Gaming Signal: Violent Videogames, Psychology, and Responsiblity

Violent Videogames, Psychology, and Responsiblity

Given the events of this last week and again the media and government have turned their attention to video games as the cause of the tragedy, and most gamer will agree that this is ridiculous. To help our argument, CheapyD and Wombat over at CAG have an interview in their latest CAGcast with Dr. Patrick Markey at Villanova University who is researching the correlation of violence and video games. It is a great interview with a man who can speak about this topic and has some really interesting questions about this topic.

Now, I will not deny that allowing children to play games that are rated M or T can be inappropriate and ultimately that is why those games are rated that way, but I don't agree that playing those games will make them any more violent than those that don't play them. I do think it will give them nightmares and teach them some language they should know. The ESRB gets hammered about their rating process, but nobody wants to point the finger back at parents and guardians who allow their children to play games that are obviously not intended for them. I know that I try to work hard that my son does not watch movies or play games that are inappropriate for him (and most of the time I am successful), but ultimately it is my responsibility to monitor his activities. It is not the job of the guy that works at Gamestop nor is it the job of my elected government official. I also find it very interesting that everytime there is a tragic event that videogames are blamed which is strange given the number of other possible influences upon our youth. The event of this week should drive home the simple fact that there are folks who are not fully in control of their faculties and need help. There are warning signs, and we should step up and be involved with our children. We should also, as gamers, demonstrate that we are not violent people that we all know we are.

People using video games as a scapegoat for poor parenting or people mentally sick in the head? Say it isn't so!

Sorry but some people should just not have kids if they are unwilling to be involved in monitoring their kids activities and interests. This recent "Witch Hunt" for video games is an exact analog of when clueless parents and bible thumpers of yesteryear thought "Rock & Roll" was a tool of the DEVIL!!!

Small minds fearing change is nothing new to this world and just as it occurred with Rock & Roll, video games will eventually shake off the stigma that is being forced on it by these small minded people.

The real comedy is all the political involvement regarding video game regulation when the entertainment industry (TV, Movies, video) is a far less politically attacked body and a far more egregious violator of social norms regarding violence and sexual content. The fact that movies and TV are not in the political spotlight more than video games tells me that the MPAA and studios spend a good deal of cash on lobbyists defending their cause than the video game industry does.

Posted by tditto on Friday April 20, 2007 at 11:10 AM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18220228/

Here is a much better description of what I am trying to say. And on top of that, the author makes Jack Thompson look like an idiot (WHICH CAN ONLY BE A GOOD THING) for his recent condemnation that video games caused the VT shootings.

Did I mention that Jack Thompson is an asshat?

Posted by tditto on Friday April 20, 2007 at 3:08 PM