Videogames make you violent?

[Adam]

Some of the people on the board might recall the underground videogame classic called Postal. In Postal you played a man who was very fed up with everything, grabbed about a dozen firearms including uzis, shotguns, flamer throwers, grenade launchers and bazookas and took to the streets with the goal of murdering everybody to get more points and reach the next level. You might also be familiar with the popular Grand Theft Auto serier, whose gameplay consisted of jacking cars, running people over to get points and having street shootouts with police officers.

Then came this : www.postal2.com

I DL'ed it and thinks that THIS time, they've gone too far, as it is extremely offensive just for the sake of being extremely offensive.

What do you say? Can videogames in which you kill with impunity make you violent and/or give you a distorted sense of values?

[pgm316]

I'm playing some violent ones in the hope they'll make me violent, no luck yet...... :o

[Tosh]

IMO Nope they don't.

The same as Music doesn't make you a Killer.

<edit: or a better lover!! RIP..... Barry...... RIP!>

[AsSaSiN]

The only people games will affect are the ones who make games their life. The geeks that sit there 24/7 playing games. To be honest i play games about 7 hours per week, a lot of GTA 3 and action games, and it doesn't bother me one bit, and im not a particularly bloodhungry person. Games are games, nothing more.

[Adam]

Try playing that postal 2 game. I think you would agree that it's about the vilest thing you will ever have the opportunity of playing.

[Jazman]

I'll have to try it... I don't think video games have made me violent, I think video games are simply an outlet for violence. If someone wants to go shoot someone then I reccomend they do it in a video game, much better than doing it for real...(of course they also need therapy but that takes longer...) I think it's a good thing we have violent video games, people will find some other way to get violence...
btw, who's signature is this? "If there were more bloody noses there'd be fewer wars." If people realized when they went to far or took responsibility for their own actions we have fewer problems.

[Nimrook]

Media in general does not promote vioolence. I like to think of it in these terms: How many people listen to a certain music, watch a certain movie/tv show, or play a certain game? Now take that same number and ask yourself, how many are going out and commit mass murder? I beleive that someone has to be screwed up in the first place before media has anything to do with their actions

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Postal 2 is only vile if you take it seriously, I'd consider it no worse than GTA 3, and a lot more entertaining. Its just poking at the people who claim that games and films make people violent. Games don't make people violent, people already are, and the games just cater for it. Someone who can't tell the difference between game and reality is going to have trouble anyway, whether they play violent games or not.

[Cain]

Amen Jimmy :D

|Cain|

[inacan]

It's not so much that games as you have mentioned make people violent, it does desensitize you, but I remember a long time ago, someone telling me about how movies make you more violent. I pointed out that I can watch TV and such and not even flinch when somebody gets bloodied or mutilated, but in real life, I get semi nausious over people getting hurt and I can't stand the sight of blood.

It's not that applicable to the real world, video games, movies and such are a fantasy escape, little similarity to real life. The instances when somebody went all crazy and duplicated what they saw is a sign of mental illness, they would have blamed their rice krispies if they had the chance.

[Citsonga]

Originally posted by AsSaSiN
The only people games will affect are the ones who make games their life. The geeks that sit there 24/7 playing games. To be honest i play games about 7 hours per week, a lot of GTA 3 and action games, and it doesn't bother me one bit, and im not a particularly bloodhungry person. Games are games, nothing more.

Um, I'm insulted by that. I play videogames about 28 hours a week (4 hours a day) and most of them can get pretty violent. However, I am the furthest from "insane killer cretin" and I don't like having that image placed upon me just for the games I play in my free time.

You hear? I DON'T LIKE IT! IT MAKES ME MAD! STOP TALKING ABOUT ME! OKAY, OKAY, I WARNED YOU! :woo:

Ow, I shot myself... meanies, you made me do it! :cry:


Um, anyway.

[Citsonga]

What I was trying to say is, you're telling us not to pass judgment based upon the _quantity_ of games played compared to mentality, not the games played compared to metality _quality_.

Quality over quantity any day. I play multitudes of games daily, and if anything, the worst I get from it is that wry sense of humor.

[Zamfoo]

I really think most games like that actually help violent people. You have a bad day at work? Shoot the guy that looks like your boss in a video game. I think it allows you to take frustration to the extreme without actually doing anything bad.

