Michael Moore says "Video game/Violence link is nothing but panic"...

[Addendum]

I play games with a story.

The Hitman series has interested me, since I've wondered what it would be like to be a professional hitman. In the video game, I don't have to face the repurcussions of taking another life in real life. It's just polygons.

I like the Metal Gear series because of the stealthy nature of the game.

I enjoy the GTA series since it's a much better method of relieving road rage, than doing so in real life. The story may be weak, but the open-ended nature of the series is a key aspect of the series that has hooked me.

Besides, there's only a certain amount of golden coins/rings/orbs/boxes/plants before you say "I need more"

 

[War Lord]

I play games with a story.

The Hitman series has interested me, since I've wondered what it would be like to be a professional hitman. In the video game, I don't have to face the repurcussions of taking another life in real life. It's just polygons.

I like the Metal Gear series because of the stealthy nature of the game.

I enjoy the GTA series since it's a much better method of relieving road rage, than doing so in real life. The story may be weak, but the open-ended nature of the series is a key aspect of the series that has hooked me.

Besides, there's only a certain amount of golden coins/rings/orbs/boxes/plants before you say "I need more"

Why would you even have a fantasy about being a hitman, if it weren't for the fact that, on some level or some way, you've been compromised to think violent thoughts? The fact that you think you might suffer road rage, if you couldn't play that scenario in a video game only underscores my point that when you expose yourself to violence willingly, it orients you towards more violence.

Your comment about saying you need more because less violent video games becomes boring only again proves my point about exposing yourself to violence willingly, it changes you.

It's like porn, the more you've exposed yourself to it and the darker it became, it's very hard to want to go back to the more innocent types of pictures and what not.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Who cares? So what if he wants to kill people? If he doesn't do it in real life it's not hurting anyone, or even himself really.

 

[War Lord]

BS, people can enjoy violent fiction without enjoying violenence in real life. Lots books contain violence, but people could read them without becomming violent people. Violence is a part of human history ands thus an important device for story telling purposes. People who can tell the difference between fanatasy and reality can enjoy violent fiction, but than leave that in the realm of fanasty and dislike violence in real life. You maybe happy watching nothing but the care Bears, I enjoy something a little more edgey.

If you read stories about war and such in the past, most stories really skipped over the very violent parts and dealt with other issues like honour or defending your comrades. They didn't spell out the violence in all its gory details. Our culture at one time supported that. Now any stories that don't spell out the violence explicitly and skip over more valuable parts, isn't read.

Again, when you say that you need an edgy story to be entertained, you're only admitting that you've been compromised as a person. It's not about watching shows about lollipops or clouds. It's about what kind of person you choose to become. Do you want to be a person who celebrates life or celebrates death?

 

[War Lord]

Who cares? So what if he wants to kill people? If he doesn't do it in real life it's not hurting anyone, or even himself really.

He's hurting himself, on the inside. The more you expose yourself to such things, the more likely you will react towards that way.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Do you actually care though? I don't think you do. Why don't we just get back to Michael Moore's weight problem like everyone wants?

ROOFLES.

 

[War Lord]

Do you actually care though? I don't think you do. Why don't we just get back to Michael Moore's weight problem like everyone wants?

ROOFLES.

I don't really care. I'm only pointing out that what you choose to do affects you and the effect isn't small when you measure it over a lifetime, if a person is constantly exposed.

 

[Horrorfan]

Dude, everyone has violent impulses.


IT'S CALLED HUMAN NATURE.

There's also something called 'personal responsibility', where we are supposed to take the consquences of our own actions and not blame everything on Mario Sunshine when we do something like shoot up a school or whatever.


If your argument held any weight, wouldnt ALL gamers become murders and rapists?

 

[WhatsHisFace]

If I had to play E games all the time, I'd probably punch someone in the gut.

 

[War Lord]

Dude, everyone has violent impulses.


IT'S CALLED HUMAN NATURE.

