Does Violence in our entertainment have any effect at all?

[Rednog]

I honestly want to say that in the grand scheme of things, no. Here's the thing, human history is chock full of violence. People have experienced real violence through human history, I seriously doubt that simulated non-real violence is making people worse off. Granted there might be an argument to be made that experiencing violence, whether real or not, might cause some tendencies but it is impossible to isolate any effect that a single thing has on us because we live in a dynamic world with so many influences.

 

[AntiChri5]

Art imitates life. Our media is violent because we are a violent species. We were violent before games, we were violent before movies, we were violent before the written word and the invention of language itself.

I don't think any human civilization has been as removed from violence as modern western culture.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

The only thing it does to a normal adult is that it desensitizes them to fake violence (I've been gaming since I could hold a controller...I've done things in games that would make a tough-as-nails Army bad-ass cry like a little girl but I STILL can't stand the sight of blood in real life).

Oh, me neither, man. I can play Madworld, Gears of War, and Mortal Kombat with a stupid grin on my face but I freaking FLIP when I see blood. Especially if it's my blood.

The problem arises with kids (who don't always have the fully developed brain to realize that a normal response to a situation is NOT killing everyone within a four block radius) and mentally sick adults. Parents need to be the barometer to determine what their kids can and can't handle and mentally sick adults need the proper care.

The same guy took the words right out of my mouth.
For a mature mind, no, I don't think it does anything. But for kids or other people with less mature heads, yeah, I think it could have a strong impact. Kids (and even young adults) are still building their perspective of the world and I don't know if it's true or not but maybe the violence of games or movies could incorporate this concept of "killing/stealing/etc. has no consequence" into their world view.
You know, they might have a little bit of trouble comprehending the fact that human life is INFINITELY more valuable than a digital one.

 

[FalloutJack]

Yes, it has an effect: It's entertaining. But that's all. There's no deep dark mythos or conspiracy or secret power of evil influence. It's just entertainment media, a million times more harmless than having an actual gun.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

I'll add my voice to those proclaiming that, at most, it desensitizes...to digital violence!

Personally, I abhor violence and the sight of "real" stuff in movies and hyper violence in games, causes me to do whatever I can to get as far away from the imagery as possible.


I've slaughtered hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people/creatures/objects in my gaming career. I barely remember anything about the "deaths" that was jarring, let alone damaging to my psyche. The same can't be said about reality. I once made the mistake of visiting ogreish.

Let's just say that the image of a taxi cab driver with his face blown off is still pretty damned poignant for me in comparison to CoD.

 

[DragonStorm247]

Maybe it causes a temporary short term state of anger arousal. MAYBE.

Is that the same thing as being a factor in violent behavior? Not even close. I cannot even come up with an adequate comparison of such an absurd logical jump.

 

[kasperbbs]

If anything it allowed me to relax and forget about my worldly worries. What did make me wanna grab a gun and shoot people in the face was my experiences at school, lets just say that i wasn't very popular until the 8th grade because of my weight.

 

[Levethian]

I think the only effect violent entertainment has on us is a desensitizing effect.
In other words, the more violence we see on TVs / computers, etc, the less 'shocking' we find it.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that more people are going to BE violent after viewing it.

Pretty much this. If you're constantly exposed to violence at a young age, you'll be less bothered by it later on. However, just because you're desensitized does not mean you're going to go on a killing spree. A moral compass and a sound mind are far more relevant in this discussion than how bothered you are by violence.

I think the only effect violent entertainment has on us is a desensitizing effect.
In other words, the more violence we see on TVs / computers, etc, the less 'shocking' we find it.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that more people are going to BE violent after viewing it.

tends to be a general human reaction with everything even if its not violent. more exposed you are to it the less effect it has

I am desensitized to fake violence in media, because I've had lots of exposure to it. Numb, bored.
I am not desensitized to real violence, because I've had little exposure to it. Sickening fear, revulsion.

Perhaps the problem is identifying the minds that can't process the difference.
Obviously, violent people are going to find outlets for their fantasies, so the tenuous link between gaming and murdering will always exist as a scapegoat.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Desensitisation... with a twist.

I'm pretty sure violent media doesn't desensitise people to real, first-hand violence. I know that whenever I've been involved in something violent, the impact didn't seem to be softened by all those video games and movies. I was never thinking, "Oh, a little stabbing doesn't bother me. After all, I've killed thousands of people in games!"

