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Personally, I think the nonstop media attention to near obsession with mass shootings also helps the crazies come out to commit more. I mean, to go on and on and on about Adam Lanza - anyone with a sick mind would want that kind of notoriety, too, and fame and want to do the same thing. Just a theory I have that sort of relates to your post.
Crazy. Granted she only had a BB gun but she could have possibly gotten a hold of more lethal weapons. I do wonder though if a female shooter would be easier to take down and less likely to be able to kill many.
Agreed. For decades, the Japanese have been playing the most violent and repulsive video games. Yet their country is one of the safest in the entire world, probably the safest in many metrics. Sure, cultural differences play a role, but you would think that, with that much violent video games being played, they would be at least somewhere in the middle of the crime ranking.
Mick
Great post although statistically Japan has a high rate of video game related deaths when compared to other countries in the world. Although very rare if you look up a video game related killing it is bound to happen in the U.S, South Korea, China or Japan. I don't think the violence of the video game is an issue but the addiction level of the gamer, and mental health. If you have mental health problems and play COD an average of five hours a day and put video games above things like a job (unless of course it is your job) then that might leave me with some worry. Their is a story, and although I am not sure how true it is of a Japanese couple apparently got addicted to a virtual baby so much they neglected their actual baby and it died.
The poster you were responding to has a valid point of view, whether you can see it or not.
I am all for freedom of speech, just as the Founding Fathers were. The ability to redress grievances against the government is one of the fundamental pillars of our free society. Freedom of assembly, speech, etc. are all vital in my view.
However most people accept that there are things beyond the pale, such as child porn for example. Sure there are a few wackos who think it and everything a vile sick mind can conjure up should be allowed. Thankfully, most people in our society believe there are limits, especially toward things that are not related to freedom of political or religious thought.
These violent games on the other hand do not only lack any redeeming social value, they hardly can be considered a freedom of speech issue. So while the FF's couldn't have envisioned such things as TV, movies, or portable home video games, I seriously doubt they would have thought "Grand Theft Auto" would be covered under the 1st Amendment.
Regardless, I find it ironic that some of the very people who want to take guns away from law abiding citizens, are equally as passionate about not taking away violent video games from you impressionable kids.
There are actually video games about going into schools and killing kids. What socially redeemable value could that possibly have?
More importantly, these violent images in games where you score more points for being more violent toward innocents (i.e. GTA) certainly are sending the wrong messages to young, impressionable minds in their formative years.
Whether parents realize it or not, by allowing their kids to play such games, they are giving subliminal tacit approval of what is in those games.
Tell me, do you feel the same about Boxing, MMA/UFC fighting, professional wrestling etc.? Those sports sure as hell don't have any redeeming social value and do you think kids watching those are doing kids/teens/adults any favors?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nana053
LOL. Video games were not even around when the Constitution was written. Yes, they are legal, but the Consititution does not say anything about them. They can be regulated (or even banned) by law.
Actually, they are. According to the ESRB:
Quote:
Is it illegal to sell or rent M (Mature) or AO (Adults Only) rated games to customers under 17 and 18 years of age respectively?
A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011 (Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association/Entertainment Software Association) found that video games are a constitutionally-protected form of expression, and that laws restricting their sale or rental based upon violent content are unconstitutional. That said, ESRB supports retailers' voluntary policies restricting the sale or rental of M (Mature) and AO (Adults Only) computer and video games in the United States and Canada to customers who are at least 17 and 18 years of age, respectively (unless permission from a parent has been obtained). Through efforts such as the ESRB Retail Council (ERC) and a strong commitment on the part of major video game retailers, retail stores have vastly improved the rate at which they comply with their store policies, as measured both by the ERC mystery shopper audits as well as audits conducted by the FTC. More information on federal, state and local regulations in the U.S. is available through the websites of the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) and Entertainment Software Association (ESA). In Canada, you may contact the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESA Canada) or the Retail Council of Canada (RCC).
With billions of man-hours of violent videogames played each week, I would say the connection between them and mass-shootings is about as tenuous as a stand of drool dripping out of the mouths of the rabid censors and gun-grabbers who populate these forums.
I grew up on Dungeons and Dragons, Heavy Metal, and have even played Grand Theft Auto as have millions of impressionable teenagers and adults over the course of the last few decades, and I have barely murdered anyone.
By contrast, the architects and executors of the Jewish holocaust were likely more familiar with the Holy Bible than your average 21st century American teenage boy.
I agree, and have knowledge of such.
Still that does not mean that certain segments of our society cannot be adversely affected by this vile crap with no socially valuable content.
As you might expect, I am not limiting my criticism to just violent video games.
The boob tube and movie theaters are other ways into our kids minds and hearts, just like radio and books. I seriously doubt anywhere near the vile crap of today was readily available to young kids back in those days.
So while there will always be nutcases who need no stimulus to make them carry out evil, rest assured it doesn't help to have al the vile garbage being pumped into their young minds.
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So let's just ban every form of entertainment there is. Or at least the forms that you do not personally approve of.
I agree. It's human nature to try to make sense of the nonsensical, to try to explain away chaos. To try to allay fears. It could never happen to me or my kids because I don't do "xyz"
It's why victim blaming, especially in horrible rape cases, is so popular.
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Thankfully, most people in our society believe there are limits, especially toward things that are not related to freedom of political or religious thought.
