It had to happen. No sooner had the horror of this week's campus shooting in Virgina sunk in, than 'experts', media whores and rent-a-quotes everywhere jumped gleefully aboard the bandwagon and blamed the shootings on the use of violent computer games. Bah.
US TV 'personalities', lawyers and politicians queued up to blame gaming for the fact that Seung-Hui Cho killed 33 people including himself. US TV psychiatrist Dr Phil was prominent among the fame-hungry crew who were quick to speak and slow to... er... what's that now... think. But here's the scoop, there is exactly no evidence that Cho even played Pong, never mind a violent game. No evidence at all.
The only aspect of this issue that actually creates any violence is the rage such ill-informed idiots provoke in me.
This week has also seen the unedifying spectacle that is the British tabloids slavering at the thought that a violent film might have 'driven' Cho to his miserable end. A cynical person might suggest that using stills from the film 'Oldboy' and comparing them with shots of Cho sells newspapers. Here's a thing - I'm cynical and that's exactly what I think.
Cho was a deeply unhappy, depressed and, frankly, ill kid. Without intervention he would have come to a sticky end - regardless of what films, music and, yes, games he was exposed to. Indeed, his creative writing was so bleak that his teachers referred it to the school counsellor - should creative writing be blamed?
And yet Dr Phil is convinced: "If these kids are playing video games, where they're on a mass killing spree in a video game, it's glamorised on the big screen, it's become part of the fibre of our society," he opined from the comfort of TV-world.
"You take that and mix it with a psychopath, a sociopath or someone suffering from mental illness and add in a dose of rage, the suggestibility is too high."
It is, of course, possible that Cho got some of his 'ideas' from violent films, if not games. But before people rush to blame the media that provides the 'inspiration', they ought to think hard about how Cho got hold of the means. Take guns out of the equation, and kids can play safely (at incredibly violent video games) with no fear or danger. I've got a crazy point of view - could guns cause violence?
Comments
Jerymeedy said: You are still a prat
John Hindle said: Extract from the editorial of the New Scientist dated 21stAprilBy the time the average US schoolchild leaves elementary school he or she will have witnessed more than 8000 murders and 100000 other acts of violence on televisionYet every time a study claims to have found a link between aggression violence educational or behavioural problems and TV programmes or computer games there are cries of incredulity even ironically anger People seem to doubt that such a link exists or think the evidence is generally weaketcThe issue is no longer whether there is an effect but what it means to each one of us and how much we careThe article itself is on page 33
Billy said: AND ANOTHER GOD DAMN THING Of course studies will show people are in a heightened state after playing games etc Thats the idea We will be restless sharp mooded irritable etc Its the same as gong for a hard training session If you focus and concentrate on something it causes stress This triggers stress releasing agents hormones adrenal charge etc These take time to dissapate I have no doubt that the exact same results would show up if non-game playing athletes were tested Often focus and intensity is what causes the mood changes It doesnt mean that it leaves a permanent residual HATE factor for everything around you Maybe those deadly games are why my spelling is so bad Who knows Maybe we should PAY some biased researchers to study the CORRELATION and imply some CAUSATION
Billy said: AND ANOTHER GOD DAMN THING Of course studies will show people are in a heightened state after playing games etc Thats the idea We will be restless sharp mooded irritable etc Its the same as gong for a hard training session If you focus and concentrate on something it causes stress This triggers stress releasing agents hormones adrenal charge etc These take time to dissapate I have no doubt that the exact same results would show up if non-game playing athletes were tested Often focus and intensity is what causes the mood changes It doesnt mean that it leaves a permanent residual HATE factor for everything around you Maybe those deadly games are why my spelling is so bad Who knows Maybe we should PAY some biased researchers to study the CORRELATION and imply some CAUSATION
Billy said: Of course Idiots like these so-called Doctors are only looking for a bit of free press Braming games movies music is an out for them because they have no answers themselves To quote the greats If music was to blame for violence I would have loved to get a look at Hitlers CD collection or Ghengis Khans Dr Dre Albums
Ivan said: I wonder which computer game was played by the original Jack the Ripper
Ivan said: I wonder which computer game was played by the original Jack the Ripper
John Hindle said: In last weeks New Scientist magazine there was an article that pointed out all studies ever undertaken on the effects of violence in video games on television and in films had shown the bad effect they had on a persons nature The degree and time periods involved were unpredictable but remember for years the tobaco companies were saying that smoking did not damage your health
jerym eedy said: Just read the other comments and I can see that you are not alone in your stupidity
jerym eedy said: Matt you are obviously a pratThats about all your stupid opinion deserves in way of an answer
Skuds said: Been here before but then it was films
Brian Hammond said: At last somebody with a brain who knows how to use itI agree with you 100 there may well be those that are afected by games or films but they must be unstable in the first place and could well be afected by anything other wise we would all be going around doing the same thing As anything might well set them off then why are we looking at blaming it on the same things all the time and trying to stop the production of these games and films
Kevin said: All these people like Jack Thompson just want attention and are just crazy Games dont make you kill they relieve stress which would prevent you from wanting to kill people Even if you play games you probably are sane enough to not kill anyone
John Smith said: Well I certainly believe that sitting in front of a computer all day killing peoplemonsterswhatever affects you one way or another
Bob said: Yeah cuz guns are the only dangerous things people have access to