I don't get the whole "Modern warfare (and related games) will turn your kids into terrorists thing

[cryogeist]

besides the fact that it's already retarded as is but if your kid's that gullible that he'll go on a killing spree..should he REALLY be playing games?
but then another thought came to mind...if you were a child and you were that gullible who would you rather be?
the terrorist?
or the guy putting a bullet into his brain?
(this was kind of a general rant as well as a bit of a question i don't know it's just been on my mind for a while now)

 

[DJDarque]

People just need something to blame because they hardly raise their own children anymore.

 

[C95J]

It's probably because it doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

 

[Griffolion]

This is really only put forward by individuals with an agenda against video games. All other people ('all other people' being sane people) know that it's bad parenting and irresponsibility on the part of the retailer that allows children to play violent video games.

 

[BGH122]

This is really only put forward by individuals with an agenda against video games. All other people ('all other people' being sane people) know that it's bad parenting and irresponsibility on the part of the retailer that allows children to play violent video games.

And, more importantly, that games do not lead to violence and that no study ever has ever directly causally successfully linked long-term aggressive behaviour to video gaming.

 

[Richardplex]

Gaming is just the newest scapegoat so parents don't have to admit they're terrible parents. Rock 'n' Roll and Rap wer previous scapegoats for example.

 

[proandi]

Gaming is just the newest scapegoat so parents don't have to admit they're terrible parents. Rock 'n' Roll and Rap wer previous scapegoats for example.

Exactly whereas some under-age kid playing GTA may think ooo wouldn't it be cool to steal a car in reality he wouldn't go out and do it because he knows or at least he should know it's wrong to do so. If parents don't instil a good moral compass in their children and show them boundaries they're going to run wild regardless if they play video games or not

 

[Unia]

That's said by people with no personal experience with games whatsoever. They look at a few-second clip of gameplay footage of shooting, of course they think it's mindless violence. While in reality that game might teach the player how to work in a team and actually be helpful in that respect.

Just few days ago there was a long rant about "eevil violent videogames" in the community section of a local newspaper. The writer placed primary blame on "War of Warcraft", with related picture from I think S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I *wish* I was making this up

That said, games could be just about anything with same base mechanics, so why not take a break from the 'soldier vs. terrorist' with 'chipmunk vs. weasel' or something. Games are about playing - doing things for their own sake, having fun - so I say blame the bad rep on 'hardcore' crowd crying out for realism.

 

[Daveman]

besides the fact that it's already retarded as is but if your kid's that gullible that he'll go on a killing spree..should he REALLY be playing games?
but then another thought came to mind...if you were a child and you were that gullible who would you rather be?
the terrorist?
or the guy putting a bullet into his brain?
(this was kind of a general rant as well as a bit of a question i don't know it's just been on my mind for a while now)

You're exactly right. And that's why Microsoft noticed that a huge number of people clicked on the Army recruitment advert they put next to Halo. It's their most successful bit of advertising they ever did.

 

[BGH122]

That said, games could be just about anything with same base mechanics, so why not take a break from the 'soldier vs. terrorist' with 'chipmunk vs. weasel' or something. Games are about playing - doing things for their own sake, having fun - so I say blame the bad rep on 'hardcore' crowd crying out for realism.

And how would having a weasel getting shot to ribbons be any better? If anything, the nutjob animal rights wackos would start kicking up such a fuss that all games would get a terrible reputation.

Games are simply there to be enjoyed. They aren't there to teach life lessons. If one's getting one's life lessons from video games then one has far greater issues than video games.

 

[Griffolion]

This is really only put forward by individuals with an agenda against video games. All other people ('all other people' being sane people) know that it's bad parenting and irresponsibility on the part of the retailer that allows children to play violent video games.

And, more importantly, that games do not lead to violence and that no study ever has ever directly causally successfully linked long-term aggressive behaviour to video gaming.

Damn straight. In my degree, when I had full access to PsychInfo and Web of Knowledge, I looked through a lot of the literature, and virtually all of it said the same thing: there is no direct link.

The fact that the base rate of the behaviour is so ubiquitous in society today makes it a terrible predictor for behaviour.

