why do parents always blame violence on video games
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I grew up without much in the way of videogaming till the age of about 9-10. and despite the fact i didnt have access to this 'evil brainwashing materiel etc etc' i was an incredably violent child. was constantly in trouble for fighting and stealing things (mainly from the fridge though tbh). So i personally fail to see how violent videogames can be that much of an influence. Other people and a persons nature are bigger contributors. And as has been said a number of times here. videogames are just a nice scapegoat.
For the same reason that Dee Snider, and many other rock 'n roll musicians had to present his case before the PMRC.
Because parents will jump on any external source that can be perceived as the cause of their child's misbehavior (or potential to misbehave as a result of, say, listening to Twisted Sister, playing Halo, you name it) before they even consider their own faulty parenting.
They'd like to believe that they're doing everything right, and that something other than themselves is corrupting their children... but they're often quite wrong.
Because parents will jump on any external source that can be perceived as the cause of their child's misbehavior (or potential to misbehave as a result of, say, listening to Twisted Sister, playing Halo, you name it) before they even consider their own faulty parenting.
They'd like to believe that they're doing everything right, and that something other than themselves is corrupting their children... but they're often quite wrong.
Exactly. There are no parents that are willing to say "I should have locked up my guns, I should have spent time with my children and not ignored them, I should have noticed them acting strangely", no, instead they would much rather just say "Video-games made my child do it, we loved him...Jared I think it was, we treated him well, It was the games!!!". Also same as people around the person who committed the act, it is much easier for them to say they didn't really know them and mention video games rather than mention the fact they spent the last couple of years abusing and bullying the person.ChaoticLegion said:
This. That you hear lots of parents blaming videogames is just because empty vessels make the loudest noise.sms_117b said:
Seconded. Seriously though, this is why I hate games becoming banned here (in Australia). Why is it that a few stupid parents don't look at the rating and decide whether or not it is suitable for their child and games get banned? The ESRB is not there to ban games people! It's to inform those who are buying the game of what kind of content they can expect from it.The Noble Shade said:
Well if a game has a "Mature" rating on it then its the parents fault. This is the massive issue here in Australia with the refusal of an "r" classification for games here. They say its to protect children. To put it in perspective, thats saying that parents would buy their kids an r rated porno.scorch 13 said:
I didn't finish writing that, only realised after I got quoted by theflyingpeanutsms_117b said:
They're mature enough to accept it's their fault, but not mature enough to take the blame, then again a lot of parents nowadays aren't in their 20's yet, I wonder if there is a connection....
Getting someone to admit fault is one of the most difficult things a person can do.
If your kid turns out to be a psychotic murderer then it's a lot easier to say 'GTA made them do it' than to take responsability for your own failings.
EDIT: As a couple of others have said, it also doesn't help that some people completely ignore the age ratings on games (as much as it pains me to say this, they are there for a reason). Accusing a child of copying something they allegedly saw in an 18 rated game is flawwed because we've first got to ask 'they weren't old enough to buy the game so who got it for them?' (in most cases it will be mother/father dearest)
If I asked my parents to buy me a game that I wasn't old enough for they would first expect me to come up with a balanced arguement as to why I believe I should have been allowed it (yes, I had to prove that I was mature enough for it), if more parents did this then not only would you notice that all these claims of 'video games cause violence' would disappear and there would be far fewer mouthy kids on Xbox Live.
If your kid turns out to be a psychotic murderer then it's a lot easier to say 'GTA made them do it' than to take responsability for your own failings.
EDIT: As a couple of others have said, it also doesn't help that some people completely ignore the age ratings on games (as much as it pains me to say this, they are there for a reason). Accusing a child of copying something they allegedly saw in an 18 rated game is flawwed because we've first got to ask 'they weren't old enough to buy the game so who got it for them?' (in most cases it will be mother/father dearest)
If I asked my parents to buy me a game that I wasn't old enough for they would first expect me to come up with a balanced arguement as to why I believe I should have been allowed it (yes, I had to prove that I was mature enough for it), if more parents did this then not only would you notice that all these claims of 'video games cause violence' would disappear and there would be far fewer mouthy kids on Xbox Live.
It's always easier to blame something on an external influence rather than an internal influence. Parents don't want to think their actions might have lead their children to have unnatural violent tendencies. Plus many can't except that they didn't notice the signs of their children cracking under pressure or school violence.
In the end, Video games are a scapegoat for societies problems.
In the end, Video games are a scapegoat for societies problems.
There is so much in this thread that I agree with that I'm not going to bother quoting it and instead just make a summary.
1 - Parents don't want to take responsibilty for their failings
2 - Video games make a wonderful scapegoat in relation to point 1
3 - Parents don't look at ratings when their child is kicking and screaming in the middle of a store because they want something, they'll buy it to shut them up.
Thing is, I kinda prove that video games DON'T make you violent. At age 16, I've been gaming for most of the last 14 years and I turned out quite normal, although the 9 years and counting of karate and 'self-control of a god' (direct quote from one of my friends) probably helped.
Also, we really do need an R18+ rating for games in Australia, I'm not old enough yet but I will be in a couple of years and surely in that time someone will have come up with a game that warrants that rating and is actually worth playing (ie. not Manhunt).
1 - Parents don't want to take responsibilty for their failings
2 - Video games make a wonderful scapegoat in relation to point 1
3 - Parents don't look at ratings when their child is kicking and screaming in the middle of a store because they want something, they'll buy it to shut them up.
Thing is, I kinda prove that video games DON'T make you violent. At age 16, I've been gaming for most of the last 14 years and I turned out quite normal, although the 9 years and counting of karate and 'self-control of a god' (direct quote from one of my friends) probably helped.
Also, we really do need an R18+ rating for games in Australia, I'm not old enough yet but I will be in a couple of years and surely in that time someone will have come up with a game that warrants that rating and is actually worth playing (ie. not Manhunt).
I've done several reports on the subject of violence in media and it's impression on children and young adults (ages 5-15). For every study about how violence in media and video games that is presented, another will be released within a year refuting it. The reality is it's simply a combination of different factors that will cause more violent behaviors in youth, factors like personality, upbringing, amount of time and the severity of violent media and peer pressure. From what I can tell from researching the different studys, it's really peer pressure that drives the more violent behaviors. Video games really just provide the ideas.
To answer you question of why parents constantly blame violence on video games is because it is the most obvious scape goat for such a subject. It's a way for youth to not only witness the gore and violence, but they also get to control such violence. Now if a parent is ignorant enough to rent Manhunt for their impressionable ADHD 11 year old, then they have no right to place blame when their kid stabs the boy next to him for "looking funny". Video games aren't to blame, but they aren't exactly part of the solution either.
To answer you question of why parents constantly blame violence on video games is because it is the most obvious scape goat for such a subject. It's a way for youth to not only witness the gore and violence, but they also get to control such violence. Now if a parent is ignorant enough to rent Manhunt for their impressionable ADHD 11 year old, then they have no right to place blame when their kid stabs the boy next to him for "looking funny". Video games aren't to blame, but they aren't exactly part of the solution either.
They are the rare cases of games causing violence but thers like 4 incidents in the history of man!
Parents just like sommit to wag thier finger at while they distract from the subject that is them being a bad influence on thier kids.
everyone loves something to openly blame it makeith the world do round im afraid
Parents just like sommit to wag thier finger at while they distract from the subject that is them being a bad influence on thier kids.
everyone loves something to openly blame it makeith the world do round im afraid