Parents and the Media VS Video Games

Scarlet

Scarlet

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I give credit it to the Manhunt 2 thread for this topic. If there is already a topic on this, go ahead and close it.

I'm sure almost all of us get annoyed hearing about all of these anti-video games statements. There has been much controversy against Video Games. How do you feel about some of the controversy against video games?

What do you think about the video games ratings? Do you believe there should be a limit on how violent video games should be? Would you agree or disagree with the issue that violent video games effect on how violent someone could become?

How do you feel about parents and the media going against video games? If your a parent, or if you ever become a parent would you let your child play rated Teen or Mature games? Do your parents give you a hard time on what video games you play?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversy
http://gamepolitics.com/

Historically, this type of controversy and criticism is not unique to video games. The same situation has been applied to comic books; music, particularly jazz, rock and roll, metal, hip hop, rap; and films.
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I'll post my opinion later about this topic.
 
I personally see nothing wrong with video games. I have been a gamer for almost 23 years. Although I don't think I would be the nerd that I am today if it weren't for the video game industry. Whether it be Legend of Zelda or Onimusha or even Pokemon, I integrate a part of almost every video game into my life. Take RPG's for example: I like to think that everything that I acheive or accomplish gives me experience. The higher my level at anything means I am more experienced. I am a good bowler. I would say that I am a level 68 bowler. Professional bowlers are at 80 or higher. See what I mean? I guess that's the nerd in me.

I don't think that playing violent video games makes kids violent. I could see Onimusha giving kids nightmares, but I don't see the games making them wanna grab a sword and start hacking and slashing at every undead creature that gets in their way.

If I ever had children then I would allow them to play any kind of game they wanted to play. Video games help to build problem solving skills and that is essential for any person when they go to school or even get a job. I think that video games should be in every household in the world.
 
My parents never really hated me playing video games. The only comments I've really had are; "aren't you a little too old for video games?", but sometimes parents fail to understand how the video games I play are largely targetted at my age group. I don't think people can ever be too old for video games. Okay, the idea of a half blind, half deaf, toothless old lady sitting in a home playing video games is a crazy one, but I see nothing wrong with such an idea!

As for parents who oppose video games... I don't think they should stop their kids from playing them totally. Gaming's an enjoyable passtime. I can understand why some would disapprove when their children play games excessively, jeapordising school work and their social life, but there are many who simply play games once in a while for enjoyment; not in order to complete every part of the game ten times over. I believe it's good to have a balanced lifestyle, and beneficial to have time alone as well as time among others. While I don't play games that often any more, I always enjoy learning a little more about a fantasy world, and diving into a fresh story.

Also, for those who say games teach nothing good, I disagree. I think some games, such as Final Fantasy, can teach an awful lot of good. The touching stories and characters could provide good influence, and help kids to grow into fine people. Haha, only in rare cases, and it'll always be necessary for these kids to have good parental, educational and social upbringing too.
 
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I don't think the video games are to blame, if people were really that influenced by everything they played then there would be a pandemic of murders and people trying to take over the world. It's sick individuals that take things too far with 'copycat killings' and whatnot

I know the difference between right and wrong ass do the majority of people. Just because I occassionally like to play GTA and shoot anything that moves doesn't mean I ever plan to do that in RL.

Some of these parents should try looking closer to home and introducing abit of discipline into their childrens lives, instead of always looking for someone else to blame

Playing violent games has in no way influenced me to go out and be destructive. I'm so laid back, I'm horizontal
 
I've said it a million times and i'll say it again. They're idiots. Games should have no limits whatsoever. If you don't like it, don't allow it in your house and leave the rest of us alone. Rating systems exist for reasons, people. LOOK AT THEM.

"People are going out and shooting others because games like GTA make them think it's okay!"
No. The people that came up with that have only listened to people in court who tried blaming their behavior upon people who said 'But it was okay in Unreal Tournament and Soul Caliber and (insert random game here)!!1one1' Games are NOT REAL. If you think otherwise, you don't need to play them.