There's also something called 'personal responsibility', where we are supposed to take the consquences of our own actions and not blame everything on Mario Sunshine when we do something like shoot up a school or whatever.


If your argument held any weight, wouldnt ALL gamers become murders and rapists?

Everybody does have violent impulses, but how strong it is in your life is affected by the thoughts you hold and the actions you choose to do.

I haven't taken personal responsibility away from anybody. I only explained the fact that whatever a person chooses to do, can change their nature to reflect their chosen activities. That's a fact, deal with it.

 

[Horrorfan]

Everybody does have violent impulses, but how strong it is in your life is affected by the thoughts you hold and the actions you choose to do.

I haven't taken personal responsibility away from anybody. I only explained the fact that whatever a person chooses to do, can change their nature to reflect their chosen activities. That's a fact, deal with it.

Here's a fact you need to deal with.

At the very least, 95% of gamers (and that's being generous to your argument) don't turn around and comit horrible crimes that they have seen in videogames. Ditto movie goers.

Fact.

The ones that do are the exception that proves the rule.

 

[War Lord]

Here's a fact you need to deal with.

At the very least, 95% of gamers (and that's being generous to your argument) don't turn around and comit horrible crimes that they have seen in videogames. Ditto movie goers.

Fact.

The ones that do are the exception that proves the rule.

The fact that they aren't committing mass murder does not mean that they haven't been changed. A generation ago, if the violent video games had been produced, few would have bought it because celebrating violence in the most explicit way was looked down upon by the better people in society. Today, you're looked upon as weird or a backwards prude if you avoid these games. That should tell you how our society has changed for the lesser, which means individually, we have been changed for the lesser.

You might think that such a change is minor in nature and inconsequential, but it is affecting us in ways that we don't know. For example, there is a reason why UFC are thriving in general society today, whereas a generation ago, those kinds of events were either not done or done in dark and seedy places where normal people generally avoided.

You might be saying, "Big deal", nobody gets really hurt in those competitions and I can only say, "Not yet," because at some point people are going to think that not seeing mass blood or broken limbs makes those competitions boring and they are going to demand such things as you are demanding in your video games today.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

The fact that they aren't committing mass murder does not mean that they haven't been changed. A generation ago, if the violent video games had been produced, few would have bought it because celebrating violence in the most explicit way was looked down upon by the better people in society. Today, you're looked upon as weird or a backwards prude if you avoid these games. That should tell you how our society has changed for the lesser, which means individually, we have been changed for the lesser.

A generation ago parents beat their kids, men slapped their wives, black people couldn't vote (either could women (thank god)) and there was practiced eugenics.

We sure have changed for the lesser.

You might think that such a change is minor in nature and inconsequential, but it is affecting us in ways that we don't know. For example, there is a reason why UFC are thriving in general society today, whereas a generation ago, those kinds of events were either not done or done in dark and seedy places where normal people generally avoided.

The UFC is also awesome. Do you think countries without videogames don't have fights? How about Thailand, home to some of the most brutal boxers out there. Kids don't have Halo there, but people actually die in the ring.

You might be saying, "Big deal", nobody gets really hurt in those competitions and I can only say, "Not yet," because at some point people are going to think that not seeing mass blood or broken limbs makes those competitions boring and they are going to demand such things as you are demanding in your video games today.

And that's when people refuse to compete, if they're smart. If they're stupid, they deserve to learn the hard way.

 

[War Lord]

A generation ago parents beat their kids, men slapped their wives, black people couldn't vote (either could women (thank god)) and there was practiced eugenics.

We sure have changed for the lesser.

I'm talking about our personal behaviours and values. A generation ago, men did not routinely beat their wives. If they did so, the wive's brothers would have beat the absolute crap out of them. Whatever unfortunate societal practices existed back then, did not remove the fact that people didn't think celebrating gory violence was cool.

The UFC is also awesome. Do you think countries without videogames don't have fights? How about Thailand, home to some of the most brutal boxers out there. Kids don't have Halo there, but people actually die in the ring.

