Exactly, though video games might not be the onli source of violent influences, shouldnt we try to restrict the sources as much as possible?

in violent video games, you're learning how to kill people. on a personal level.

this stuff is dangerous.

It is to a certain extent.. I mean, if you're mature enough to leave it in the game completely.. then sure, they're fine.. but not very many people are like that, and the game's influence is carried into reality, and that's why they're dangerous

I myself dont care and dont think it poses no threat...i believe its the parents responsibility to take care of what their kids do and watch..

To everyone who's saying that it's the parents' responsibility to censor their children's activity:

Do you think that your parents can control everything you do? Do you think that your parents made you who you are today (your character, your beliefs, your ideals)?

Haha, I'd like to see anyone answer yes..


Even if you didnt mind parental supervision 24/7, parents simply can't do that

true, i suppose

killing video games teach you the killing mindset. it teaches you to ignore pleas of mercy and kill. it teaches you to shoot first and ask later.

i think it depends. if a person is easily influenced by the things they see, such as kids, yes. even if a person isn't the violence does have some effect. so yea..

How would you know if the person is easily influenced or not?

Dumb kids are influenced.
Smart kids know its just a game and won't mimic it.

Are there more dumb kids than smart kids? What makes a kid "smart"?

You sure?

I hate it when people generalize things like that..

Intelligence has nothing to do with maturity

neither does age

Then how mature can a child/kid be, to know the difference of the rightness and wrongness in violent games, if it is not his age nor intelligence that decide what is good and bad?

behavior and demonstration of common sense proves maturity. you can be a genious and still be immature, as well as be an immature 50 year old.

Then should violent games only be available to children who possess this level of maturity?

But then again, how many children are that mature?

I remember when I was young Id paint my body yellow and run around saying "Wakka Wakka".

There is a reason for these Ratings on video games. Sure, not all abide by them, but truly, who could play a game and feel they have to go out and kill people? If you really imitate something you see on TV or in a video game your parents arent teaching you properly. Maybe it cant be controlled what you do, play, and watch by your parents, but they CAN teach you the difference between reality and make believe.

Mario - Make believe
Pac-Man - Make believe
GTA - Crap....and make believe

Yes.

For something like GTA, probably next to none.. that's why its rated M (although far too many kids get their hands on it..)


I understand your point.. but the thing is, video games and technology have advanced so far in their realism.. we're talking VIOLENT video games here, not Mario or Pac Man..

With these next generation consoles, the games are DESIGNED to look REAL, and will have an effect on children

we're talking games that are more realistic than army training games.

more gore, more blood, more realistic.

i'm sorry, i didn't think army training was a game.

Hmm... This topic can go on forever. There's really one specific thing/person to blame for a kid's actions. But there are certain things that add up to a persons behavior. Because of the technology advancing, video game industries try to make games more "realistic". In order to sell their products, they have to make it interesting/fun. Usually violence is what makes games fun. There is violence everywhere. The media, movies, even simple cartoons like Tom and Jerry. It's just the combination of "realism" and violence that make video games the way they are. Because of todays busy lifestyle, parents have little time to spend with their children. The time that children are alone means less supervision. Most parents don't even know a thing about video games, computers, or consoles. But they still buy them for their children because.... they want them. Not many parents take out the time of their busy schedule to research on what's suitable for their kid. Think about it, do your parents really know what you do on the internet? But why just point out videogames? Why not the news, movies, or parenting skills? Why play the blame game? Sure videogames can effect children, but everything else does too. It's just the matter of putting it into context for lil children to understand what is real and what is wrong.

On a side note, violent video games like GTA3 help relieve my stress on a video game rather in real life.

Really? So if I were to take away your GTA3, you would have no choice but to go on a rampage in your city?

Nope, cause the city didnt take my GTA3 away

So because video games are only small contribution, we should ignore them all together? Hmmm.......................................

Okay, how about a simple math problem:

a+b=c

1+1=2
1+2=3
1+3=4... and the pattern goes on...

Okay now:

let a=one child.
let b=the number of violent games in the child's possession.
let c=the amount of damage.


