GTA IV influences another murder (Apparently)

[afrophysics]

Am I the only one who read the words Thai infront of the word Teenager, not Chinese?
I can easily see how GTA would influence somebody to commit crime. Nearly everything we are exposed to will influence us and our behaviour, but the fact that people single out video games as the most influential reaosn is worrying. I would like to say it's wrong that people blame video games but most of the studies these days are inconclusive, but either way if you ban violent games then surely you should ban violent films, TV shows, music and books. And that's just ridiculous.

 

[Mister Shades]

The next time I get caught jay walking, I think I'll blame Frogger.

 

[RetiarySword]

This won't be good. That stupid kid! I mean before people were suspected of getting their killer intentions from games. But this idiot had to rock the boat and say it was because of the game. I feel things are going to be harder on us gamers soon. For F**ks sake!

 

[guko84]

I'm am so going to get banned for this but: its not the games fault its the fucking retard who did this anyone that fucking stupid should be killed (i would prefer a hanging.

 

[Mister Shades]

I'm am so going to get banned for this but: its not the games fault its the fucking retard who did this anyone that fucking stupid should be killed (i would prefer a hanging.

Yeah, I think that was a bit harsh

 

[guko84]

This kid did something stupid and bad so he blames the videogame.

True and true. He blame the game cause he think he can get away with that! Stupid fuck!
In fact, he rob taxi cause he want money to buy a motorbike! This fucktard makes me (and any other gamer in Thailand) mad. How can a grown up 19 years old person come up with the most stupid excuse the gaming history ever known is beyond me.

Now the fuck-wit government is gonna ban the game. Fuck that kid, fuck his parent, fuck anyone who thinks the game is to blame(cause it's so clear that this kid makes that up)

Grrr I wanna cut that kid's testicle with file slowly and painfully, regrow it and cut it again and again and again and again...

wtf.....

 

[Nazrel]

I don't remember the name of the author, but his book supposedly caused a wave of suicides by revolver when the main character killed himself with a revolver in the 19th century. Or the beginning of 20th.

Books cause dangerous thoughts! Same with games! Take them to the nearest fire department for safe disposal!

The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, it was originally published in 1774.

Supposedly more than 2,000 readers committed suicide.(Note the supposedly.)

 

[Jumplion]

I personally think that there's no denying that video games, whatever the game, can and sometimes will influence people. Wether the influence is good (stress reliever) or bad (shootings and robberies) is debatable.

Video games are by far the most imersive form of media, and that comes with consequences for being said imersive.

I could understand how someone would be influenced to commit a crime if they play enough of the game, but the person who obviously can't tell the difference between real life and video life is completely mental, and this boy is obviously a Sociopath if he was "normal" and all of a sudden killed someone. It's his fault, not the games.

And I would not be surprised if studies showed that people who played violent video games (defining "Violent Video games" of course) were more likely to commit a crime or likely to be calm when they commited a crime, but I'd imagine it would be a very small percentage.

Unfortunately video games arn't going to get out of hte gunseat for a while, so I say we stay calm and just go through it, start some protests here and there if nececary, and just hope for the best.

 

[TunaCanner]

It's very likely that they forced him to say that he did it because of the game, or that they're withholding info about his true mental state and that they're using this as an opportunity to attack the GTA series. Also, even if someone could get a case against take-two, by now they have to have amassed a massive legal department that could get any charges dropped in an instant.

 

[WlknCntrdiction]

This comes to mind http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/sillies.php?d=20080709
He should've thought about what he was getting into before he did it, now he's gunna have his own death on his conscious o.0
Paradox ftw?!!

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

That's textbook sociopathic behavior. With some therapy he could've been taught to lead a normal healthy life but s*** man, anything could've inspired him to do something bonkers without it.

Sociopathic behavior is considered a personality disorder which defies years of research by successfully resisting chemical or cognitive-behavior-therepy based treatment. Consequently, there is plentiful evidence against the notion that some therapy could have taught him to lead a normal life. [/mr.knowitall]

Really? I thought they could teach them social cues and basic premises of conduct that's unacceptable. So I guess it's not so much therapy as it is teaching them how to live like a normal, non-taxi robbing person. No go though, huh? Ah well.

 

[Rabid Toilet]

Honestly, it's nice to see someone turning this into a debate, rather than a large group of people calling someone insane.