As I said, a generation ago, people wouldn't have celebrated it and your statement has proven my point that our society has gone downhill. I'm talking about our society, not societies that were already barbaric in their beliefs. Whatever faults Western societies have and have had doesn't compare with the faults of every other society.

And that's when people refuse to compete, if they're smart. If they're stupid, they deserve to learn the hard way.

The creators of such competitions will just up the purse until they get enough willing competitors and spectators willing to watch it.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

I'm talking about our personal behaviours and values. A generation ago, men did not routinely beat their wives. If they did so, the wive's brothers would have beat the absolute crap out of them. Whatever unfortunate societal practices existed back then, did not remove the fact that people didn't think celebrating gory violence was cool.

I said slap, not beat. Beatings were saved for the kids. These are facts.

As I said, a generation ago, people wouldn't have celebrated it and your statement has proven my point that our society has gone downhill. I'm talking about our society, not societies that were already barbaric in their beliefs. Whatever faults Western societies have and have had doesn't compare with the faults of every other society.

No, they would have. Why do you think they had dog-fights and other lechery outlawed only a few decades back? And we weren't barbaric? Ever read a history book? After burning each other alive in witch trials, we killed almost every last indian, and that was before slavery really took off.

The creators of such competitions will just up the purse until they get enough willing competitors and spectators willing to watch it.

Yeah, and then not enough people will attend and it will crash before the first year. That's as good of a prediction as holodecks.

 

[War Lord]

I said slap, not beat. Beatings were saved for the kids. These are facts.

It was considered a virtue to never hit a woman. It wasn't a societal value to hit a woman. It was considered beneath a real gentleman to beat women in any way.

No, they would have. Why do you think they had dog-fights and other lechery outlawed only a few decades back? And we weren't barbaric? Ever read a history book? After burning each other alive in witch trials, we killed almost every last indian, and that was before slavery really took off.

I'm not saying that terrible things didn't happen, but there were activities that were considered beneath good society to participate in and other activities that were considered uplifting. Things like pool or dog fights or other such things were considered beneath high society to participate in. The fact that such activities still happened doesn't remove how the good parts of society felt about them.

As far as history goes, does any historian say that those terrible things were good things? The witch trials, as regrettable as it is, only supports my statement because they were attempting to accomplish a greater good.

And slavery, few thought it to be a good thing. There were societies set up back in the early 1700's to try and combat it and even by 1800, most people were at ill ease with the subject of slavery and did not celebrate its existence.

Yeah, and then not enough people will attend and it will crash before the first year. That's as good of a prediction as holodecks.

I'd be willing to bet that it won't be too long before injuries happen and it will be celebrated by those who watch such fights.

 

[The Overlord]

He's hurting himself, on the inside. The more you expose yourself to such things, the more likely you will react towards that way.

Your a psychopath, so your not really in the position to comment on other people's emotional states.

 

[TheCardPlayer]

It affects everybody. It may be small for most people, but they are affected.

For example, why play violent video games at all?

You might say that because you enjoy it. Why do you enjoy it?

Why can't you enjoy video games that aren't violent?

The most common response I get to that question is that non-violent video games are boring.

If that is your thinking, you have been affected as well, even if you can't admit it.

I love Mario 64 and it isn't violent. And I enjoy GTA and it's violent. I don't like it because of the violence, I like it because of the gameplay.

Is it my fault that the best games usually have violence in them? Your argument is ridiculous.

 

[The Overlord]

If you read stories about war and such in the past, most stories really skipped over the very violent parts and dealt with other issues like honour or defending your comrades. They didn't spell out the violence in all its gory details. Our culture at one time supported that. Now any stories that don't spell out the violence explicitly and skip over more valuable parts, isn't read.

Again, when you say that you need an edgy story to be entertained, you're only admitting that you've been compromised as a person. It's not about watching shows about lollipops or clouds. It's about what kind of person you choose to become. Do you want to be a person who celebrates life or celebrates death?

