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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26755
'Harling's mother is quoted as saying, "I know these games are played by kids across the world, but some are truly horrific. And if they can cause a trigger to be pulled in someone's head they should be banned."'
Never mind she bought the 18 rated games for her 11 year old son...after all, for children that age, the game mentioned WAS banned.
Ignorance is no excuse. The age ratings are clear on the games, and surely the title was a giveaway. This mother is indirectly responsible for the death of another person - she admits this herself in that article yet still throws the emphasis on the game....
'Harling's mother is quoted as saying, "I know these games are played by kids across the world, but some are truly horrific. And if they can cause a trigger to be pulled in someone's head they should be banned."'
Never mind she bought the 18 rated games for her 11 year old son...after all, for children that age, the game mentioned WAS banned.
Ignorance is no excuse. The age ratings are clear on the games, and surely the title was a giveaway. This mother is indirectly responsible for the death of another person - she admits this herself in that article yet still throws the emphasis on the game....
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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26755
'Harling's mother is quoted as saying, "I know these games are played by kids across the world, but some are truly horrific. And if they can cause a trigger to be pulled in someone's head they should be banned."'
Never mind she bought the 18 rated games for her 11 year old son...after all, for children that age, the game mentioned WAS banned.
Ignorance is no excuse. The age ratings are clear on the games, and surely the title was a giveaway. This mother is indirectly responsible for the death of another person - she admits this herself in that article yet still throws the emphasis on the game....
'Harling's mother is quoted as saying, "I know these games are played by kids across the world, but some are truly horrific. And if they can cause a trigger to be pulled in someone's head they should be banned."'
Never mind she bought the 18 rated games for her 11 year old son...after all, for children that age, the game mentioned WAS banned.
Ignorance is no excuse. The age ratings are clear on the games, and surely the title was a giveaway. This mother is indirectly responsible for the death of another person - she admits this herself in that article yet still throws the emphasis on the game....
You actually think videogames cause people to kill others?
No, the mother in the article seems to think so.
I'm more on the viewpoint that should she have any working grey matter between her ears she would have seen that the game(s) were not suitable for her child and not bought them. Then she would not have them as a 'cause' for her son's actions.
As she thinks that they are a cause, and she admits carelessness in this case, then surely she is acusing herself as the cause?
I'm more on the viewpoint that should she have any working grey matter between her ears she would have seen that the game(s) were not suitable for her child and not bought them. Then she would not have them as a 'cause' for her son's actions.
As she thinks that they are a cause, and she admits carelessness in this case, then surely she is acusing herself as the cause?
Really she needed to take a bit more of an interest in what her child was playing and what she herself was buying for him. If parents can't be bothered to check this sort of thing and even supply it to their children then i really don't see how the game is to blame.
No video game is able to make someone go out and murder or harm someone, there has to be an underlying problem with that person in the first place and it's probably something that could just as easily be "triggered" by a violent film or a TV show.
The "kid" was 18 when he committed the crime, it's not like he was at an impressionable young age. I'd hope that most parents would notice if their child had murderous intent.
I personally have had games most of my life and play them a lot and not once have i gone out and murdered someone *. Just like the millions of other players around the world.
It's not like he thought he was in the game or that it was ok, he planned it for ages before hand.
I think shops do need to take a harder line on age rated games though and who buys them, i think even if they are selling to an adult they should enquire who the game is for and warn them of the content.
*yet
No video game is able to make someone go out and murder or harm someone, there has to be an underlying problem with that person in the first place and it's probably something that could just as easily be "triggered" by a violent film or a TV show.
The "kid" was 18 when he committed the crime, it's not like he was at an impressionable young age. I'd hope that most parents would notice if their child had murderous intent.
I personally have had games most of my life and play them a lot and not once have i gone out and murdered someone *. Just like the millions of other players around the world.
It's not like he thought he was in the game or that it was ok, he planned it for ages before hand.
I think shops do need to take a harder line on age rated games though and who buys them, i think even if they are selling to an adult they should enquire who the game is for and warn them of the content.
*yet
I was mucking around on Dead Rising earlier today, I get this irrational urge to run outside and thwonk a traffic cone over the head of the first OAP I catch loitering with intent to collect a pension outside the Post Office.
But I know that this is evil, so I tend to take the less violent option and help them across the road or save a kitten instead.
The phrase "I know" seems to be the crux of this issue.
To "not know" whether or not something is good or bad is an indicator of either a deranged mind or poor upbringing (including all that entails like parenting, education, environment and so on).
When it comes to videogames affecting either of these two factors, we have to isolate each case where videogames are pointed at as a contributing factor, then decide exactly how much contribution they made.
In the case of the deranged mind, I don't think videogames can be blamed because to a deranged mind's 'reasoning' a tree that is starting to turn brown at the onset of autumn might be more of a catalyst for a killing spree for all we know.