[pest]

I play lots of video games, listen to death metal, play Dungeons & Dragons,watch tv and ive been doing this for years. I have NEVER harmed anyone. it takes a evil mind to do evil things.

[Cain]

Yep, if you read a murder movel and commit a murder it's not the book's fault, it's yours! If you go out and kill someone after playing postal 2 it's not the games fault, it's YOURS!

|Cain|

[khafra]

To answer that signature question :D
Anyway, I work with the most nonviolent guy you'd ever meet.
He's always on the top 10 player list for Planetside. When he played counterstrike regularly he vied constantly with another player for top 2. He just started playing Unreal Tournament 2003, and is rapidly moving up the ranks there...

Anyway, yeh--he's quite nonviolent. If you're predisposed to be a homicidal maniac, video games might help you be better at it, but that's about it.

[The2]

Anyone who can be influenced to commit major acts of violence by a game is mentally unstable enough that they will become violent with or without games.It's just a matter of time before something sets them off.

[Em-em]

It's different for you guys because you're MA practitioners. How about those "Video Games [postal, postal2, etc]-is-my-religion" people?

[inacan]

They need GF's or BF's and a better upbringing. A good upbringing should teach you to be able to tell the difference between fiction and reality and there in the moral principle behind killing.

http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/story/8941

I refer you to a story I wrote for my university newspaper which was well lauded.

[LilBunnyRabbit]

How about those "Video Games [postal, postal2, etc]-is-my-religion" people?

What, you mean like me? A lot of my spare time is spent playing computer games, the rest is spent designing and running scenarios and campaigns for role-playing games.


They need GF's or BF's and a better upbringing.

I'm married and had a great upbringing, what's your point?

[David]

Originally posted by inacan
It's not so much that games as you have mentioned make people violent, it does desensitize you, but I remember a long time ago, someone telling me about how movies make you more violent. I pointed out that I can watch TV and such and not even flinch when somebody gets bloodied or mutilated, but in real life, I get semi nausious over people getting hurt and I can't stand the sight of blood.

It's not that applicable to the real world, video games, movies and such are a fantasy escape, little similarity to real life. The instances when somebody went all crazy and duplicated what they saw is a sign of mental illness, they would have blamed their rice krispies if they had the chance.

The dangerous ppl are the ones who see real blood and laugh because they're mentally dissassociated from reality. That kind of flip-out trance leads to kids hitting ppl with baseball bats like in cartoons and the occasional killing spree.

I've been playing home-computer games since late 1980 with no ill effects (even to my eyesight!).

Some game annoy me with their gimmicky gore such as Carmageddon, those GTA games and I guess Postal, from what I see. Not much in those for my tastes. I heard there're some Football Hooligan/racist games out there, too. Just goes to show that you don't have to be pleasant to be a programmer.

Rgds,
David

[Cain]

It's different for you guys because you're MA practitioners. How about those "Video Games [postal, postal2, etc]-is-my-religion" people?

Oh good lord, I myself play games upwards of 72 hours a week :D

I have way too many freinds who discuss nothing but vice city, there are tons who play games for the whole night :eek:

But still we play for fun, even if we find killing people kinda funny in shadow warrior it's an entirely different story in real life!

|Cain|

[inacan]

Originally posted by ckdstudent

I'm married and had a great upbringing, what's your point?

I guess it's a 2 fold point.

1. If you have a significant other, you spend less time playing video games and more time getting out into the social atmosphere of the world.

2. If you had a bad upbringing the association of violence being ok, or more directly the inabillity to tell fiction from reality becomes blurred and troublesome.

But seeing how you don't commit acts of violence and crime, you don't fall under the scrutiny.

[LilBunnyRabbit]

If you have a significant other, you spend less time playing video games and more time getting out into the social atmosphere of the world.

What, like the hours a day I spend on multiplayer online games? Even ignoring those there's the whole days that the both of us spend playing tabletop RPGs, usually more violent or disturbing than just about any computer game you could name.


But seeing how you don't commit acts of violence and crime, you don't fall under the scrutiny.

Ah, I see how this works now. So if I commit acts of violence and crime, and happen to play video games, then I prove the link between escapism and delinquency, however if I'm a well-adjusted human being then I don't factor into proving that they aren't bad for you.

[inacan]

No it simply proves that your upbringing has given you the mental capacity to establish between fiction and reality, morality and ethical issues.