The Bible wouldn't have sold as well if Jesus and the Romans had a tea party at the end. I watch Law & Order SVU all the time and I didn't become a sex offender. This just another attempt to promote your idealized, collectivist, 1950s reactionary lifestyle that you think everyone else should be living, which is ironic considering you say you promote individualism. I actually enjoy a wide array of entertainment, some violent and some not, because I like a lot of different stories. Besides your a psychopath and from your quote, it seems that like make jokes about the suffereing, so how dare you say you have superior emotional foundations to everyone of the well adjusted people on this thread.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

WarLord/Jonty needs to stop talking right now.

 

[The Overlord]

It was considered a virtue to never hit a woman. It wasn't a societal value to hit a woman. It was considered beneath a real gentleman to beat women in any way.



I'm not saying that terrible things didn't happen, but there were activities that were considered beneath good society to participate in and other activities that were considered uplifting. Things like pool or dog fights or other such things were considered beneath high society to participate in. The fact that such activities still happened doesn't remove how the good parts of society felt about them.

As far as history goes, does any historian say that those terrible things were good things? The witch trials, as regrettable as it is, only supports my statement because they were attempting to accomplish a greater good.

And slavery, few thought it to be a good thing. There were societies set up back in the early 1700's to try and combat it and even by 1800, most people were at ill ease with the subject of slavery and did not celebrate its existence.



I'd be willing to bet that it won't be too long before injuries happen and it will be celebrated by those who watch such fights.

Your confusing thought with action, actions matter, thoughts do not. Society may have thought slavery was bad, but they didn't do anything about till after the civil war. Likewise perhaps some people who play video games engage in violent thoughts, but so what, they do it in the privacy of their own minds, only a very small minority of people who play video games are violent and that's due to their own mental problems.

 

[Horrorfan]

WarLord/Jonty needs to stop talking right now.

I'll second that. What a moron.

 

[Addendum]

Why would you even have a fantasy about being a hitman, if it weren't for the fact that, on some level or some way, you've been compromised to think violent thoughts? The fact that you think you might suffer road rage, if you couldn't play that scenario in a video game only underscores my point that when you expose yourself to violence willingly, it orients you towards more violence.

Your comment about saying you need more because less violent video games becomes boring only again proves my point about exposing yourself to violence willingly, it changes you.

It's like porn, the more you've exposed yourself to it and the darker it became, it's very hard to want to go back to the more innocent types of pictures and what not.

Hitmen are paid considerably well, if used by the Mafia. It would pay off my student loans in a heartbeat. However: 1) Memphis is a virtual unknown to the Mafia, 2) I'm still learning to shoot firearms, 3) I get bored easily so random thoughts like "I wonder what it would be like being a Hitman" or "I wonder what it would feel like sucking on vacuum in orbit around Jupiter" have a tendency to pop up, 4) I lack the motivation and the drive to get into top physical shape.

As to the road rage, venting your frustration at a driver on the road is a high risk situation. I'm not going to get killed because I flip off a driver that cut me off, or fails to understand that the speed limit signs means "Drive at this speed, not up to it." Since no one gets killed in a video game, expect for a random grouping of pixels on your screen, which are artfully rendered polygons, the life-threatening aspect is considerably less than in real life.

You failed to grasp what I meant when I want more in games. I've played loads of platformers. The only ones I like are the Mega Man series (Classic, X, and I'm getting into the Zero games). There is a certain amount of skill and brainwork involved in determining the best order to fight the robot masters. Whereas, the only skill involved in most platform games is: collecting a certain amount of stars/gold coins/rings/orbs/boxes or whatever. There is no depth.

I don't focus on the violence in games. It's one aspect that does exist in games, however for me it's a minor aspect. I focus more on plot and unlockables.

 

[A.J.Rimmer(BSC)]

I'll second that. What a moron.

Ill umm.. THIRD that motion ...?


I totally agree with the guy that mention games as catharsis...

 

[XwolverineX]