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Maybe watching porn doesn't turn kids into rapists.
I wouldn't want to have my kids engrossed in porn for hours every day.
Neither would I want my kids engrossed in violent video games hours every day.
I think you actually touch in on a key part of the issue here.
No, watching porn for hours every day would most likely not turn your kid into a rapist, but lacking (assumed) any social, parental input, he/she will end up with a very skewed view of what sexuality really is, and what it's about.
I think it's important to remember, when debating this topic, that there's actually less violent crime overall in society today, yet we've experienced (and America most of all) an alarming tendency of multi killings by young men (primarily if not exclusively).
I would argue that though an interest in video gaming is often discovered after the fact, and those games often being violent, there are far more predominant traits that link them together than their interest in violent games.
They're almost always "losers" in some aspect of their life, predominantly socially. The majority of them were bullied to some extent, and at the very least, excluded from social interaction, most likely due to their inherent problems with this. (They're often described as withdrawn and loners, and often odd or weird when attempting to interact in a social setting, often resulting in ridicule.)
I think the most prevalent trait they all share is being "left behind" and excluded from society either by their own actions or that of others, often both. In almost all cases I've heard of, they've all left behind clues indicating someone desperately alone, angry and felling mocked, betrayed and useless. Couple that with an (often) young mind, access to the means of mass murder and the fame and recognition (though negative) these killers usually get after their crimes have been committed, and you have a relatively potent recipe for something bad happening.
In such situations, excessive use of violent video games might very well (and likely is) just another element to draw the subject closer to such fatal action, but I strongly believe it doesn't possess the power to actually be the aggressor that puts it all in motion.
I believe that blaming video games is an easy, but potentially dangerous scapegoat, ignoring the darker and more dangerous indicators of a disturbed young psyche.
Lastly I would like to applaud the OP for posting such a thoughtful and interesting post, taking his age into consideration, good work.
An old Chineese saying is--------" a steady drop of water will wear away even the hardest rock."
Having ones mind occupied on violence many hours a day via video games is not good.
But see that goes back to parenting to me. If you allow your child to be playing video games 24/7 then it is your fault for allowing your child to not interact with others and gain those skills that allow them to deal with situations that arise in the real world, negative and positive. It is 100% the parent fault if they allow their child to sit under that "steady drop of water" and don't teach them how to use an umbrella.
No;kids played with toy guns and played battle when I was a kid. But most growup and realise its was just playing.Looking at violenece in schools it seems there are more problem in situtions where being the meanest is being on top. Others where its not so bad the thinking is being on top is achieving.Which path is take seems to depend on early developent really.T here were after all thugs long before there were viodeo games.
While I don't believe that video games alone are to blame, I think that they probably don't help all that much, that being said I think parents should exercise a little responsibility when it comes to those type of games.
Are video games really to blame for violence in teenage boys?
I don't think they're entirely to blame. I would logically assume that people who are frequently violent are mentally unstable, and that they need psychiatric help.
Not all school shootings are the result of boys playing violent video games. Violent video games have definitely influenced aggressive behavior in teenage boys, but not all aggressive behavior in teenage boys is caused by playing violent video games.
Teens who are bullied are prone to resorting to violence. I think the Virginia Tech shooter was bullied because he didn't speak English very well, and I'm sure that played a part in his decision to do what he did. It's really sad to be honest.
Oh, by the way, I'm seventeen years old, and all the video games I have contain lots of violence.
All the games for my PS3:
Call of Duty 3 (My PS3 can't read the disc for this game anymore. I think it has to do with the age of the game and the console itself.)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: World at War
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed 2
Prince of Persia
All of the Call of Duty games and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 contain violence with the use of firearms, grenades, bombs, and knives. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves contain violence with the use of firearms, grenades, and hand-to-hand combat. Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed 2 contain violence with the use of swords, knives, and hand-to-hand combat. Prince of Persia revolves around spectacular sword fighting.
I'm not a psychopath.
I do not necessarily blame these types of games for how many kids become. What I do think they can be part of a bigger societal picture that does shape many of our kids to become what they become. If our environment glorifies killing, arrogance, self-centeredness, narcissistic actions, etc. it will reflect on our young kids. Granted at different levels with different kids because parents do make a difference to a certain degree also.
Kids that have had a parent in jail tend to have a high rate of them ending in jail themselves. The role model they have does affect how they are shaped and all these games simply can add to that environment which they are a product of, take care.
No. I've been playing games since I was a child, I'm not a particularly violent person. I'd rather inflict violence on an ai than a living creature. In most of the games I play, which allow you to choose your own adventure, (KotOR, Mass Effect, Infamous, Fable, etc.) my default reaction is to do the right thing; help the good guys, kill bad guys, etc. But, I'm also not a boy. I think if you're a violent person, you're just a violent person. If you play video games and are violent, then you're a violent person who just happens to play video games. I'm not sure either if I believe that they desensitize people either. Almost every game I've ever played I become attached to and care for many of the characters in them. In the multiplayer aspect, I can maybe see it. Because you're just running around shooting targets in the head over and over again, for as long as you want. If you're an unstable person then of course it could effect you negatively. For me its more of a social thing to do with friends. There's a lot of teamwork and talking and beautiful headshots. lol.
So I would say it comes down to parenting. If/when I have children I will definitely allow them to play games. But I will introduce them to gaming and to age appropriate games, when they are younger. And as the mature let their gaming mature with them. But there are plenty of nonviolent, family games that are actually really fun to play. Fps isn't the only genre, but it is one of my favorites.
Video games are not the cause of violence in teens. But they are a convenient excuse. If you blame the videos, you get to avoid the real issue: parenting.
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I think it has to do with the age of the game and the console itself.)
