Mark Kermode - Do violent computer games turn us into killers?

[Cuacuani]

Whilst reading Charlie Brooker's latest column (see Rotating Bread's post [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.160937]) I discovered this little gem from Mark Kermode (whom some of you may know as the guy who reviews films on Simon Mayo's Radio 5 program).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/dec/11/mark-kermode-video-games

He also made a similar argument in this video thing on his blog last month which can be found here. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/2009/11/call_of_civic_duty_2.html]

 

[Cherry Cola]

He used the word "Du jour". I hate it when people say that. It's been programmed into my brain!

What is the discussion? There is no discussion! Without it I feel lost... Also, a full article telling us that we should ask someone else about how videogames affect us? A little pointless, perhaps.

 

[randomsix]

I didn't know they had videogames in the stone ages.

Meaning: We've always been violent killers.

 

[DuplicateValue]

Totally.

I'm hiding the bodies as we speak.

 

[Yukinari]

I still cant believe people are being told video games will soon kill humanity and shit.
Oh hey, im playing L4D2, im gonna go outside and pounce onto people ripping their stomach out.

 

[GamingAwesome1]

I still cant believe people are being told video games will soon kill humanity and shit.
Oh hey, im playing L4D2, im gonna go outside and pounce onto people ripping their stomach out.

That would be fun, mind you.

But seriously, videogames do NOT kill people, stupid people do.

 

[Rhymenoceros]

thats all a load of bull. i love GTA doesnt mean i enjoy stealing cars to pick up hookers then beating them to death with a baseball bat to get my money back

 

[Jark212]

Totally.

I'm hiding the bodies as we speak.

I eat them, it takes a lot of effort but pays off in the long run... Tonight it Grilled with a teriyaki marinade.

 

[ryai458]

I still cant believe people are being told video games will soon kill humanity and shit.
Oh hey, im playing L4D2, im gonna go outside and pounce onto people ripping their stomach out.

you know that does kinda sound fun....

 

[DuplicateValue]

Mark Kermode can suck my fucking left nut.
/thread.

I'm afraid your left nut doesn't quite have the power to end a thread.
Unless it's a mod here, that is. Typing would be awkward, I'd imagine.

 

[DuplicateValue]

Totally.

I'm hiding the bodies as we speak.

I eat them, it takes a lot of effort but pays off in the long run... Tonight it Grilled with a teriyaki marinade.

Ooh, sounds delicious. Bon appetite!

 

[Kasawd]

"What I know about videogames wouldn't fill the back of a postage stamp"

That's it, right there. He instantly disqualifies himself.

 

[geldonyetich]

This topic comes up so often I almost wonder if it would be better to have tacked this on to an existing thread. The last couldn't be older than a month. Perhaps even 2 weeks.

That said, we heard it all before, and it all breaks down it being a matter of if the player is already subject to a specific set of conditions as to want to imitate the behavior. It doesn't seem to be any worse than movies. It might even be a bit more benign than movies in that games offer some channel to vent those emotions.

 

[Icecoldcynic]

I've never cared for the whole "games make people violent" media bullshit anyway. There's nothing a piece of harmless entertainment could cause that wouldn't have happened one way or another. If a person is the kind of person who would murder someone, it's probably going to happen regardless of whether they played GTA or Banjo Kazooie when they were kids.

Remember back when people tried to claim rock music was corrupting youth? 'Nuff said.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

I'm just going to go out on a limb and assume that most people didn't actually bother to read the article we were given a link to. Mark Kermode never once asserts that video games turn us into killers, and instead offers a defense that they do not, supported by his perspective from the movie industry.

 

[Icehearted]

Surely with the same effectiveness that Super Mario World made me hop on turtles and eat mushrooms, Tomb Raider inspired me to be a gun-slinging archeologist with huge snoobs, and World of Warcraft had me making leather pants and trading fish eyes for gold with the local little persons.

Nothing I just posted is any more silly than articles that think MILLIONS of gamers that play violent games every day are going out and committing murder.

 

[GrinningManiac]

Humans are naturally competative and combatative

Looking at centuries of war, rape, murder, aggression and destruction kinda shows this

Computer games are a scapegoat

 

[Cuacuani]

Also, a full article telling us that we should ask someone else about how videogames affect us? A little pointless, perhaps.

Possibly a little redundant, but I thought it was interesting to see someone who has no background in games but is a film critic compare it to the video nasty outrage. Also, whilst he's hardly a huge celebrity, the fact that these articles are on the Guardian and BBC websites means that many people are going to read them. It's encouraging to see something pro-gaming come from someone who isn't into games.

 

[RanD00M]

No.*Hides bag of bloody weapons*