http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/01/31/i-think-video-games-is-a-bigger-problem-than-guns-because-video-games-affect-people Comments On: "I think video games is a bigger problem than guns, because video games affect people." by David Schmader en-us Copyright 2013 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Tue, 21 May 2013 11:45:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
That's still art imitates life.
Posted by not entirely arguing with you obvs]]> Sat, 02 Feb 2013 12:44:01 -0800 The Stranger Posted by DRF]]> Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:11:15 -0800 The Stranger
There are also western countries with widespread gun ownership rates and similar interest in videogames but without our violence level.
Posted by ryanmm]]> Fri, 01 Feb 2013 06:28:48 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Frank Blethen's vodka distiller]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:40:48 -0800 The Stranger
I was bullied constantly as a teenager for being short, smart, unathletic, and perceived as gay. (How right they were, even though I didn't admit to it for years.) And this was in a seriously right-wing "Christian" school.

I knew where every gun in the house was, loaded or unloaded. I knew where the ammunition was. It would have been simplicity itself to pop my Dad's revolver into my backpack one Fall morning, pocket some extra ammo and head to the school that I hated, knowing that by the end of the day I'd probably be dead, but so would the kids who'd made my life hell.

And the thought truly NEVER crossed my mind. I don't doubt that there were several reasons for this - one of them being innate sanity - but consider this also:

I was born when the Vietnam War was still underway, when the national revulsion at what was coming across the TV screen both hastened the end of our involvement in it and started the brief era of "no war toys". For at least the first ten years of my life, guns (other than those carried by cops and cowboys) were seldom seen during "family hour" or Saturday morning TV. Movies like DIRTY HARRY (probably the first to really fetishize guns) were rare and rated 'R', where an adult had to accompany you to a showing. Video games were no more violent than Atari QuickDraw! or Intellivision Boxing, both of them so abstract in their 16-bit video that there was no correlation to reality.

And I look at what's out there now. And I think about the difference to my childhood. And I hold tight to my commitment to the First Amendment, which I believe allows even stuff I find horrible to be published in whatever form, within extremely limited boundaries.

But I find myself thinking that the NRA, like most expert bullshitters, is not entirely wrong.
Posted by DonServo]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:58:28 -0800 The Stranger Posted by runswithnailclippers]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:23:56 -0800 The Stranger
And you know, if there were children playing games 4 to 6 hours a day shooting only black people, nobody would be asking if that was a bag thing. If they spend hours and hours every day playing a 3D real time rape game, we wouldn't be demanding much proof as to whether or not that harmed them. But somehow depictions of casual murder is OK as long as it doesn't cross certain other taboos?

The larger issue is that these claims that violent media have no influence on the consumer trivializes free speech. They're saying that media content has no effect, no influence. And if that is the case, then media don't matter. And if media don't matter, then repeal the First Amendment. Who needs all that bother if media don't influence anyone? The First Amendment is kind of a pain in the ass to have around for zero influence.

In fact, the reason that the First Amendment matters so much is that speech is powerful, and media content has a profound influence on the audience. That's precisely the point.
Posted by Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:15:36 -0800 The Stranger Posted by zivilisierter Wurm]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:12:53 -0800 The Stranger
Here is the list of commission members:
Prof. Barbara Krahe (University of Potsdam, Germany, Chair)
Prof. Leonard Berkowitz (University of Wisconsin, USA)
Prof. Jeanne H. Brockmyer (University of Toledo, USA)
Prof. Brad J. Bushman (Ohio State University, Columbus, USA)
Dr. Sarah M. Coyne (Brigham Young University, USA)
Prof. Karen E. Dill (Fielding Graduate University, USA)
Prof. Edward Donnerstein (University of Arizona, Tucson, USA)
Prof. Douglas A. Gentile (Iowa State University, Ames, USA)
Prof. L. Rowell Huesmann (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA)
Prof. Steven J. Kirsh (State University of New York, Geneseo, USA)
Dr. Ingrid Moller (University of Potsdam, Germany)
Dr. Wayne Warburton (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia)
Posted by anon1256]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:36:58 -0800 The Stranger
@51, can you tell me again which of the movies has the Joker sneaking into a movie theater and shooting everybody? Or for that matter which one where he had red hair? You're not seriously arguing that Batman movies made him do this, are you? Because that's pretty fucking retarded.
Posted by GermanSausage]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:13:32 -0800 The Stranger Posted by DisorganizedReligion]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:05:29 -0800 The Stranger
2011 conclusions from the Media Violence commission of the International Society for Research on Aggression:

One conclusion appears clear-extreme conclusions are to be avoided. Not every viewer or player will be affected noticeably, but from understanding the psychological processes involved, we know that every viewer or player is affected in some way. Some commentators have argued that violent media, especially violent video games, are the primary cause of school shootings. Other commentators have argued that there is no good evidence of any harmful effects of violent media, usually based on the results of one or two studies. Neither extreme is supported by the vast body of research in this domain. What is clear is that exposure to media violence is one risk factor for increased aggression in both the short run and the long run.

http://www.israsociety.com/pdfs/Media%20…
(the entire thing is well worth reading)
Posted by anon1256]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:44:31 -0800 The Stranger
Pretty sure it's the part with the gun and the shooting people.

Always thought that it was really ironic that the people who blame movies and video games are the ones who have trouble telling the difference between fantasy and reality.
Posted by GermanSausage]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:09:15 -0800 The Stranger Posted by DisorganizedReligion]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:54:22 -0800 The Stranger Posted by biffp]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:30:47 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Phoebe in Wallingford]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:20:58 -0800 The Stranger
Posted by dirge]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:59:15 -0800 The Stranger Posted by GermanSausage]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:58:34 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Phoebe in Wallingford]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:46:48 -0800 The Stranger
Everybody below the age of 40 has spent hours and hours playing video games. Those that haven't are probably the creepy ones you need to keep an eye on.

Furthermore, the guy was 20 years old, so your point about children escapes me.
Posted by GermanSausage]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:33:12 -0800 The Stranger
There's been a drop in violent crime since the growth of violent video games.
Posted by GermanSausage]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:28:44 -0800 The Stranger You can counter with "he was a troubled youth predisposed to violence" - yeah, yeah, yeah.
Parents should never allow computers in their children's bedrooms, period.


Posted by Phoebe in Wallingford]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:24:44 -0800 The Stranger
On the other hand, there is data showing that violent video games do increase aggression. However, they may also reduce real-world violence.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200…
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/201…

(Various other related stories at the links above).
Posted by randoma]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:11:34 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Phoebe in Wallingford]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:04:03 -0800 The Stranger
Next time I'm over there I may ask him what he thinks of that theory, just to see him squirm.
Posted by Dr_Awesome]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:52:38 -0800 The Stranger