actually involved, whereas with movies and TV you're just an observer.

I dont understand why a 16 year old can see an R rated movie, but anyone can buy a video game that is for 'mature audiences only'. If there is a rating system, why isnt it enforced? And why arent parents heeding this warning?

What it comes down to is that someone needs to take responsibility for what our children are being taught, and that needs to be the parents. If we teach our children about violence and bring them up responsibly, video games wont have as much of a negative effect.

Our youth is heading downhill and people are just looking for someone to blame. Isnt it just easiet to blame video games? I think our society needs to look deeper if they really want to fix the problems of today. And barring video games will not solve that...

Sorry, this is mostly just rambling and not well organized. I just dont have time to sort through it all.

[Fuzzy]

This is a concept that I am also drawing on. If someone is so disturbed that they cannot differentiate between a game/movie/song and reality, they shouldnt be playing it. If it were a child, it is their parents job to make sure such things dont happen.

This does not draw to the conclusion that video games == violence. What you just stated is that people who cannot draw apart between media and reality are prone to becoming violent by acting out what they see or play in the media without regards to its influence in the real world. That is a much different idea than trying to establish the idea of there being a correllation between violence and video games.

My suggestion to you would be to rephrase your topic and make it more narrow. Is there a specific age range you can test to get the same results? Race? Ethnicity? Religion? Sex? Income background? Educational background?

[Dizzydude]

Up here the ratings for games are enforced. You had to actually show ID and be 17 years old to buy such games as Conker or GTA. It really depends on the store, the cashiers and how old you are/look to whether they'll sell M rated games to you or not.

That's just one defense, but ultimately it's the parents responsibility to enforce those ratings on their kids.

[PMS Kahlo]

Up here the ratings for games are enforced. You had to actually show ID and be 17 years old to buy such games as Conker or GTA. It really depends on the store, the cashiers and how old you are/look to whether they'll sell M rated games to you or not.

That's just one defense, but ultimately it's the parents responsibility to enforce those ratings on their kids.

I've been in EB before and seen them ask kids for ID for games. I think a lot of parents don't really pay attention to ratings though. They just go out any buy whatever little Johnny wants for his birthday or whatever. :nono:

[Dizzydude]

When I was younger I actually had to convince my parents (mom) to let me buy Halo, because of a magazine saying it was intensely gory and not suitable for younger people. Yet in an article about GTA they said it was pretty outrageous and that it was a good game.

Thanks to my quick wit and smarts, I convinced them (although this was a year after the launch of Halo since I really didn't know too much about it and just played it at friends houses later in the life of the Xbox).

[Pencilposer]

Hmmm, It is interesting to say it is the parent's responsiblity to monitor thier children, but the simple matter of the fact is that it is also the gamers themselves who are to blame for this. The gamers who lie and trick to get games that they shouldn't be playing. We as a gaming community have never really tried to educate the masses on the rating system and the proper way to game for what age group.

Without such a plan of action, We are letting the masses who do not have as much knowledge about it, make decisions that will effect us. As I type this, I know it sounds like I am saying we are the main cause for this, but that is not the case. I am just stating that we as a community do nothing to help bring a brighter light to video games.

And on a side note, your essay will probably be harder then my research paper on the ESRB. Good luck.

[Zeta333]

Video games do not cuase violence in the real world , VG's are just used as scape goats so the morons that kill people dont have to get in as much trouble. Jack tompson is the biggest retard i have ever seen , He does the stupidest things ever and needs to get his *** kicked.

[PMS Rain]

If you are referring to violence in America’s youth my best guess is that all the violence comes from bullying, the lack of self esteem and feelings of worthlessness put on by society as a whole. Video games are a release of tension from such stresses but only to a certain extent. Stopping the terrorists from planting the bomb or keeping blue team from capturing the flag doesn't lead to shooting up the school. The school shootings in our country are a result of low self esteem and bullying not the influence of video games.

[MenstrualCramps]

The truth honestly is that you cannot raise a child in the society today and expect him or her to live sheltered lives of innocence for long. (This fact was proven without videogames when a girl in the Pre-K class I help out with pinched another one because "she hated her", and for no reason since the other girl didn't touch her at all.) So many things happen compared to "back in the day" and they are all going to have to deal with it sooner or later. (Videogames, wars, media reporting over and over horrible acts of molestation, rape, shootings, etc..) Everything, else in life has a say in the way someone lives their life (A factor), it's not just because of videogames.

Videogames do not make people violent, but it can encourage horse play which in most cases is just for fun. If anyone blames their personal actions on a videogame (if they cause any real harm), they are looking for excuses.
Videogames do not make people "couch potatoes." Everyone has the option to remove themselves from the TV/PC if they wish to. Besides, there are quite a few games out there now that involve getting up and using your legs and arms in order to play.

If they [consumers and lobbyists] want to blame someone they need to blame the people who SELL the games. Not for selling them, but for not selling them to the right ages. We all know this isn't going to stop them though. Everyone in life has at least one friend and depending on what they have in common, it could be videogames. CENSORSHIP does not make a society better, it actually tries to do just what we as Americans don't want -- the government controlling our personal decisions.