Are Video games bad? No

[Em-em]

ckdstudent -- it's your job so it's normal for you to be glued on videogames... right?

[LilBunnyRabbit]

No it simply proves that your upbringing has given you the mental capacity to establish between fiction and reality, morality and ethical issues.

So by that theory anyone without that ability should be banned from games, films, music, books, and in fact any fictional cultural information.

Given that psychological research suggests your parents only bearing on your life is the 50% of your personality that seems to stem from your genetics, and the other 50% builds off your friends, I don't see how upbringing makes a difference, but that's a different debate.


They need GF's or BF's and a better upbringing. A good upbringing should teach you to be able to tell the difference between fiction and reality and there in the moral principle behind killing.

I still don't see how a girlfriend or boyfriend can make a difference. I had my first real girlfriend when I was eighteen. I got married to her about a year and a half later. Before that I was just as hooked on games as I am now, and she's not made any improvement in my behaviour (except that I now put my socks away)

I'd also be interested in what you would call a 'good' upbringing. My parents brought me up wonderfully, from my point of view. However at school I had no friends, I was victimised, I was bullied and I was tormented. Is that a good upbringing? In retaliation I started to go out of my way to disturb people. The bullying stopped, and people started avoiding me instead. I overheard several people actually say to their friends that it was best to avoid me because I was 'weird'. Is that a good upbringing?

Yet I have never committed an act of violence except in self defence, and I have never committed a crime.

Personally I'm of the opinon that people who blame their upbringing for their actions are of the same category as people who blame computer games, role-playing, bullying as a kid, or the devil. Either insane or unwilling to take responsibility for their own actions.


ckdstudent -- it's your job so it's normal for you to be glued on videogames... right?

My job as a student? Nah, not really, its more my job to research and read around my subject.

[inacan]

Originally posted by ckdstudent
So by that theory anyone without that ability should be banned from games, films, music, books, and in fact any fictional cultural information.

Who said anything about being banned?

[i]Given that psychological research suggests your parents only bearing on your life is the 50% of your personality that seems to stem from your genetics, and the other 50% builds off your friends, I don't see how upbringing makes a difference, but that's a different debate.[/B]

If your brought up in a abusive household, you will most likely be abusive. It's your parents that teach you what is right and wrong, people don't have instinctive gauges for this. Pyschological research is all theory, just to remind you.

[i]I'd also be interested in what you would call a 'good' upbringing. My parents brought me up wonderfully, from my point of view. However at school I had no friends, I was victimised, I was bullied and I was tormented. Is that a good upbringing?[/B]

How does being bullied have relation to your parental upbringing? So you weren't the most popular guy not your parents fault. You were bullied? I'm sorry but the majority of people have been.


[i] In retaliation I started to go out of my way to disturb people. The bullying stopped, and people started avoiding me instead. I overheard several people actually say to their friends that it was best to avoid me because I was 'weird'. Is that a good upbringing?[/B]

Your own actions, you parents didn't tell you to act weird, this seems more of a venting of your childhood.




[i]Personally I'm of the opinon that people who blame their upbringing for their actions are of the same category as people who blame computer games, role-playing, bullying as a kid, or the devil. Either insane or unwilling to take responsibility for their own actions.[/B]

I do agree with you but I think that the uprbing has a pyschological effect on people.



[i]My job as a student? Nah, not really, its more my job to research and read around my subject. [/B]

You can read around phsyics? I always thought it was a field where BSing isn't a asset.

[LilBunnyRabbit]

If your brought up in a abusive household, you will most likely be abusive. It's your parents that teach you what is right and wrong, people don't have instinctive gauges for this. Pyschological research is all theory, just to remind you.

Some of the nicest people I know were abused as children. Some of the most unpleasant people I know had wonderful childhoods.


How does being bullied have relation to your parental upbringing? So you weren't the most popular guy not your parents fault. You were bullied? I'm sorry but the majority of people have been.

Well generally you actually spend more time with friends than your parents, so if you're bullied by friends but not by parents then that generally means that you're technically being abused by the majority. I know the majority of people have been bullied, but look where the bullies usually come from. Often they're from pleasant, priviliged backgrounds. Other times they're from abusive families. There's no obvious rhyme or reason to it.

Also, its my parents fault if I grow up maladjusted, but not their fault if I'm disliked? Since whether or not I'm liked depends often on how well a person fits in I'd have thought there'd be a connection.