"My kid is getting all violent because of these violent videogames!"
No, that's you not being capable of controlling your child. Stop being pushovers and have SOME control in your house and lives.

"These games are too violent!!"
Don't play them. The rest of us like those game, thank you very much. Don't ruin it for us by bitching to the media.

"There needs to be laws against these games!"
There are rating systems that stop them from buying Mature games already! Your the dumbass parent who buys the games for them.

"It's all over the news howthese games corrupt our society! We need to stop them!"
Nope. It's news companies just looking for ratings and showing one side of the story like they have for about a hundred years.


It's the parents fault, really. And the Media. They always point the finger or don't listen or do their jobs right.

And IF I have a child, I won't buy M games for them untill they're about 15-17, or depending upon how mature and mentally stable they act. I can't address this topic too well, cause you would have to know the child before you could really make a fair decision regarding them.
 
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Yes, the rating system is fine and it's there for a reason. I use to work at Gamestop. As an employee if you were to sell an M or Adult rated game, you must ask for ID. Same rule goes for other retail stores. What bothers me is some mothers (and fathers sometimes) don't accept why games are rated M or adult. I remember a mom giving me an attitude because her son wanted Blitz, and I mentioned to her that the game is rated M. She said: "THEN WHY DO THEY MAKE FOOTBALL GAMES THAT ARE MATURE!?" Why bitch? Maybe because most gamers are adults!?

I wasn't working at Gamestop when GTA III was out, but I heard some pretty bad stories. At that time, the ID check wasn't enforced. So, after the parent or child bought GTA III the next day, parents ran into the store screaming at the employees about how adult GTA III was. The problem I see with this that these parents should have been more responsible about it. They should have done some research on this game first, or even ask employees: "Is this game appropriate for my child?"

The whole blaming video game issue is just another repeat in history. When metal took over popularity in the 80s, parents were furious about the type of music it was. Mothers would point out all of the sexual or violent lyrics whatever band had. Which brought in the Parental Advisory warning label. Same goes back in the 1950s, adults thought Elvis Presley's moves were too provocative.

The argument that 'video games aren't beneficial' is something I completely disagree with. Sure, video games aren't beneficial went a person is addicted to them, such as MMORPGs, but that is a whole another argument. Video games have help people with coordination. Which some surgeons are doing to increase their coordination. Puzzle solving, and decision making helps a person develop better reasoning. Video games are also an escape from life. Although it isn't good to excessively do that but it helps relief stress, and scapegoat for any worries. As for violent video games, I do believe we need some violence in our lives. We all hold back but violent video games help us to release whatever you're holding back.

As for myself having children someday and letting them play M rated games. I would research the game first, and find out how explicit the game is. Also of course, depending the age of the child.
 
I here all about the kids who blame their problems on video games and about parents who claim that their impressionable children are damaged by violence. I don't believe a word of it. If a child is that impressionable, enforce rules in your home. Do not dictate what I can and cannot see or play based on what you believe. Games are not the cause of bad behavior, nor are they a trigger. People have historically blamed violence on anything that they can. It is human nature to attempt to blame others for one's own mistakes or the mistakes that cannot be controlled. For example, a child plays a game about killing and goes on a killing spree. The parents instantly blame the game because they cannot come to terms with the simple fact that the child was mentally unstable to begin with. If the child possesses a blurred boundary of fantasy and reality, they will act according to what they see no matter what it is. Movies, television, video games, even actors in a play or characters in a book. All of these things become potential candidates for disaster. The point is this: the child is the cause, not the stimulus. This is a fact that no parent wants to accept, but it is the cold hard truth.
 
Ive played violent games and watched violent films and have had no urge to kill, rape, do drugs, rob a bank, etc. The media loves to cause panic amongst the masses and parents over react and go OTT with what theyre children do.