That's my 2 cents. ;p

[icy]

You can't just isolate video games as the cause of real world violence when so many other forms of entertainment out there are just as imitatable, that's just not fair. Yes, many video games are violent and gaining population because of that very reason. What I don't understand is when tragedies involving kids with guns at school happen, they target only video games when many other things could have affected those situations.

That's my look on it, though it's mainly my opinions and it's mostly bias, seeing as I don't watch the news very often and I base my opinions on only what I hear from other people.

[Pantslesswonder]

Hmmm, It is interesting to say it is the parent's responsiblity to monitor thier children, but the simple matter of the fact is that it is also the gamers themselves who are to blame for this. The gamers who lie and trick to get games that they shouldn't be playing. We as a gaming community have never really tried to educate the masses on the rating system and the proper way to game for what age group.

Without such a plan of action, We are letting the masses who do not have as much knowledge about it, make decisions that will effect us. As I type this, I know it sounds like I am saying we are the main cause for this, but that is not the case. I am just stating that we as a community do nothing to help bring a brighter light to video games.

And on a side note, your essay will probably be harder then my research paper on the ESRB. Good luck.

Thanks, lol. Ill post it up once its done. Everyone else seems to share my general opinion about this matter, which is the reaction I wanted. Gamers understand games and other gamers, not some hack of a lawer just trying to get rich quick.

[Athena Twin PMS]

Violent people are drawn to violent images, so violent people will use movies and games as outlets just like they do anythign else. However, it is not the outlets that cause the behavior, but rather the beahvior that finds the outlets. There are millions of non-violent people playing violent games, watching violent movies, listening to violent music. True, people might use these outlets for insperation...but they would do the same with any history book showing War graphics, watching Channel 5 news, or surfing the web. It is not the outlet that is to blame, but thier social and mental problems that are the cause.

If people start looking a little harder at kids that tear off butterfly wings, putting fire crackers in frog mouths, or kicking a puppies around, maybe they could help counsel/cure these kids...before they are old enough to go shoot up a school or play Halo.

[icy]

I agree with Twin. The best way to stop these kind of things from happeningis to stop it early on, or even preventing it by parents being involved with their kids more and nuturing them. Neglect or abuse by parents is the worst thing a kid can go through, and not all of them recover (I did though).

[Pantslesswonder]

Violent people are drawn to violent images, so violent people will use movies and games as outlets just like they do anythign else. However, it is not the outlets that cause the behavior, but rather the beahvior that finds the outlets. There are millions of non-violent people playing violent games, watching violent movies, listening to violent music. True, people might use these outlets for insperation...but they would do the same with any history book showing War graphics, watching Channel 5 news, or surfing the web. It is not the outlet that is to blame, but thier social and mental problems that are the cause.

If people start looking a little harder at kids that tear off butterfly wings, putting fire crackers in frog mouths, or kicking a puppies around, maybe they could help counsel/cure these kids...before they are old enough to go shoot up a school or play Halo.

That perfectly sums it up. I might qoute you on that in my essay, :) . Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

[Pencilposer]

No problem, It is always good to help a fellow student/gamer/miscreant/ninja lover out.

[!NiKKiTa'Lea]

in my opinion, i think it would be the mental that dont know from whats real and not, if you think you can get away from murdering somebody with a chainsaw or shooring somebody in the head like you do in videogames, i dont see that happening at all.

[NeoValkyrion]

Sure, if someone is addicted enough to a game, they can inherit the violence from that game. But out of all the media, video games are probably the healthiest thing there is. For example, movies like Borat (Don't get me wrong, great movie) get an R rating, while games like Halo (Which barely has any gore at all) get slapped with an M rating. I think the politicians should start worrying about the rest of the media before they start poking games.

I hate to quote an overly used philosophy, but video games don't kill people, people kill people.

[x SexyPink x]

Man borat was hardly offensive if u ask me. Any1 that goes and watches it knows its a joke. And even tho there isnt hard evidence, im pretty sure that bullying/violence and everything results from bad parenting or other influences. kids arent born with a craving to go out and pick on other kids. i think its all the parenting and enviroment they grow up in

[Pencilposer]

Sure, if someone is addicted enough to a game, they can inherit the violence from that game. But out of all the media, video games are probably the healthiest thing there is. For example, movies like Borat (Don't get me wrong, great movie) get an R rating, while games like Halo (Which barely has any gore at all) get slapped with an M rating. I think the politicians should start worrying about the rest of the media before they start poking games.

I hate to quote an overly used philosophy, but video games don't kill people, people kill people.

Lol Halo did deserve the M rating. It is fact that images can increase aggression in people, for the short term, and with enough time to be influenced the long term. Its basic Behavioral Pyschology. And Halo does bring out aggression in people all around me, and it would bring it out in children who play it, and thats why it gets a M rating from the pyschological analysis of it.