1st December 2004, 1:05 PM
Actually I was commenting on the whole situation, not this particular article.
And while I COULD just ask you to show me that study, I won't because I myself am fully aware that teenagers aren't fully developed mentally. That doesn't prove that the games will have impact on it's development though. The thing is, I played a lot of violent games as a kid, and as a teenager, but I'm not violent at all. The mind's development is going on through those years yes, but it's up to the person to decide HOW such things influence them. In this case, rather than be all like "wow that's cool", instead I was "wow, this is pretty stupid...".
I know you say it's not about it making you kill, but really, that IS what they are saying. Delayed or not, they are saying playing violent games makes you violent, and for that to be the case, it has to apply to pretty much everyone, not just a select few. Since it IS just a select few, video games, the media in general, can't be the reason it happens. At best, it could act as inspiration, but really something else would have to cause it. For example, locking someone in a sensory deprivation tank and torturing them, the only reprieve being playing GTA, well I can see them being a VERY violent person when that tank finally unleashes that ultimate killing machine. Put that same person in a family with people who actually care about them with such tasks as having to take care of a pet and such, or something like that, and then let them play GTA at such a time as that person understands that killing is bad, and you have a person basically just playing it for fun. In each case, take away the game and you have pretty much the same person as with it.
Again, studies would have to be done to show this, but it's a lot more logical than the idea of games making people more violent. Desensitize? Well, I know very few people who panic at the sight of blood these days, but the majority will spring to action to help someone bleeding. So, take that as you will.
And while I COULD just ask you to show me that study, I won't because I myself am fully aware that teenagers aren't fully developed mentally. That doesn't prove that the games will have impact on it's development though. The thing is, I played a lot of violent games as a kid, and as a teenager, but I'm not violent at all. The mind's development is going on through those years yes, but it's up to the person to decide HOW such things influence them. In this case, rather than be all like "wow that's cool", instead I was "wow, this is pretty stupid...".
I know you say it's not about it making you kill, but really, that IS what they are saying. Delayed or not, they are saying playing violent games makes you violent, and for that to be the case, it has to apply to pretty much everyone, not just a select few. Since it IS just a select few, video games, the media in general, can't be the reason it happens. At best, it could act as inspiration, but really something else would have to cause it. For example, locking someone in a sensory deprivation tank and torturing them, the only reprieve being playing GTA, well I can see them being a VERY violent person when that tank finally unleashes that ultimate killing machine. Put that same person in a family with people who actually care about them with such tasks as having to take care of a pet and such, or something like that, and then let them play GTA at such a time as that person understands that killing is bad, and you have a person basically just playing it for fun. In each case, take away the game and you have pretty much the same person as with it.
Again, studies would have to be done to show this, but it's a lot more logical than the idea of games making people more violent. Desensitize? Well, I know very few people who panic at the sight of blood these days, but the majority will spring to action to help someone bleeding. So, take that as you will.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)