How do I convince my dad that games aren't "Evil"?

[similar.squirrel]

Shoot him. It's probably nice to die knowing you were right all along, eh?

Joking aside, every new form of entertainment has been mistrusted by the older generation. Showing him some of the articles on this site, even replies in this thread, may open his mind a little.

Although I do agree that playing hyper-realistic online FPS's is probably not the best kind of stimulation your mind could receive.

 

[teisjm]

Nah, Back when i was younger and lived at home my parernts would only get annoyed by my gaming if I was mid-game when dinner was ready and couldn't come eat. But some games you can't jyst leave like DotA where you'll fuck the game up for everyone else, same for raids and stuff in WoW and otehr games like that.

I'll bet ya that if i had showed madworld (had it existed back then) to my father back when i was young he would've encouraged me to be inspired and try drawing in that style.
Butthen again, my parents are sane people and, more importantly, knew that i wasn't insane and that i could tell the difference between games and reality, and that games were just entertainment like books or movies, and that they wouldn't screw with your mind.

Try and ask your dad if he watches any movies, or reed any books, with guns, or other kinds of violence, then ask him whether they have turned him into a psycho kilelr or not.
If he doens't answer but just puts down his copy of "american psycho" and reaches for a knife run like hell.

 

[lukcos]

Shove Viva pinata in his face go there none evil game! or spore or something kidish
then while he is looking at it go shoot some zombies in the face or something

 

[El Poncho]

My dad doesn't mind me playing games.

 

[The_ModeRazor]

Your dad seems somewhat annoying.
Tell him he's just wrong. Period.

I like this idea. Counter his complete lack of evidence with a complete lack of evidence of your own. After all, if we didn't have hypocrisy, where would we be today (The correct answer is switzerland)?

Believe me, if you do it right, you can convince anyone this way.

 

[Elburzito]

Before I bought my Xbox earlier this year I had decided to read the book of Assassin's Creed 2. I finished it in a few days and I suggested it to my Dad. He read it and said he liked it. A week later I went to buy the game version. Instantely seeing it he banned me from playing it(even though I am old enough to play it). He said it was too violent for me and even after telling him of his hypocrisy he wouldn't let me play it.

 

[Rawker]

Games do not influence kids. If Pac-Man were influential, we'd all be running around in dark rooms eating pills and listening to techno.

Dark room? Check
M & M's? Check
Techno? Chemical Brothers, so Check

Pac-Man is more influential than you'd think.

One more factor: Do you see ghosts due to the pills you are taking, and do you run from them?

Well my house is bit haunted, vicious axe murderer back in 18th century, you know. But the illusion breaks a bit since they just turn annoyed instead of blue when I try to devour them.

and the final test. Are you yellow (not a racial slur) and your favorite quote of all time is "Wakka wakka wakka wakka wakka wakka..."

 

[Lukeydoodly]

I don't think you can convince him without punching him in the face.

Violence caused by your anger at his ignorance, not video games, of course.

 

[teutonicman]

Beat him with the stick of knowledge?
Ask him why he thinks these games will make you violent and then correct him.

 

[atrocitease]

Video game violence and real world violence is an area that has a great deal of ongoing research. You can find anything you want to find to support your views written by someone with some form of impressive sounding credentials.
I am an ex-violent-insane-criminal-youth, I have worked with violent-insane-criminal-youth, and I currently work with adults in corrections. The media violence debate is idiotically oversimplified and misunderstood then fueled by reactionary pedagogues with ulterior motives.
I had very little media exposure growing up (less than one hour a week of TV pre grade school, less than an hour a day pre jr. high and didn't even own a console gaming system until I was 16). I was also conduct disordered (juvenile potential sociopath) and had been arrested more than once.
Media violence does not make people crazed killers. It takes repeated exposure in multiple factors to make someone with a mood disorder or a serial killing rapist.
Below is a link that may help explain things to your Dad.

http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html

 

[Ghadente]

Solution = Get a new Dad

 

[historybuff]

Get him that one new game for the Wii, where you use the Wii-remote to hammer virtual nails into Jesus' wrists.


Really though, arguing with your parents tends to be a useless venture. At least with my parents--it just ended in a quick whack across the face. You probably can't change his mind if he's closed-minded. But, you never know.

Write out why you like games and back them up with evidence why you are right. That's the only way it works with some people. Good, hard evidence laid out for them.

 

[The DSM]

If he says its "evil" he is probably too narrow-minded (no offence) to listen to you.

"evil" means he considers no video games "good" so he you cant change his mind.

People will belive what they want to belive, you cant change that (Not without biological re-programing and torture)

 

[WaywardHaymaker]

I'd like to be playing DA:O right now, but my dad's playing MW2. So, no, never had that issue.

YOUR father, however, would appear to be a thrall of the truly sinister FOX News. May you always keep one eye open, for the day may come that these sleeper agents will heed the command of Commandant Roger Ailes.

 

[grimsprice]

You can't change his mind. You CAN firebomb the Faux news building.

I would include a link to "the makeshift arsenal" list of home made weapons, but i think it would be frowned upon.
Image shack is being a *****... i'll be firebombing them too.

FIRST POST proves your dad right on a theoretical level

Ay...*facepalms*

OT: Just start up a conversation about it when you're not in the middle of playing it. You could either change each other's opinions, or have a deep, engrossing debate about it.

He sounds like he's opposed to it but will let you play, so he's not a bad guy. The bad ones are the ones who think it's righteous to oppress you, even in a small thing like playing games

Just have a chat about it

LOL. First post proves about 3% of the Escapist population doesn't have a sarcastic irony detector.

 

[GrinningManiac]

You can't change his mind. You CAN firebomb the Faux news building.

I would include a link to "the makeshift arsenal" list of home made weapons, but i think it would be frowned upon.
Image shack is being a *****... i'll be firebombing them too.

FIRST POST proves your dad right on a theoretical level

Ay...*facepalms*

OT: Just start up a conversation about it when you're not in the middle of playing it. You could either change each other's opinions, or have a deep, engrossing debate about it.

He sounds like he's opposed to it but will let you play, so he's not a bad guy. The bad ones are the ones who think it's righteous to oppress you, even in a small thing like playing games

Just have a chat about it

LOL. First post proves about 3% of the Escapist population doesn't have a sarcastic irony detector.

I originally thought you were being sarcastic, but going into the "I'd give you a link to some homemade weaponry" thing kinda killed the joke, so I assumed there was none. My mistake

Also, I'm fairly sure "Sarcastic Irony" dosen't exist. I think it's one or the other

 

[Cosplay Horatio]

I can still play even though my Dad loathes what he calls "The Pokeyman shit" but I have to do something productive for the day.

 

[TAGM]

With Great Difficulty. However, He isn't stopping you, so... I wouldn't worry too much. Maybe when people are smart enough to stop killing people and blaming the video games they play, maybe the stupid prats down at Fox News and Bullshit News Inc. will finally shut up and let your dad think for himself. Though, if he really just desided to say "That game's gonna make you KILL PEOPLE! ... But carry on playing it anyway. You'll learn..." I'm not sure that last part will happen... (No offence to you or your dad. I'm just saying that what he said sounded REALLY stupid.)