Abunai wrote:
Remember, this is a matter of the effect it has, not of taste.
Okay...has anyone asserted otherwise? I don't think so, unless I misinterpreted a whole bunch of posts.
Abunai wrote:
We hear it everywhere: the connection between violence in real life and "pretend" violence. And it'd be foolish to deny that there is a connection; there is, and numerous studies attest to that.
Wait a minute here: which “numerous studies” are these? I certainly havn’t heard of them. Granted, I don’t keep up with the video games -> violence studies, but I think I’d have heard of something if there were so many studies (as you claim) linking them to violence.
As well, methodology, the exact contents of the study, etc, would need to be provided; put simply, trusting studies and statistics from third parties without quite a lot of info to make sure it isn’t just bullshit.
Abunai wrote:
What kind of connection? Well, those kids who play violent video games, more often, commit violent crimes, more often, and vice-versa. So...obviously, violent behavior must be responsible for playing violent video games. Or vice-versa. Or something like that. Probably.
Uh, wait, you sort of
gloss over a very important distinction here: correlation or causation?
Using your standards here, I could cite numerous studies that people who are in red cars speed more often than those who arn't: the logic here, then is that red cars
cause drivers to speed.
Therefore: outlaw and/or restrict red cars.
This (actually 100% true) example shows the error of assuming causation from every relationship. Is it not more likely that people who drive fast prefer red cars? Likewise, is it not likely that, if someone enjoys doing violent things, they are more likely to spend their free time in the persuit of violent video games?
Abunai wrote:
Maybe it's a symptom, not a cause. I don't honestly know. What I do know, is that for thousands of years, we've done the same that we've done the same thing as we're doing know. We've always liked our violence...as long as its pretend. Think, for a moment, of that classic American* game of Cowboys and Indians. No copyright, even. The children of America made it up, years ago. Your own father might have even played it.
Thing is, your father probably knew that is was all in pretend, all in good fun, when he gunned down his buddy. So does your gamer know that the polygonal figure collapsing upon the screen is all in pretend, all for the sake of common enjoyment with a good friend.
But surely is must be worse when the semi-realistic figure falls down and bleeds from a wound, no? Hardly any different than a movie, I say. The movie, which combines the realism of the people Cowboys and Indians, with the "realism" of blood from video games. And adds, in almost every instance, the aspect that is almost always absent in video games: sexuality. The hero gets the girl, and often does things I need not elaborate.
I'm not saying video games couldn't possibly be bad. I'm saying we have other priorities. Imagine, for instance a good kid. Loves his family, gets good grades, the works. If he plays a violent video game, will a darkness creep into his soul and obliterate all trace filial piety? I think not.
Okay, a complete 180, apparently, starting with "its about what HAPPENS, not other things," along with "numerous studies show that violent video games are connected to violence" (the effect, given your original statement, implying that something should be done about the above - since it has a bad effect.) Then you turn around and say "well it doesn't matter anyway," somehow canceling out the first part of your post, with the flimsy justification of "well, movies would be worse!"
The entire post is somewhat confusing and nonsensical, along with contradictory. Just because other bad things might happen that we would do better (in your opinion) concentrating on doesn't mean we shouldn't still address the bad issue.
Using that logic, could I not say that we should allow people to steal and concentrate on murderers, because golly, murder is a lot bigger a problem than stealing, right?
The logic just doesn't seem to check out.
Uh...you kind of ramble so its hard to draw out a central point. I guess its that we should ban movies or something?
Oh, and as a side note, the arabs (at least the ones in the Gaza strip) have "
Arabs and Jews" as their counterpart to cowboys and indians.
-MiB