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There has been a debate raging for the past while over the link between young people's violent nature and the possibility of a link to violent video games. This is a topic which I do belive has an impact on our society, but I donnot believe that banning video games is the answer, but that the problem lies within the way that some children are censored (or not) by their parents.
Any game which is going to have any slight controversial theme, or will be intended to scare is now covered by the same censoring board as the film insudtry. This is a massive step forward, as it binds the licencing of games to law. Stores must not sell games to under age people, and that puts the focus onto the parents. It's their choice.
The media jump onto the band wagon of the blaming games industry all the time. The latest story is that of Damilola Taylor. The guys who murdered him, in an extreme form of bullying, have been shown in the media as being children who have been softened to violence by video games. It was because of video games that caused them to make the mental jump from attacking a boy with fists, to using a sharpened point to murder him. Now, I cannot turn around and say that there is absolutely no way that isn't true, because I don't know how stringent the parents cenrsoring of games was. I do seriously doubt that if these children were allowed to play violent video games, that they weren't allowed to watch violent movies, and get into the whole culture of rap music and black american society. The whole selling point of many of these artists is violence, that's what sells their records.
The softening of attituted towards violence inour communities is disturbing, but to blame it on any individual part of the entertainment industry is wrong, the entertainment industry merely magnifies the major issues of out society, as interpreted by the director/creator.
Any game which is going to have any slight controversial theme, or will be intended to scare is now covered by the same censoring board as the film insudtry. This is a massive step forward, as it binds the licencing of games to law. Stores must not sell games to under age people, and that puts the focus onto the parents. It's their choice.
The media jump onto the band wagon of the blaming games industry all the time. The latest story is that of Damilola Taylor. The guys who murdered him, in an extreme form of bullying, have been shown in the media as being children who have been softened to violence by video games. It was because of video games that caused them to make the mental jump from attacking a boy with fists, to using a sharpened point to murder him. Now, I cannot turn around and say that there is absolutely no way that isn't true, because I don't know how stringent the parents cenrsoring of games was. I do seriously doubt that if these children were allowed to play violent video games, that they weren't allowed to watch violent movies, and get into the whole culture of rap music and black american society. The whole selling point of many of these artists is violence, that's what sells their records.
The softening of attituted towards violence inour communities is disturbing, but to blame it on any individual part of the entertainment industry is wrong, the entertainment industry merely magnifies the major issues of out society, as interpreted by the director/creator.
Some people are effected by violence in video games but is not including violence the answer? No, many stressed out mothers will disagree but it's like saying none of can drink in case we become alcoholics!!!
bring it on Tenchu 3 :-)
bring it on Tenchu 3 :-)
Games would only be responsible for deaths if used as murder weapons.
Anyone that blames movies and games for societies problems is very short-sighted.
Anyone that blames movies and games for societies problems is very short-sighted.
Whenever there's a shooting, the parents often say:
"He played Doom a lot when he was 10 years old..."
Isn't Doom a red certificate "15" game.
He wasn't legally supposed to be playing it.
I think that ought to shift the blame OFF the industry.
The one to blame is the one who supplied a 10 year old with a game unsuitable for them, and proceded to teach them how to use a gun...
"He played Doom a lot when he was 10 years old..."
Isn't Doom a red certificate "15" game.
He wasn't legally supposed to be playing it.
I think that ought to shift the blame OFF the industry.
The one to blame is the one who supplied a 10 year old with a game unsuitable for them, and proceded to teach them how to use a gun...
Violent behavior is not created by games. If it were then violent crime would not have existed in the past.
You might say that games allow you to play the role of a violent character- true, but most people can draw a line between relity and fiction. Those who cannot would have committed violent crimes regardless of games.
If we were to ban violent games, then what of films? Of course, some will say that "films aren't as as bad as games", but it may still produce some adverse effect. So they'd have to be banned.
Oh, and worst of all is books! Not only are violent scenes in books descibed very evocatively, but they deal with both the physical action, AND the mental state of the characters- something that cannot be shown in visual media.
Coming back to my initial point, I don't think that ant sane person would commit a crime because they played it in a game. If anything people play violent games as a release, allowing you to experience things that you wouldn't dare do in real life. People who do commit crimes because they played it in a game would have done whether the game existed or not- they have a mental condition.
Sonic
You might say that games allow you to play the role of a violent character- true, but most people can draw a line between relity and fiction. Those who cannot would have committed violent crimes regardless of games.
If we were to ban violent games, then what of films? Of course, some will say that "films aren't as as bad as games", but it may still produce some adverse effect. So they'd have to be banned.
Oh, and worst of all is books! Not only are violent scenes in books descibed very evocatively, but they deal with both the physical action, AND the mental state of the characters- something that cannot be shown in visual media.
Coming back to my initial point, I don't think that ant sane person would commit a crime because they played it in a game. If anything people play violent games as a release, allowing you to experience things that you wouldn't dare do in real life. People who do commit crimes because they played it in a game would have done whether the game existed or not- they have a mental condition.
Sonic
There has been a debate raging for the past while over the link between young people's violent nature and the possibility of a link to violent video games. This is a topic which I do belive has an impact on our society, but I donnot believe that banning video games is the answer, but that the problem lies within the way that some children are censored (or not) by their parents.
Any game which is going to have any slight controversial theme, or will be intended to scare is now covered by the same censoring board as the film insudtry. This is a massive step forward, as it binds the licencing of games to law. Stores must not sell games to under age people, and that puts the focus onto the parents. It's their choice.
The media jump onto the band wagon of the blaming games industry all the time. The latest story is that of Damilola Taylor. The guys who murdered him, in an extreme form of bullying, have been shown in the media as being children who have been softened to violence by video games. It was because of video games that caused them to make the mental jump from attacking a boy with fists, to using a sharpened point to murder him. Now, I cannot turn around and say that there is absolutely no way that isn't true, because I don't know how stringent the parents cenrsoring of games was. I do seriously doubt that if these children were allowed to play violent video games, that they weren't allowed to watch violent movies, and get into the whole culture of rap music and black american society. The whole selling point of many of these artists is violence, that's what sells their records.
The softening of attituted towards violence inour communities is disturbing, but to blame it on any individual part of the entertainment industry is wrong, the entertainment industry merely magnifies the major issues of out society, as interpreted by the director/creator.
Any game which is going to have any slight controversial theme, or will be intended to scare is now covered by the same censoring board as the film insudtry. This is a massive step forward, as it binds the licencing of games to law. Stores must not sell games to under age people, and that puts the focus onto the parents. It's their choice.
The media jump onto the band wagon of the blaming games industry all the time. The latest story is that of Damilola Taylor. The guys who murdered him, in an extreme form of bullying, have been shown in the media as being children who have been softened to violence by video games. It was because of video games that caused them to make the mental jump from attacking a boy with fists, to using a sharpened point to murder him. Now, I cannot turn around and say that there is absolutely no way that isn't true, because I don't know how stringent the parents cenrsoring of games was. I do seriously doubt that if these children were allowed to play violent video games, that they weren't allowed to watch violent movies, and get into the whole culture of rap music and black american society. The whole selling point of many of these artists is violence, that's what sells their records.
The softening of attituted towards violence inour communities is disturbing, but to blame it on any individual part of the entertainment industry is wrong, the entertainment industry merely magnifies the major issues of out society, as interpreted by the director/creator.