But those who use video games, music, books and films as scapegoats for their actions are xomplete arseholes. Yeah I killed someone, Grand Theft Auto made me do it! No it didnt, you are a complete tard who cant tell the difference between fiction and reality, so you use something that you know has a lot of cash behind it as the reason for your stupid act.

Arseholes.
 
I've been playing violent games, watching violent films (Terminator 1 since the age of 3!) and whatnot since forever. Sure early on my parents did try and stop me from playing GTA and other games but I always found a way around it. But look at me? I've never had the urge to go out and mindlessly stab someone, or stick a tube down they'er throat and I've only done drugs occationaly....however I can admit that some games leave a small influence. I remember playing in the playground with friends, pretending to be gangstas or Resident Evil...but thats all it was, playing! never got seirous. and why? because we were brought up to understand that all it is is a game, nothing more. My parents did allow me to play violent games despite early efforts butonly once they knew I wasn't letting them influence me in a bad way.

Point is, it doesn't matter. It's not the games that is bad, its the parents and they'er neglectivness. You get a kid going out, stabs someone and 9 times out of ten the mother is a council estate slob who's motto is "ah boys will be boys, so fuck off!" no matter how much trouble he gets into. Then next min you know, shes writing to the paper saying that "Manhunt is an incredibly sick and vile game and MADE my son stab an old lady", despite herself buying it mere weeks earlier with not a care in the world. You'd never catch her saying knives are bad otherwise.

Bahhhh.
 
I believe it is a simple logical fallacy. The parents and the media are confusing correlation and causation. I believe that people have a degree of violence within themselves but they can choose whether to follow that through or not. I think people are attracted to violent video games because of violence already in themselves. It's not that video games make people violent. I mean, you remove emotion and choice from the equation and what you have isn't human, it's a robot. Do you not agree?
 
I'll have to agree with Phantarch on this. It's really a matter of choice. I know there are some people out there who play violent video games to release that violent energy they have accumulated and stored in their own being. Does that make them violent? Well, that depends whether they choose to do something stupid and think they can get away with it by blaming the video games that they play everyday. Same goes to the parents. It's their responsibility to know what their children play and decide whether the levels are appropriate for their age. (Nudity, sex, gore, etc.)

Otherwise, they have themselves to blame for if their kid choose to imitate something he saw in videogames. The games have no faults. They are created and labeled to its appropriate audience - hence, the rating system. I, for one, am okay with the rating system so far. It's there for a reason...I know it, everyone knows it. Those who sells the video games pretty much do their part already by asking for ID's.

Now it's the parents job to not give in to little brats like little Johnny who constantly demands "Please please please, I want this so much, it looks so cool...I need to have it now!" ...And what do you know, the parent gives in anyway because their child is just too cute, despite the "M" rating plastered on the front cover.

So it's really all about choices and responsibilities - both for the gamers and parents part. Gamers have a choice not to imitate the violence they see (and really, it's so damn easy not to imitate...this coming from me and many others, I'm sure) and be responsible for their own actions. Parents have the choice to buy what games are more appropriate for their kids, and be responsible to be just that - as a parent... and for whatever outcomes may happen...just as long as they don't correlate the negativity in their life to video games just because their little Johnny gets caught up in various messy situations at an early age.
 
Cerridwen said:
How do you feel about parents and the media going against video games? If your a parent, or if you ever become a parent would you let your child play rated Teen or Mature games? Do your parents give you a hard time on what video games you play?

I'll post my opinion later about this topic.
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I feel that placing the blame on video games requires a serious lack of parenting skills. I mean how hard is it to tell your kids that what they play on video games doen't happen in real life. And if they fail to understand that then the paerent haven't really tried to discuss this topic with their kids. When I was young, hell even now my dad always bugz me about the money I spend on game systems. Since I was a kid he always made sure I got out and did something and didn't sit in front of the screen all day, plus his fishing shows came on around that time. What I'm sayin is it's not that hard, if your kid can't tell the difference between reality and a game you've fail as a parent/guardian. Harsh I know, but no one is to blame but yourself.
 