Your own actions, you parents didn't tell you to act weird, this seems more of a venting of your childhood.

Oh, I see. So I can actually make my own decisions without the influence of my parents, but if I can't distinguish between fiction and reality that's their fault and not my own?


I do agree with you but I think that the uprbing has a pyschological effect on people.

Well yes, it probably does, but I don't see that it can be blamed for the choices that person then makes.


You can read around phsyics? I always thought it was a field where BSing isn't a asset.

Reading around as in reading into areas near to the ones I'm studying in order to build up background knowledge.

[inacan]

So what would be the basics to physics?

Greek Philosophy? Quantum Mechanics (or is that like a sub part of physics?)

[pest]

Originally posted by Em-em
It's different for you guys because you're MA practitioners. How about those "Video Games [postal, postal2, etc]-is-my-religion" people?

i been playing games a long time before i started MA.

[thiaboxr2]

The only violence I see (or perform myself) is when somebody gets upset during a game and throws the controls accross the room.(only once!)

In today's society the games are used as a blame for people's problems when they happen to commit a serious crime or incurr violent tendencies. By pointing the finger at games causes people to re-evaluate the games and investigate them resulting in a lesser charge for the individual.

Just how I see it.



I have never looked at a game and said it was too violent for me. I've always liked the games with bloodshed, senseless killings, demonic values...... It's what keeps me playing them.

Games do not make us violent, society does. We may RELATE to certain character elements in a particular game but that does'nt mean we should act out the scenes and blame the games for our own actions.

I'm done rambling on for now.:)

[Em-em]

But don't you get addicted... like, well, maybe you get jittery whenever you can't play?

[thiaboxr2]

There may be certain games I play over and over but I am never addicted to them. There is usually something else that I can do to occupy my time. Playing games is just one of them. I do not like sitting in front of the television for long periods of time. I like to be out doing something.

I do not get jittery if im not playing any games. Because the games will always be there.

I guess you can say I am addicted to the Final Fantasy games.(although there is a lack of blood and gore). I know when to stop playing them.

My time is devided up among too many other options to let games be a problem for me.

The opposite may be true for those that games made them violent. Some people like violence to the point that they go out looking for trouble. Some will relate violence to many things they do in their life. Whether work related or family problems. One day someone will vent their frustrations and blame someone or something else for their problem. Games are no exception.

Its easier to point at games for possible violent tendencies, it takes some of the blame off the person. Then it causes society to question the games and find out whether it is true. Leaving no REAL answer, just personal beliefs such as our posts.

So, the question still remains........Do video games cause violent tendancies? Not for me.

[Hakko-Ryu]

you know they say that "1 out of 4 people are legally insane...think of 3 other people you know, if those 3 people are sane, then YOU'RE INSANE!!!! "

[Cain]

Well, I am insane I sometimes punch stuff near me when I fail for the 20th time to make a stupid jump and just falling into a big ravine and remembering I have not saved :D:p

I sometimes think for almost the whole day figuring out strategies etc.

Go to any hardcore quake 3 or counterstrike player, they are the real addicted ones without any real lfe problems ;)

|Cain|

[Adam]

Here's me pouring more gasoline onto the pyre: http://www.rense.com/general41/grands.htm

Makers of Grand Theft Auto the violent video game series were sued because of some teens shooting people and saying they got the idea from playing GTA. Any thoughts?

[LilBunnyRabbit]

In a letter to victims and their families, Joshua said: "I did not mean to hurt anyone. I hate that it happened. This will stick with me for the rest of my life."

Well then, why did he do it?

I don't see how you can blame the game at all for this, if they weren't playing GTA then they'd be watching a film, or reading abook, or something else, and they'd still be murderers, just blaming something else.

We are all responsible for our own choices, blaming something else for them is simply cowardice.


Grand Theft Auto has an 18 certificate in Britain but is popular with much younger teenagers, especially boys.

In which case the shop shouldn't have sold it to them and they shouldn't have been allowed to play it. Sue the shop.

[Cain]

Makers of Grand Theft Auto the violent video game series were sued because of some teens shooting people and saying they got the idea from playing GTA. Any thoughts?

Yeah right, I watch scream 2 and kill someone and then get away with it by suing the makers :rolleyes:

IMHO, those parents don't know how to raise their kids it was their fault at first for letting them play a game that was rated R

You go out and steal money after watching a movie, it's YOUR fault, not the movie maker's fault 'cause YOU stole it!