 

[BGH122]

This is really only put forward by individuals with an agenda against video games. All other people ('all other people' being sane people) know that it's bad parenting and irresponsibility on the part of the retailer that allows children to play violent video games.

And, more importantly, that games do not lead to violence and that no study ever has ever directly causally successfully linked long-term aggressive behaviour to video gaming.

Damn straight. In my degree, when I had full access to PsychInfo and Web of Knowledge, I looked through a lot of the literature, and virtually all of it said the same thing: there is no direct link.

The fact that the base rate of the behaviour is so ubiquitous in society today makes it a terrible predictor for behaviour.

And in the few direct studies on the matter that found a causal link it was so weak that it was laughable (e.g. Weber (2006) showed through FMRI that areas of the brain associated with violence were high in activity and areas of the brain associated with empathy were low in activity whilst violent games were played... No shit Sherlock, you mean that an incredibly glucose demanding organ tries to prioritise functions?! With that kind of science savvy you'll go far).

 

[Griffolion]

And in the few direct studies on the matter that found a causal link it was so weak that it was laughable (e.g. Weber (2006) showed through FMRI that areas of the brain associated with violence were high in activity and areas of the brain associated with empathy were low in activity whilst violent games were played... No shit Sherlock, you mean that an incredibly glucose demanding organ tries to prioritise functions?! With that kind of science savvy you'll go far).

Haha, yeah I said the exact same thing about that study!

 

[Floppertje]

well there's not that many terrorists around to shoot in the US, at least not easily identifiable. the message they're taking is: if you have a problem, you can shoot it and then you get a 'well done, you're a winner'

 

[BGH122]

And in the few direct studies on the matter that found a causal link it was so weak that it was laughable (e.g. Weber (2006) showed through FMRI that areas of the brain associated with violence were high in activity and areas of the brain associated with empathy were low in activity whilst violent games were played... No shit Sherlock, you mean that an incredibly glucose demanding organ tries to prioritise functions?! With that kind of science savvy you'll go far).

Haha, yeah I said the exact same thing about that study!

It's pretty pathetic though. My lecturer (who irrationally hated videogames and couldn't cite a single decent study to back her beliefs up) failed to understand why this study isn't valid. Maybe if she'd studied basic biology before taking psychology she'd have figured out that all organs require scarce minerals and sugars to function and will be prioritised according to the external demands.

Thankfully, most psychologists are genuine scientists and are a lot smarter than her, Weber or Anderson. Unfortunately, their entirely predictable findings that games have no effect upon behaviour don't interests newspapers and so the discredited studies get the headlines.

 

[Griffolion]

And in the few direct studies on the matter that found a causal link it was so weak that it was laughable (e.g. Weber (2006) showed through FMRI that areas of the brain associated with violence were high in activity and areas of the brain associated with empathy were low in activity whilst violent games were played... No shit Sherlock, you mean that an incredibly glucose demanding organ tries to prioritise functions?! With that kind of science savvy you'll go far).

Haha, yeah I said the exact same thing about that study!

It's pretty pathetic though. My lecturer (who irrationally hated videogames and couldn't cite a single decent study to back her beliefs up) failed to understand why this study isn't valid. Maybe if she's studied basic biology before taking psychology she'd have figured out that all organs require scarce minerals and sugars to function and will be prioritised according to the external demands.

Thankfully, most psychologists are genuine scientists and are a lot smarter than her, Weber or Anderson. Unfortunately, their entirely predictable findings that games have no effect upon behaviour don't interests newspapers and so the discredited studies get the headlines.

Indeed, it's whatever get's the headlines. Sad really.

 

[Kegsen]

People blame something they don`t understand for something that will never be understood.
It`s much simpler to say "well, those darn violent games made him do it" instead of coming to the slightly horrifying reality that some people have gone off the rails in such a matter that they`d just as well draw "inspiration" from and old Donald Duck & Co. comic.

 

[Dead Eye II]

People just need something to blame because they hardly raise their own children anymore.

right on so many levels my friend

 

[TacticalAssassin1]

You don't understand what all the fuss is about? Join the crowd.