Violence in media just desensitise people to violence in media.

Aye this. A thousand times this. When i witnessed violence and brutality on REAL people it sickened me and totally struck me to my very core. I felt disturbed by it for weeks, even a bit to this very day. Killing pixels just made me better at killing pixels. I stopped thinking of those pixels as anything near relatable to human or even a facsimile and just gun them down with ease. It doesnt change my opinion at all on a living breathing human because the outer context of their lives, their family, feelings and experiences, all make it impossible for me to disconnect my empathy toward them.

 

[Angie7F]

AKB48 Oshima Yuko openly objected to "Aku no Kyoten".
I just went to see the trailer, and after what happened in Conneticut, it disturbed me greatly.

It is easy to write it off as another violent slaughter film about crazy people, but the older I get, the more skeptic I become about the idea that violence in media is just entertainment.
I think maybe it is a dangerous leap to assume that entertainment will encourage people to be violent, but it recall traumatic feelings from what you recalled in real life.

Maybe if you are lucky enough to not come across ral life violence then you can be ok with it.

(I was going to post a link for the movie, but I decided not to given what recently happened. But if you are interested, it is "XdJYPDrtO7E" in youtube. )

 

[A.A.K]

It desensitizes people towards it without question; and it turns some people into 'self-taught experts on the matter', or as my old boss used to call 'Fuck-nuts', because they watch movies; use their mastery of deductive logic and the sorts - and the preach to people who've actually experienced violence.

 

[spartan231490]

No, the idea that it does is fucking rediculous. We are human beings, not mirrors, we make CHOICES. People are violent, that's why our media often reflects that, but it doesn't make us more violent when it does.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

It can piss you and frustrate you when you have died on the same section/boss for the tenth time. But then just living life can frustrate and annoy us.

 

[spartan231490]

Desensitisation... with a twist.

I'm pretty sure violent media doesn't desensitise people to real, first-hand violence. I know that whenever I've been involved in something violent, the impact didn't seem to be softened by all those video games and movies. I was never thinking, "Oh, a little stabbing doesn't bother me. After all, I've killed thousands of people in games!"

Violence in media just desensitise people to violence in media.

This, a thousand times this. If violence in media desensitized us to real life violence, we'd have a lot fewer vets coming home with PTSD. That's why I hate all those studies so much. They measure people's reaction to imagined media violence, never real life actual violence, let alone actually measure the amount of actual violence the person perpetrates.

 

[King Billi]

Of course it does, everything in our life affects us and shapes the kind of person we become be it entertainment, our personal experiences and the people in our lives.

Not a one of these innumerable influences can be singled out however as the sole cause of all violence and misery in the world and entertainment often the very least.

At the same time however it must be recognised that violence in entertainment is NOT completely harmless and without influence even if it isn't creating mass murderers (Which of course it isn't).

 

[somonels]

I think the only effect violent entertainment has on us is a desensitizing effect.
In other words, the more violence we see on TVs / computers, etc, the less 'shocking' we find it.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean that more people are going to BE violent after viewing it.

Most of us don't have a natural expectation of violence thus learning about them triggers a stronger psychological response. Unfortunately the more susceptible persons will eventually come to believe the world is like that, forming an unrealistic expectation based on it and creating all kinds of mental problems, some of which will trigger a violent response and become a headline for the next generation.

Free information to all! Regardless of ethics, necessity or will.
WE SHALL PRODUCE,
YOU SHALL CONSUME,
EVERYTHING,
EVERYWHERE,
EVERYTIME.

 

[Cpu46]

I feel like violent media makes the news of a violent incident carry less weight but I do not feel that, at least in a healthy mind, it would create a remorseless killer.

In fact I think that video games and violent media are in fact helping reduce the number of individuals who act on violent tendencies and impulses.

 

[thesilentman]

We're just desensitized to violence, like Topaz and Zhukov said.

But, violence happens to be the only thing that is a guaranteed attention catcher. In video games, it's the quick and easy go-to to enhance engagement with the game. This also holds true of every other media.

The thing is, violence can be done well or shitty depending on the medium discussed. I'm sure all of you guys have had fun killing dudes in one game and in another, ("cough cough Spec Ops: The Line cough cough"), you guys have detested killing dudes.

Violence has no effect on its own, but coupled with other aspects, it can help the medium or hurt it severely.