Whoever takes games THAT seriously needs a serious medical checkup

More than half people in the world play vice city, and when two kids of parents' who don't give a damn about their kids go around killing people, it's not rockstar's fault, it's not the game's fault - it's THEIR fault! If they had half the brains of a normal person they should know what killing people is about ditto with their parents not teaching their children such things let alone play an R rated game in the first place!

|Cain|

[saikyou]

It depends on the player. If the player is really obsessed w/ the game then i think he/she will inherit the character's attitude. Im not affected by these. for me its only a game.

[Cain]

Yeah, there are gaming communities where people talk about nothing but games like martial arts, stay up the whole night when they come across a newly released game, more obsessed than you can ever imagine, STILL they will find it pretty farfetched to try out these things in real life unless they are phsychos for whom games are not the reason.

|Cain|

[Terry Matthes]

They are just games, if you don't like them don't play them. Nobody forced any of you to download or buy them. Instead of focusing on video games why not look at movies for an example. There are some horror movies out there that almost made me hurl when I watched them due to thier violent nature. The world we live in is full of violent media. The only people it affects are those with week minds. That game/book/movie/play is someones interpetation of art and creativity. If you don't agree with it you don't have get up in arms about it. Just understand that it is not of your personal taste and move on.

[saikyou]

yeah. just put this in your mind:

ITS ONLY A GAME.

[Mr C]

Video Games do not make you violent! just becuase you see violence, which is often so unrealistic it is comic, dosn't mean that you will replicate what you see, also if they did make you violent dos that mean that playing Mario Sunshine will make you want to run around spraying people with a water cannon? I don't think so!

[Maximicus]

God games make you sadistic (don't let your sims use the toilet!!!)

[Adam]

It sorta annoys me how the media tends to stick the blame on some kinds of entertainment, like the people blaming the school shootings in columbine high school on the fact that the two boys were listening to Marilyn Manson in their spare time. If you can't tell the difference between reality and music/horror films/video games then you probably have a serious mental problem anyway.
My favourite kind of video games are the ones involving mass murder in a light hearted way, such as Zombie Smashers X or Grand Theft Auto. I'd like Postal 2 to get banned however. It's not light hearted, it's not funny, it's simply unpleasant and uses shock value to sell, as well as not being an interesting game.

[Kanja]

"Videogames make u violent?" nah..cuz its just a game simple as that .

[dibrwi7]

All of you are right. I think videogames are mere entertainment, and yeah some people might spend alot of time playing games, but still it has no direct effect on the gamer's actions. If I were a psycopath and wanted to kill someone I would do it whether I had played GTA or not.

[khafra]

http://little-gamers.com/index.php?strip_id=727 has some insight.

[PersonasBinar]

Besides it's completely a double edged sword .....yet again.
The next generation of military might will involve the "twitchers" hand capabilities/data processing abilities trained into them from games. Canada is testing a R/C small plane in Afganistan, and Lord knows what toys the AMericans have up thier sleeves.

I remember back in the 80's, a few instances of DND heads questing themselves to death and "becoming" their characters.
Ppl were all concerned about those games then. Then metal/rap music got the smack from the conservative power structure that thinks everything should be backed with enriched white flour.

While I think that we as a sociery are becoming more desensitised to sex and violence, I don't think it's the games per say but rather the entirety of society, as we "evolve" for lack of a better word. I am disturbed by the lack of respect for life and ppl in general. I don't need to play violent games to get that imagery though. Turn on the news, not everyone can have these games at home...lol

If you have a slant towards violence it didn't come from videogames, that it can assure you, or else I'dd one of the worlds most sought after mass murderers..lol

You see the powers that be ALWAYS have to have something to blame, to deflect the real culprits, The powers that be themselves.

Anyone have global numbers as to these "posties"/columbine kids, factoring in location? Is this more of a NorthAmerican occurance, where we have a collection of societies rather than cultures that have grown over time? In North America (specifically US and to a slightly lesser dgree canada) our private information is merely another commodity, to be bought, mined, traded for stock, etc. In Europe there are VERY strict laws about that sort of thing, where the older cililizations have allready learned the value of human beings. Here in NA, not yet, barely 250-300 years old in most places. Still babies, but yet control most on the world???

ALSO the fact the average american kid can buy a nine mm handgun for $100-150$ in the school parking lot is terrifying.

