Do Violent Video Games like Manhunt enforce violent and criminal behaviour within children?

[zeroharpuia]

Clearly no. The type of kid that is going to grow up to be violent will be that way no matter what they are exposed to. Look at the famous serial killers before we even had video games. A fair number of them used the bible as their reason.
Some people are just fucked up.

I agree with this, but some people are also easily influenced. So I guess it's possible if you don't properly explain to the child what is happening.

 

[JodaSFU]

I highly doubt that.. I suppose some video games such as Manhunt and Postal 2 could leave children with something they weren't able to interpret, and in some way leave a mark. I don't think children are supposed to play games where you pee in people's head, torture them, and beat their heads off with a shovel, but I definitely don't think they will become criminals because of it, and they will most likely not get their hands on it before they are old enough to laugh at it, as it is meant for.

Question: Can violent games cause children to act violently?

JodaSFU's argument:

- The proper response to a violent video game is laughter (debatable)
- Children are not supposed to play such games (true, but irrelevant)
- Children probably won't be able to acquire such games (untrue, irrelevant)
- Violent images can disturb children (true and relevant)

IN CONCLUSION, violent video games won't turn children into criminals

...some of you really need to learn how to argue a point.

I was referring solely to Postal 2, as I consider it one of the only games I have ever played which I think could disturb a child. And yes, I find that game extremely hilarious. And Postal 2 is unavailable in normal stores, and is somewhat hard to get unless you download it.

 

[Chibz]

I've been playing since i was 6, violent games since 8-10, i havent even been in a fight, and i'm a pretty calm person almost all the time, so, i'm saying NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

What about a child who is autistic, or who has XYY syndrome, or is otherwise prone to aggressive outbursts? Would he/she be adversely affected by violent games?

Oh, does your hatred know no end? Now it's against the autistic.

 

[Oopsie]

Perhaps these days they do. In my time however we still had to actively use our mind to determine a plastic bag is perfectly suitable for suffocating a person.

 

[Rhob Anybody]

Violence in video games I dont think I can hold responsible for violence in life. My reasons for this are multiple but I will go with just a few examples.

1st up I think the lack of dicipline at schools (I come from an era when the cane was still in use) will have a much larger effect than any other. I would not be a teacher in todays world for any amount of money due to the simple fact that a teacher no longer has any way to enforce dicipline other than saying "dont do that or I'll tell you not to do that again!"

Secondly with the amount of violence on any TV show that is way more likely to effect any person that is feeling violently inclined. For those arguing that its a case of "monkey see monkey do" that would honestly be my 1st port of call.

And lastly we get to my personal case. I'm a 40 year old male who has been playing violent video games since they 1st came out. I have no criminal record of any type, have very rarely been in any kind of fight (the few I have been in were self defence) and would say for the most part am a fairly well adjusted person.However I do have a very violent brother who never plays computer games of any type and is currently serving a life sentence for a violent crime.

Now if I had been the violent one rather than my brother (and still played the same games I have through my life) what are the odds that the media would be saying that my life of crime was due to the games I play? I would say pretty much odds on myself

Rhob

 

[celark]

A guy at my old school, who was pretty crazy (in a bad way, a very bad way) loved manhunt, however I really doubt that made a difference to his behaviour. He is now in prison for life after stabbing a 15 year old. Even before Manhunt was out, or even GTA3 he was already pretty messed up. So no, violent games do not enforce violent behaviour. Irresponsible parents who let underage children play violent games and do not teach them the difference between reality and fantasy are partly to blame.

 

[ZeroMachine]

(I can't believe I'm doing this...)

NO.

/thread


... fine. Long answer: No. Kids that becomes violent after playing violent video games have violent tendencies in the first place. There are, of course, exceptions to this (as there are with everything else) but they are few and far between.

 

[Triple AD]

It's a little naive to blame anything on one thing. It is easy for people to go oh these violent kids also played video games. The games must be causing it. It is harder to look at the more complex issues like parents, and other relationships because they don't boil down into statistics as easily. A kid getting beat every night by his alcoholic parents is probably more damaging than killing pictures on a screen.

QTF

 

[Booze Zombie]

If you think killing people in real life is "cool", you've got bigger problems that a violent game.

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

If there was a game where you could drown somebody in mash potato, I reckon I'd give it a try, just for comical value, but otherwise, no...you'd have to be extremely disturbed to believe that if a game displays physical violence, it's acceptable for you to do so.

 

[Sevre]

I don't think they influence them to do stupid things,I think the fact that they're stupid influences them to do stupid things.

 

[suhlEap]

hell no... it's a stupid question in my opinion, i mean you'd have to have problems already if playing something violent made you do violent things. it's a ridiculous concept.

 

[jakefongloo]

while i do believe that there is nobody who actually gets influenced extreamly by a game i do think games like manhunt and gta are a bit irresponsible in that the producers take no accountability for anything. Granted violence will always shot up in videogames unless your playing barbie horse adventures, but there have been really really good games that don't have to involve killing anyone you bump shoulders with. I don't care about the blood or the choking or the rip somone's tongue out and eat it i just don't necessarily believe it has to be innocent dudes. But i'm not going to go around on a rant about it because i realise its not my thing. It's not that i think its dammaging its just not what i'm into like i'm sure theres people out there who don't like left 4 dead and will ind general reasons like i just did to not like it. So in summerization no

 

[matnatz]

I like to stand on my doorstep at night holding a cloth polishing the head of a claw hammer.

 

[sorry user name taken.]

no

i did have a longer rant on this subject but I'll keep it short and sweet with my answer

no....but actually no i better not say what i think lol

 

[sonidraw]

I was a violent little kid before I even knew what a video game was. I'm not as violent now as I was back then, and I play a lot more video games. Food for thought?

 

[z121231211]

Only if they play them.

/thread

And since the box has an M on it then any person under 17 playing the game doesn't count.

 

[DreamKing]

As other people have stated, no, violent games do not force violent or criminal behavior. I love MadWorld but I am a generally good person at heart.

 

[Deacon Cole]

No, violent video games do not encourage violence and if you say they do, I'm-a gonna cut choo, man!

 

[Barry93]

If a kid grows up to be a homicidal maniac, it's because of his/her parents.