In the case of poor upbringing, we as gamers cannot deny that games can change our moods in the same way that movies, music, chemicals and current affairs do. We vigorously defend all of these though, stating that we know that the mood swing has been artificially altered at our whim and that we're still in control of our actions.
But whereas you can lose control by overdosing on, say, drink, I don't think it's possible to lose control by overdosing on videogames. Plenty of studies have been conducted over the years and sure, some have pointed out that videogames conclusively alter mood. But I'd argue that if you drip fed alcohol or crack cocaine or Martin Scorsese movies or Black Sabbath Live at Glasonbury or CNN to your subjects over the same period of time that the alterations would be more pronounced.
In this particular case, I think we're looking at a mum who has to all intents and purposes 'lost' her son and can't accept he was deranged, so is grasping at every straw she can to appoint blame somewhere, when in fact there is nothing to blame, these things really do just happen. I could be even more cynical and say she needed the cash for selling her story, but I'm not sure mothers can stoop that low. If they can, maybe it's genetic.
But I know that this is evil, so I tend to take the less violent option and help them across the road or save a kitten instead.
The phrase "I know" seems to be the crux of this issue.
To "not know" whether or not something is good or bad is an indicator of either a deranged mind or poor upbringing (including all that entails like parenting, education, environment and so on).
When it comes to videogames affecting either of these two factors, we have to isolate each case where videogames are pointed at as a contributing factor, then decide exactly how much contribution they made.
In the case of the deranged mind, I don't think videogames can be blamed because to a deranged mind's 'reasoning' a tree that is starting to turn brown at the onset of autumn might be more of a catalyst for a killing spree for all we know.
In the case of poor upbringing, we as gamers cannot deny that games can change our moods in the same way that movies, music, chemicals and current affairs do. We vigorously defend all of these though, stating that we know that the mood swing has been artificially altered at our whim and that we're still in control of our actions.
But whereas you can lose control by overdosing on, say, drink, I don't think it's possible to lose control by overdosing on videogames. Plenty of studies have been conducted over the years and sure, some have pointed out that videogames conclusively alter mood. But I'd argue that if you drip fed alcohol or crack cocaine or Martin Scorsese movies or Black Sabbath Live at Glasonbury or CNN to your subjects over the same period of time that the alterations would be more pronounced.
In this particular case, I think we're looking at a mum who has to all intents and purposes 'lost' her son and can't accept he was deranged, so is grasping at every straw she can to appoint blame somewhere, when in fact there is nothing to blame, these things really do just happen. I could be even more cynical and say she needed the cash for selling her story, but I'm not sure mothers can stoop that low. If they can, maybe it's genetic.
FantasyMeister wrote:
> In the case of poor upbringing, we as gamers cannot deny that
> games can change our moods in the same way that movies, music,
> chemicals and current affairs do.
I'd say if anything videogames are more of a release for stress and violence. With things like Ragdoll it's got much more satisfying blasting someone with a shotgun, but in no way does it make you think yeah that would be great in real life (you''d get all messy).
> In the case of poor upbringing, we as gamers cannot deny that
> games can change our moods in the same way that movies, music,
> chemicals and current affairs do.
I'd say if anything videogames are more of a release for stress and violence. With things like Ragdoll it's got much more satisfying blasting someone with a shotgun, but in no way does it make you think yeah that would be great in real life (you''d get all messy).
I didn't particularly like Manhunt as I thought it was too dark and sinister for my liking (but mainly the game was a pile of pants). Other than that though, I like shoot em up type of games.
Oddly, a game such as Tekken, which I was playing yesterday, would be deemed semi-violent seen as all you do it beat the crap out of opponents, but watching a boxing match is seen to be normal and healthy even thought someone is really getting their butt kicked.
There are loads more violent books than games and they don't even have an age rating. Why don't these parents get all annoyed at violent books? I'm currently reading a book in which several characters have been killed by being pushed from a moving train, had the breaks tampered with in their car, had their neck broken and been shot. Why are books like this not being blamed for murders etc?
Its often claimed that games are bad because we take pleasure in them and then relate that pleasure to the bad aspects of the game, but cant that be said for books too. After all I'm reading this particular book for pleasure.
Oddly, a game such as Tekken, which I was playing yesterday, would be deemed semi-violent seen as all you do it beat the crap out of opponents, but watching a boxing match is seen to be normal and healthy even thought someone is really getting their butt kicked.
There are loads more violent books than games and they don't even have an age rating. Why don't these parents get all annoyed at violent books? I'm currently reading a book in which several characters have been killed by being pushed from a moving train, had the breaks tampered with in their car, had their neck broken and been shot. Why are books like this not being blamed for murders etc?
Its often claimed that games are bad because we take pleasure in them and then relate that pleasure to the bad aspects of the game, but cant that be said for books too. After all I'm reading this particular book for pleasure.
I just drowned my sister after playing Mario Sunshine...
I drowned Mario after playing with your sister.
I just drowned.
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