So parents watch your kids.....explain to them what's going on around them. Hold them, let them know just how valuable they really are, how loved they are. Then kick thier butts playing games together...lol....They'll be fine

[Matt_Bernius]

Actually, there have been numerous studies that do clearly demonstrate media's abilty to influence behavior. I'll be happy to go back to the file and find them. Perhaps though the best figure I can quote is the .5 million dollars sponsors pay to advertise for .30 seconds during a superbowl. If they don't believe that they can influence behavior while would they spend that money.

And yes, you migth agrue that we consiously allow ourselves to be influenced by a commerical. But you need to ask yourself how much more is going on at a subconcious level (and yes, being in the field of marketing I can say a lot of research is spent on the psychology of advertising).

Am I advocating censorship? No. But I don think it's disingenuous for people in the media to deny the effect that they are having (especially on children perceptions). But of course if they admitted it, then they would become on some level morally responsible for the outcome.

And the general populace might realize how they're being played at times.

- Matt

[Maximicus]

Of course, No one EVER commited violent acts before video games/ Rock/ Rap came along.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Topher]

Video games dont kill people, people kill people.

Just like the movies. Movies dont make the psychos, the psychos make the movies.

[Terry Matthes]

Video games give allready crazy people even more insane ideas. So please if your mentally unstable don't play video games.

PS- Hey you slack ass parents out there: Video games are not a substitute babysitter. Pay more attention to your children!

[azra]

I think violent games affect those who are still developing, like kids. the younger they are the more it affects them.

If your older then you probably won't be affected. I guess thats why such games are rated.

[tekkengod]

video games are a stress reliever to keep you form BECOMING violent. or atleast any more violent.

[geves]

video games make ME violent. i went through 3 SNES controllers. one trying to beat M.Bison with Dhalsim on the highest difficulty in street fighter 2.

and i broke two more because arguements like these.

and if they continue i'll kill........

this kitten!!
http://www.cat-basket.org/photos/misty_kitten1.jpg

[tekkengod]

kill it now. cats are evil anyway. and use that boot in the background just for added effect. i know what you mean. these arguments are ridiculous.

i broke 2 controllers. one when my ex GF was making me infuriatingly angry. and the other when my damn xbox wanted to freeze RIGHT as the ending of KOTOR 1. robbing me of the movie i had spent the last 36 hours earning. AHHHHHH!!!!! my xbox is a piece of crap!!!! :bang: :woo: :woo: :bang:

see, i am a VERY calm person. now you just shut the hell up and agree with me if you want to live. :Angel:

[tekkengod]

I'd like Postal 2 to get banned however. It's not light hearted, it's not funny, it's simply unpleasant and uses shock value to sell, as well as not being an interesting game.

SHOCK VALUE SELLS!!! and games like that are innovative and fun.
I take it you've never played manhunt?

People like you are the reason that arguments like this get any wind.
and manhunt was a little worse than postal i think.

[Cougar_v203]

DON'T KILL KITTY! :cry:

[tekkengod]

KILL IT!!! KILL IT NOW!!!! then go get a puppy. no one can resist puppies.

[geves]

DON'T KILL KITTY! :cry:
ok cougar, the cat can live. but....






THE BUNNY GETS IT!!
http://www.rabbit.org/graphics/fun/netbunnies/bunny-hays1.jpg

[Tribalweapon]

I don't know, that cat looks pretty mad. :o

[tekkengod]

you know if you kill the bunny, all of the save toby supporters will come after you.

[chopperfan666]

It's not so much that games as you have mentioned make people violent, it does desensitize you, but I remember a long time ago, someone telling me about how movies make you more violent. I pointed out that I can watch TV and such and not even flinch when somebody gets bloodied or mutilated, but in real life, I get semi nausious over people getting hurt and I can't stand the sight of blood.

is it bad if you dont flinch at all in real life? I mean, i hunt and do stuff like that that would probably desensitize me a little, but what if nothing really ever makes me upset or flinch? somethin wrong there? good/bad

anyways, on topic... games dont make ppl do stupid/disturbing things in their lives, its how they live their lives and were brought up as children. A murder or something of that nature is IMO brought on by a horrible childhood or of course something wrong w/ the person that they don't realize how horrible the act really is. Violent video games are a good thing, they help the public to vent their frustrations w/o actually hurting someone.