I have an assignment about this tomorrow so I need to know how you feel about the violence which is in todays games. Now I mean "extreme" violence ex: Madworld, Manhunt, GTA etc. etc. It doesn't matter if you have played this games or play games regulary because I know you have an opinion about it. also I'm going to take the statistics about this and what both genders feel about this so please vote according to gender :) thanks in advance! :) (the poll will be limited and will close tomorrow)
I really do not mind it. Back in the days, I played Soldier Of Fortune and actually enjoyed being able to target specific bodyparts on the enemies. I also do not subscribe to the idea that videogames incite violence in people, other than perhaps in people who already were messed up to begin with.
The poll is a bit too "yes or no" for me to place a vote, but maybe I can share some thoughts to explain why. My basic principles fall on the side of allowing people to decide for themselves what they will or will not participate in, but I do believe we need to temper that freedom with a great deal of caution. We do most definitely have to take very seriously what impact these activities have on developing minds. We must allow young people to develop good decision making principles before we expose them to the really tough decisions, or we have failed them. So I firmly believe that adults should have sovereignity over their decisions provided they have been nurtured to an adult understanding of the consequences of their actions. It is a moral question, and that is what makes it tricky, because morality differs from person to person. When it comes to children, I believe it is our moral duty to provide protection and education until they are equipped to assume the responsibility for themselves, and that includes auditing what inputs they are exposed to as they develop.
I agree with Shadowsong's assessment, as well as the poll being limited. I've worked in the psychology profession for years, and it's really not that black and white since there are so many variables that come into play - especially how one was raised and parented, as well as extended environmental associations that may have been influential. However, research has shown that for some, there is a definite correlation between violence in video games and increased aggression. Video games can be highly addictive, and repetitive play for some increases the risk of becoming more aggressive. In the past, it didn't need to be a video game - look at Mutant Ninja Turtles and when that came out - children were imitating them and many ended up in the emergency room with injuries - same with the wrestling shows where teens are emulating the jumps and body slams, either individually, or with siblings and peers - this has also sent children to the hospital. These aren't video games, but still the same premise. From a cognitive development perspective, research has also shown that children are challenged to distinguish between real and fantasy until around 6 or 7, so it's important that parents or care givers guide them. Now, the disclaimer with research is, that it doesn't necessarily apply to everyone across the board, but for those affected, it has the potential for perpetuating aggression from one generation to the next - children learn what they live. Here's what the experts say - choose one, or read all 47 entries from the American Psychological Association. I wish you success with your assignment.
Some games I think go too far. Games like manhunt should not only be banned but I think a case can be made for locking up people who play those type of games. If someone is playing a game which purely is based on taking pleasure from killing people they should be treated as if they did commit that murder. In todays games where they can have very realistic graphics what purpose does it serve just to commit murder? All it does is desensitive us further and further and we become more and more depraved. Furthermore in video games which are very different from a film because you are actively committing murder through your actions. In a film we just sit and watch but for a game it's a wholely different scenario hence the case can be made to try players playing these games and having them locked up... I remember in the 70's we had a tv show called starsky and hutch which sometimes came under fire vor too much violence. You watch any of those episodes now none of them will be deemed to have any violence. People have become so accustomed to that level of violence that it doesn't do anything for them anymore so games and films have to notch up the violence a bit further and so it goes on. I can't imagine a film like "saw" ever getting made in the 1930's. Why is it that would have been abhorrent in the 30's but today it is all fine? When your children are adults and have their children imagine what the level of violence will be at then? imagine further 2 or 3 generations... Freedom of speech and everyone making up there own mind all very well and actively promoted but at what expense? Think about it is it worth it to degenerate ourselves and the human race all for a bit of "entertainment"? They say history repeats itself. Casting further back than the 30's and 70's say the Roman times. In those days at first they had gladiator fights as entertainment remember there was no tv then. After a while people got bored by two people just killing each other so they decided to make it intresting by throwing a lion or two in. After a while even that got boring so they threw in rape and mass murder/slaughter? We are a species that always craves more than what we have. Sometimes it's better to say enough is enough and draw a line it is a shame no one has done that so far with the "entertainment" industry. To my mind it should have been done long ago would be interesting to see if we can reverse the level of violence i.e. have less and less gory stuff. In the long run that would be better but fools without brains will just go for their base desires and want more and more violence. Can these type of people be weaned off violence? perhaps not in which case it may allready be too late to change our destiny...
I agree with admin. I believe that if people do something bad because they have played a videogame, they would have done the same eventually without the video game to. Sure 1 or 2 people might get an idea from a video game, but loads of people get their idea for doing something bad from the newspapers, so should we ban those to. Or people get the idea of driving fast and causing an accident, killing someone from watching a car race on TV, should we ban that to. What about Tom & Jerry or Roadrunner, have you ever seen a program on TV so violent. Sure some people get influenced by stuff like that, but as always those few spoil it for the rest. I'd say make those games and teach parents to look after their kids, sure my parents had no idea about video games and stuff, but the generation of parents right now (my age) do, and know very well how stuff works and how kids get their games and what is happening online. So stop putting your kids behind a computer and forgetting about them, find out what they are doing and talk to them about it.