Result: the more violent games a child has, the more damage/violence in children... Stupid children, who can't think for themselves. (<-sarcasm)



Okay, so that may not be a very sound example of what could happen. But the idea is that: if we can eliminate at least one of many problems, things could yield to a better result.

That's exactly what I've been saying.. onli that I dont have your talent with words and examples

I think that children getting alcohol is a bigger problem than this. Its really not as big as the media would let it out to be. I mean, sure a few kids take wrestling to seriously and someone gets killed, a kid takes Superman too seriously and someone gets hurt, a few kids take GTAVC too seriously and kill some Hatians, I mean, its a danger, but so is everything else. You really have no way of regulating these things either way. Sure, the government could waste money trying to crack down on video game sales, or hell, eliminate violence in video games all together, but wouldnt that just leave us with Olsen twins games and DDR?

Alcohol is illegal for kids under 21 to buy (although far too many get it anyways..)


So you're saying that the onli video games in existence are violent ones like GTA?

1) Is it not illegal for youngin's to purchase M-rated games?Yes. Every game has some violence in them, maybe not hardcore gore like GTA, but to an extent its all the same. If an episode of Superman can "cause" a child to jump off a building, then you can imagine what else can influence children.

Ok, some violence is alright.. I'm primarily concerned with the more realistic and violent ones.. like GTA or Halo or something

An episode of Superman caused a child to jump off a building?

Thats a very old occurance, but yes, it happened.

Well that's one deranged kid.. you can't say that most kids are like that..

However, most kids WILL be influenced by realistic violent games to some extent

That doesn't stop them from trying to acquire one.

I work in a community oriented evironment, and I hear/see out of control kids all the time. Every day there would be at least one whiny brat whose parents would yield to their wants to shut them up.

Seeing as how some parents are over indulging their kids, we must take into consideration that a simple rating will not stop children from acquiring violent games.

Exactly.. I think I already mentioned this earlier..

But several of my friends acquired M rated games because:
a. Parents dont know/care about ratings
b. Even if parents care, older siblings sure dont

M rated games mean that you have to be over 18 to purchase, right? So for those of you in this thread replying and defending these (I know some of you have mentioned the fact that you have GTA), how'd you get yours?

Ah, older siblings do have their uses after all..... *cough*beer*cough.



I can get one cuz I'm 19. HAHAHHAHA

Haha.

Hehe, well I wasnt referring to you.. I know you're not the type to play those kind of games.. judging by your comparison of Mario with GTA earlier in this thread

Snap. You caught me........ but Mario is CLASSIC violence.

I mean, who would kill innocent plants or stomp on unsuspecting turtles? Now that's evil.

Haha I know..

Although you can hardly call firebreathing plants innocent..

They're only trying to heat up the world... you know? Give some warmth?

And those horrible dungeons!!! Reminds me of bondage... Kinky adult stuff... I mean, the Princess was locked in a dungeon on one of the levels....

And must I remind you... those poor UNSUSPECTING turtles?!?!

Pshh, guns, blood, and gore, got nothing on stomping and kicking turtles.

Hahaha I have to agree with you there


Well.. erm.. volcanoes do that too.. so they'd be "innocent volcanoes"?

Vocanoes are innocent until they kill someone. (Then they'd be guilty of killing).

But most of those plants never touched Mario.

Haha, says you! I hated those things

I mean, there was a time, when I was scared of turtles because I thought something bad was going to happen if I touched them... Yes, I was a stupid and imaginative 5 year old, so sue me. << Example of how kids take some games seriously.

You hate the plants? Pshh, I'd pay good money to have those planted in front of my house.

Hahaha, that's cute


Ooh.. so like a moat made of those plants..

Ah, but it annoyed the heck out of my brother because he couldn't have one for a pet until I was 10 or so.



Yes! I'd be the Princess inside my house (aka castle), waiting for Mario (some random person) to save me. << example of how video games can affect some young adults.

Hehe, poor guy


LOL awesome analogy

Some kid drowned because he tried to get to Bikini Bottom. It's the parents, not the games.

Again, one rare example..

It's strange how stuff like that happens.

Meh.. freak accidents?