Video-games take another "beating"

[antipunt]

So I decided to watch my daily dose of CNN-news (gee whiz, not Fox?!). I came across an article about a homeless man that was stabbed multiple times after trying to help a woman who was robbed. The interesting bit? People literally left him dying on the street; according to the article/video, we're talking dozens of people.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/04/27/ac.gupta.left.to.die.cnn

Two things surprised me.

1. Whatever happened to the woman that was mugged? It seems strange of her to just suddenly disappear.

2. Video-games: "the culprit"? (or at the very least, a "major contributor to this event")? Really?.. I mean, personally, I'm naturally skeptical of this claim, but Escapist, what do -you- think?

Edit: By event, I meant the 'leaving him on the street' bit. The video clarifies the story; my mistake, I forgot that not all would watch the link. Essentially, the psychologist in the video dismisses the 'bystander effect', and instead, blames video game/media violence for desensitizing the general populace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

 

[Flying-Emu]

That's idiotic.

Homeless people don't play video games.

 

[PopeJewish]

Reminds me of the famous case in New York where a woman was killed. She was dying in a courtyard or something, screaming for help, and everyone within ear shot simply assumed someone else would call the police. That most certainly wasn't blamed on video games

 

[BehattedWanderer]

And here, we see the real virtues of humanity. Help your fellow man indeed.

 

[FortyThree]

See, that's one of those stories that the reporter lied about, and it was uncovered later, but it never got press attention. In that story from New York, people -did- call the police. Like, right away once they found out what was going on.

 

[Tony2077]

why why why? ? ?

 

[likalaruku]

They have a combined IQ of 30. I'll bet they knew most people would disagree with their "science" & that's why they have no comment page. You know, UK news has a lot of BS in it, but they mock our news because it's even worse than theirs.

How long has CNN been going with the "if you can't beat FOX news opinions, join them?"

 

[Meggiepants]

Okay, first... Hey, are we making assumptions that 100% of people are gamers now? Because I don't know how you'd tell those people were gamers otherwise. So, that's kind of awesome! It's about time video games became universal!

Second... this isn't a desensitization thing. I could not tell that guy was injured from that video. The guy who flipped him over, now that guy is an ass. But I've seen homeless people asleep on the street. I've seen drunk people laying in the gutter. I wouldn't assume someone was dying necessarily just because they were laying on the sidewalk. I would need more evidence than this grainy soundless video before I would condemn any of the passersby.

Third, I'm fairly certain leaving people to die in the gutter isn't a new thing. The wealthy never paid attention to the dirty dying poor when they walked down the street. I'm not saying these people who passed this poor guy up were wealthy, I'm just saying, this ain't new behavior brought on by mass media. This is humanity. It goes back millenia.

And finally, as a gamer, I resent the implication that I would not call 911 if I saw some shit like this. I most certainly would. I'm not an asshole.

 

[Daipire]

That's idiotic.

Homeless people don't play video games.

He might have access to the original donkey kong, or pong. That's about it...

 

[Pimppeter2]

Okay, first... Hey, are we making assumptions that 100% of people are gamers now? Because I don't know how you'd tell those people were gamers otherwise. So, that's kind of awesome! It's about time video games became universal!

To be fair he blames all media, not only videogames. From music to films to games.

Also, did anyone see the book the guy authored? I stopped taking him seriously after that.

 

[armaina]

There is a problem with people not helping out in violent crimes, likely due to self preservation 'I don't want to get stabbed too', not to mention the fact that there are lots of people just don't care.

If you want to blame desensitization as the culprit for that behavior, there is more that attribute to that like, movies, books and news for one. And I think there is a much higher probability that the bystanders watched a movie rather than played a video game.

 

[mokes310]

What's interesting to me is how Dr. Gupta drives the focus of the segment towards videogames and the guest doesn't make the distinction that he is referring to one specific medium. Also interesting that "all the science" tells us that it changes them, yet no one can ever cite these studies with regularity? What's MOST interesting is that NO ONE EVER QUESTIONS PEOPLE ON THIS!

 

[Snarky Username]

2 Issues

1. They literally say "We have a perfectly accepted answer that makes perfect sense, but we'll just ignore that because it doesn't get viewers." They said themselves it could be "Bystander Behavior" but completely left that explanation behind as they went for the much more juicy and controversial issue of video games.

2. Only 72% of people play video games. If they were true, then video games were the cause, the 16th person would have probably done something. People just don't want to get involved.

I hate it when they show one side of every story in as a method of shocking people into watching their show. It makes me angry! Now excuse me while I go kick my cat.

 

[Estocavio]

Ironically people were more violent in the past than what they are now - And has anyone else noticed that in any of these 'attacks' they never have any counter argument?

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

People are assholes. Especially in New york. enough said.

 

[direkiller]

I gess its just a CNN thing to blame video games
The video i watched on MSNBC showed examples of this happening in like the 50's

 

[Herb sewell]

Blaming the media is like that is often just a roundabout way of saying the zeitgeist is corrupted.

 

[lacktheknack]

Sure, think that all you want, and keep believing that absolutely EVERYONE WALKING BY plays video games.

Wait...

My video game playing HAS affected me... I've planned out what I will do if I'm attacked or encounter an attacked person. And it doesn't involve leaving them bleeding to death.

Maybe more people should play video games.