Maybe he should have asked would you or do you play video games with violence. He would have gotten answers instead of opinions. And we know there are as many opinions as people. Not knocking anyone who gave a sermon but perhaps his assignment just needed some yes or no answers and was`nt delving that deep into the subject or did in other areas. I have opinions but I was able to separate them and vote. I answered the question asked from my personal preference without the cloud of conditions surrounding it of which I do have plenty. I voted I like or don`t mind them for myself since I was`nt asked to answer for anyone else.
He was asking for opinions. Nothing wrong with voicing opinions. Nothing wrong with everyone's being different :) Also in assignments usually you get a better mark for discussion. Mentioning the pro's and cons or different points of view with reasonings about those views. It shows the student has thought about the issues and delved into it deeper than just giving a "bland" two line answer. I guess it's an old fashioned method of assessing intellectualism but it has it's merits. A student that just gives a small "answer" as you call it shows little intellect whereas a student who shows an in depth analysis of the issues shows some sign of intelligence :) So I'd love to hear your opinion(s). Progress can only come via discussion of different opinions and then arriving at some conclusion. My views are never fixed i.e. I'd like to think if I'm proven wrong or given a different viewpoint that is more reasonable than mine I have no qualms about changing my views. So I see no sense in "hiding" opinions besides on these type of issues there often is no "right" or "wrong" answer as such just different opinions.
My own opion huh? :D well I love most games, but not because of raw violence in some of them. I haven't played the first Manhunt game but I do love the second one. I would call it murder because in many parts it isn't (well ofcourse there are some times when it is cold blooded murder). Manhunt 2 had a good enough strory for me to continue playing it. The story is pretty twisted (which I love) and the main character have a mental decies and can't remember about his past. So at first most of the stages is about defending yourself from getting killed. Later on you get to know what's really behind all this and which ones who started the whole thing and it becomes more clear. Since gladiators was mentioned, Madworld is the game that is wonderfull for that :) It's a short game but it was fun since it had portions of arcadegame involved. They also took up about the gladiator games in that game because it had similarities. (Rich people paying and sponsoring to see others kill each others in coldblood.) Ofcourse it was shown to common people just like in the gladiator games. I liked it because it was very comic book made, which mostly black and white except for some other colours such as yellow and red. These games should not be played by younger kids thought, because to young minds which can't tell "right" from "wrong" (actions are neither right or wrong, it depends on how the croud look at it(I'd say)) it is defenatly not healthy. Allthough when it comes to violence in general it is up to parents to teach their kids about morale and if they comit murder because they've got the idea from a movie, game etc etc. it's in my opinion bad parenting. Allthough enviroment takes parts aswell and sometimes the parents aren't home at times. I saw some of the cases about kids and teenagers doing things because they "got" the idea from video games, and honestly, most of them it looks more like they can't stand for what they've done and blame it on videogames because people who haven't played a single game in their life belive it. Thought that is just my own opinion on the matter. Many times it's also because a person is being bullied or as a mentioned above they live in a bad enviroment or have abusive parents. Also drugs and alcohol takes part of this. I consider MMO's such as WoW and EU to be worse than viloent videogames because we are all anonymous behind that computer and there is a lot of bullying going on, on the net, also threats many times from younger people who haven't been thought the same morality as others or even at all. I've also read about rivalguilds meeting IRL and start fighting each others thought that isn't necessary true. So my own opinion on the matter is that I think violence in video games are fine, it's not the game to blame, it's yourself. It's up to the parent to talk and spend time with their kids, might aswell be with them while they are playing them so they understand more what their children do when they play games. Though a lot of violence can ofcourse disturb how we are even if we are fully sane. As mentioned in a previouse post a lot of violence will make a person used to it. That is true, but that is also true with a lot of things so it isn't really that bad. Hurt yourself long enough and you'll get used to it, eat the same dish over and over and over and you'll get used to it and so on. Though even the most disturbed person could turn out okay, if the judging is by the cover. Games in general is a way to get away from normalaty and just relax off in another world where they can do the things they know is moraly wrong IRL. So in that term violence games is a good way to turn of steams if the person playing is stable. Violent video games is not more moraly bad than say pokémon. I do think to much can be a problem thought but it really depends on the person. If you start skipping school just to be home to play games they perhaps it's time either take a break for some days or seek medical care in the worse cases, people can aswell snap out of it, sometimes they do it on their own and sometimes they meet someone which help them. Now that is my opinion :D but since I'm going to use the poll as statistic what people think depending on gender, a y/n answer is enough :) thank you for your opinions it's highly apprecieted :)
I did`nt consider that asking for an opinion. I read it as he acknowledges we`ll have opinions about violence in games, play them or not. Hence we could still have an answer for his poll, which was meant to cover your opinion. I saw a poll and answered the poll. I never knock anyone for offering an opinion. But at the time I saw more opinions than respondents. Just sayin...