My take on it is that when the kid found out he would likely be getting the death sentence, he realized he might be able to pin it on something else and get a lighter sentence. With GTA commonly being used as a successful scapegoat, he picked that.

That is of course what I would do.

Exactly. If I knew I was going to die, I would try to think of anything I could to get out of it. Reputation of gamers be damned.

 

[Nazrel]

Honestly, it's nice to see someone turning this into a debate, rather than a large group of people calling someone insane.

My take on it is that when the kid found out he would likely be getting the death sentence, he realized he might be able to pin it on something else and get a lighter sentence. With GTA commonly being used as a successful scapegoat, he picked that.

That is of course what I would do.

Exactly. If I knew I was going to die, I would try to think of anything I could to get out of it. Reputation of gamers be damned.

You might be rignt but I think You're looking at this the wrong way.

I would note that it said

Police said the youth, an obsessive player of the video game, showed no sign of mental problems during questioning and had confessed to committing the crime explicitly because of the game.

Who are the police to judge? If being a sociopath was obvious this stuff wouldn't happen.
What is the most cliche phrase associated with serial killers?

"He seemed like such a normal guy."

 

[wgreer25]

Am I the only one who gets the impression this person may have been forced to say GTA was an influence?

They are indeed playing the stereotypical, ''normal' individual suddenly influenced by a videogame' card.

I completely think this is what is happening.

Edit: removed rant about China. I should learn to read more carefully.

 

[sammyfreak]

Am I the only one who gets the impression this person may have been forced to say GTA was an influence?

They are indeed playing the stereotypical, ''normal' individual suddenly influenced by a videogame' card.

I completely think this is what is happening. You are talking about a communist goverment that has no problem lying to the world about he value of their "dollar", supports the largest criminal venture in recorded history (counterfit blackmarket luxery products like Ipods, Rolex, cars) and has no problem poisoning its entire population with it horrendous environmental conditions. Need I mention the pet food fiasco and the lead paint in children's toys. These were done intentionally to save money. I have no doubt that China will make this buy say GTA4 did it so they have a good reason to ban it. Hell it would not surprise me at all if they blackmailed him into killing the guy.

I realize my views may be a little extreme and I appoligize if I offend anyone, but it sickens me that China can get away with feuling genocide, global enviornmental destruction, destroying the world economy, and nobody really cares. As long as you get your cheap China made crap from WalMart, everythings fine.

Thailand is not China

 

[the protaginist]

...i'm reminded of a chris rock joke."they were looking at what movies the kid was watching...what games he was playing...what books he was reading...what the **** happened to crazy!?"

(he was talking about columbine...)

 

[GuerrillaClock]

It seems to me in these cases that the murderer is almost absolved of blame by the press, which (and you can see it in the wording of the article) focuses on why the game is baaaaad.
Games aren't evil. The real evil is people like Jack Thompson, who presumably waits by his phone to hear about some sort of tragedy before sprinting off to the cameras to get his face all over the news spouting shit about how its' the games' fault. ndemn it, far from it
I mean, didn't he write an offensive letter to the Rockstar founders' elderly mother about the game? That's lower than most gamers would stoop.
Games are an easy target because its' nowhere near as big as TV or film. Case in point was the Shannon Matthews thing in Blighty (for those that don't know her mother faked her kidnapping to get her hands on press money, benefits etc, a scheme inspired by TV show Shameless), yet NO-ONE condemned the show at all. Not saying it would be right to condemn it, but it highlights the double standards with which games are treated.
Given that films like the Dark Knight get a 12a rating, I find it hard to believe games get so much media pressure.

 

[Divinegon]

"Oh crap! I just killed someone. WhatdoIdowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo?...I know! I'll just blame a videogame For sure they'll be distracted too much with the influence that game gave me instead of the fact that I simply killed someone. Oh I r so smartz."

10 bucks on that was what he was thinking at the time.

 

[HomeAliveIn45]

If GTA hadn't influeced him towards murder, I think it would only be an eventuality that something else that is percieved to be 'violent' would.

 

[Baneat]

Let's say %5 of people play/played GTA IV. with this info 1 in 20 murderers will have played GTA IV before. That's a lot of murderers that have played it. Let's also say 30% of people eat bread. %30 of murderers eat bread, therefore bread incites violence. Or so the statistics show -.-