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The whole 'Blame the parents, not the game' mentality is kinda the wrong way to go about it. You could argue that parents buying games that they themselves know isn't right is wrong (which it is), and a large part of that is because of complete ignorance of what games today consist of.

But I feel that if a kid goes out to kill someone or is incredibly violent then that someone must have to some sort of extent mental problems. Blaming the games entirely for this behaviour is a poor excuse but at the same time just saying it's the parents fault is wrong as well or at least not completely right. Some kids can be complete bastards no matter what the parents do.
 
Ok..
It's 50/50 with the Responsibity Bottom line is parents should be involved and well aware of what games their children are playing the rating of the game is important I guess, my parents neve cared about it and I came out alright, they never knew games were rated like movies.. But soley placing the blame on Video games is so wrong because games don't raise children or their not suposed to, anyway...
 
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My issue is that everyone who defends games by just attacking the parents is just as single minded as the parents/politicians/arsewipes like Jack Thompson who blame it for every negative aspect of humanity. It doesn't solve anything since neither group is 100% correct in every case.

Media of any sort can influence how some acts of violence can be acted out (there was a Matrix inspired incident from years back for example) but there has to be a problem with the individual for them to actually commit such acts in the first place.

But gaming is a cheap target in this argument and so gets more of the flak compared to movies and music and will continue to be like that for the foreseeable future since people like to have a good easy way to put the blame on something else rather than address the real issue.
 
I see your point, Scrutator. But what I'm saying is that for those parents who constantly blame the video games because their children are heading in the wrong direction is just not fair. That's why I stated that it's also their responsibility as a parent to know what kind of games their children are playing. If it's rated "E" or "T", no problem. And if the kid still choose to do something stupid, that's the kid's problem - not the parent.

However, if it's cases like parents buying their kids games that evidently have adult materials in it, and they blame the games later down the road due to their kids not growing up right...then that's pretty shallow, don't you think? That's just them putting the blame on something else, like you've stated. Now that's why I'm reiterating it again...be responsible for your own actions. I'm not saying blame the parents. In fact, don't blame anyone or anything at all. I probably worded it wrong earlier...but my point is, just be accountable for whatever it is you do. Both gamers and parents. Because if not, then that's where problem arises.
 
It's funny how the Media pick out the extreme parts of the game and just totally forget about the rest. Not to mention they target games rather than movies. There are movies that are 10x sicker than any video game - Hostel 1+2, Saw 1,2,3,4 , Hannibal movies/Silence of the Lambs just to name a few.
They have Adult themes on it too, yet they get released no problem.
 
The thing is really that parents don't have 100% control from the age of >6. Maybe Albert Bandura's social learning theory can be applied up till then but not after. It is not the parent's fault (most of the time), neither is it the game's fault (lacking all of the characteristics of a sentient being). The media makes an ass of itself more times than Britney Spears has released crap songs which have ended up singles (which is a fair amount).

The media does also have a go at films but sometimes games surpass the bloodiness of even Kill Bill. E.g. the Mortal Kombat games. you can't just set everything into one category as there are various issues to be taken into account and then there's that everyone is unique and so the whole picture is greater than the sum of however many parts you wish to break it into.
 
The reason why gaming gets a lot more stick than other media is because it's an interactive form of media, references to GTA as a 'murder sim' in the past is the best example of this view. Some people think that acting out events on a computer game is more likely to influence you rather than watching a movie etc.

It's basically because of this view exists and that gaming is an easy target over films and the like since gaming is a medium that's only recently been considered truly mainstream that this utter BS continues.
 
WTF GTA has been reffered to as a "murder sim"? That's really harsh considering really it's up to you whatever you do in GTA. I mean few ppl stick to the missions.

It's BS alright, I'll agree to that.
 
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