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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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 Posted: 14-Sep-2005 01:02 Post subject: violent games? |
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I pulled the latest copy of PC Gamer out of my mailbox today and just got around to reading it. There's a story in there about what a huge lie all the hype about violent games being bad for kids is.
The FBI crime statistics make it clear that the demonization of violent video games is a load of Bullshit.
The playstation came out about 1995 right? Grand Theft Auto in 98, playstation2 in 2000, and GTA III in 2001.
In that year, 1995, violent crimes per 1,000 people age 12 and over was about 45, it was 50 the year before. Since then it has gone nowhere but down. By 2003 it was down to the low 20s.
Homicides per 100,000 people by ages 14-17 was at 31 or so in 94, 25 in 95, and 9 or 10 at present. That's 2/3 less. Age 18-24 it was at high 30s in 95, now it is at 27 or so, down by a third.
None fatal crimes with firearms per year was about was over a million incidents and about 1.2 million victems in 1995. By 2003 it was down to about 400,000 incidents and just under 500,000 victems. A reduction of half.
Certainly other factors are involved in this drop, such as over 3 out of 4 states have concealed carry now and violent crime went down in every one of them. But it still remains that we are getting a regular media and concerned citizen barrage about violent games causing a wave of violent crimes when such crimes have dropped among young people by half or even more then half.
The last 3 paragraphs of the story sum it up nicely.
"Now, it's gamings turn in the demonization dock. yet in 2004, 54 percent of games were rated "E" for Everyone, 33 percent were rated T for Teen, and only 12 percent were rated M for Mature, according to the Entertainment Software Association. The vast majority of the best-selling titles every year are rated T or below. Compare that to the 55 percent of new movies rated R.
The one thing that slasher movies, gangsta-rap lyrics, and violent videogames all have in common is that they've all been blamed for corrupting youth in an era where actual violent-crime rates plummeted among young people. Some truly horrible tragedies are being exploited by the media, and somehow I'm part of the problem. (The author runs Game-Revolution.com)
The truth is that these are the most non-violent kids in the history of American Justice statistics, and they all play videogames. The most peaceful generation of Americans in recorded history is being shoved through metal detectors and "defended" vigorously against a nonexistent rise in its violent crime rate. It's time that politicians and news directors put aside this phantom menace and start directing their energy toward real problems."
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"Those who beat their guns into plows will plow for those with guns..." -Thomas Jefferson
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Karagin
Imperial Karagin Army
Imperial General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4120
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Sep-2005 09:53 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Same groups that damn video games and RPGs are the same folks who have the billboard signs up that state "Every 10 seconds a child is killed by a gun in the US".
A friend did some figuring and he conculed that if that statment was indeed a fact we would not have a population problem in this country. Groups who want to blame something for the failings of themselves or the parents of the kids who actually do commit crimes find scapegoats in game, movies and other sources of entertainment. They have the ear of the media and support of folks who have political dreams of becoming the next Juilis Ceaser or whom ever their idol is.
All of this adds up to a bunch ill-informed hippocrits who look like fools once the facts come out and who also try to ignore the facts to push their case. Sad part is they are believed by a lot of folks in everyday America.
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Karagin
Only the dead have seen the end of war. - Plato
"Wasted trip Man. Nobody said nuthin' about lockin' horns with no tigers." Oddball
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SaberDance
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 07-May-2004 00:00
Posts: 837
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| Posted: 14-Sep-2005 22:05 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Replying quickly:
This relates to my review elsewhere of the book "Everything Bad Is Good For You" (Look down a few topics, it shoud still be there).
Useful stat: best selling game of 2004: Sims 2. FPS-games and GTA games do great opening sales. It's the strategy games that last.
Also worthy reading, Steve Levitt's "Freakonomics." Though that book is more important for what it gets wrong.
It has long been my contention that the crime danger/accident danger/mass murderer danger is increased by our refusal to talk about violence and conflict as legitimate solutions in certain situations and not by any desensitizations of our youth because of games.
That said, a lot of pop culture is still crap and ought to be treated as such. Our veneration instead of toleration of the most offensive forms of pop-culture has got to be a black spot on our society.
_________________
"Politics is the Art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, misdiagnosing the problem, and applying the wrong solution."
-Groucho Marx
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DarkAdder
Clan Star Adder
Star Commander
Joined: 10-Jan-2004 00:00
Posts: 604
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| Posted: 15-Sep-2005 01:00 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Karagin has pretty much figured it out, IMHO. Sure, people will toss stats at you proving this or that, but then 78.3369 percent of all stats are made up on the spot. 
My wife is terrified of guns of any kind. Pisols, rifles, shotguns...heck, my paintball markers make her nervous. But she admits that she has never even held a gun, and all she sees of them are shows like 'COPS', 'Most Wanted' and similar shows. My mom grew up using rifles for hunting, and even arranged for my brother and myself to shoot a few tin cans with them. When we were old enough, of course.
I know exactly what guns can do, and how badly someone could be hurt with them. My wife has only seen the 'bad' side of guns from TV, and is scared to death of them.
Why dont more parents take an active roll in their kids life? The 'violent games' and 'gangsta rap' probably does play a part in things. But the majority of what kids learn come from their parents.
Just my little rant. 
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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
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WhizzbangThePowerSquig
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Master Sergeant
Joined: 21-Mar-2005 00:00
Posts: 345
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 15-Sep-2005 07:43 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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One thing I've noticed is that some of these groups will condemn video gamers and roleplaying gamers as satan-worshipping baby stranglers, and then turn around and in the same breath demand looser gun rights. It's complete hash.
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All fear Squiggy!
"I've never seen anything this beautiful in the entire galaxy - okay, give me the bomb." - Ultra Magnus
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 15-Sep-2005 09:32 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Many of these campaigns are about people who don't want to take responsibility for things. Like the teenagers that went out with a rifle and shot at passing cars. So who do we blame? The kids for being idiots? The parents for not bringing them up properly (and leaving the gun where the kids could take it)? No, let's blame the popular GTA III video game! It told these people that it's OK to go around shooting stuff, despite them having lived in a society where it's not OK. 
edit: besides, the game company can be sued for more money than some poor white trash.
[ This Message was edited by: Nightmare on 2005-09-15 09:33 ]
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A tree fall in the forest, and no one is around, and it hits a mime. Does anyone care?
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Delta
Lyran Alliance
Leutnant
Joined: 11-Dec-2004 00:00
Posts: 635
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| Posted: 15-Sep-2005 17:09 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Quote:
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edit: besides, the game company can be sued for more money than some poor white trash.
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And because some judges these days are giving the most illogical, stupid, trivial, baseless lawsuits out these days...people can be such stupid assholes...someone needs to fix that...
Just my 2 cents.
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DarkAdder
Clan Star Adder
Star Commander
Joined: 10-Jan-2004 00:00
Posts: 604
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| Posted: 16-Sep-2005 19:23 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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I recall a lawsuit from several years ago that confimred just how little parents pay attention to what their kids are playing.
The story goes:
Mommy bought her son a game for his new N64 Nintendo, a game with a cute title about a cute squirrel, "Conker's Bad Fur Day". A delightful little game about a binge-drinking squirrel, and his bad day of running into buxom sunflowers, talking piles of crap and whizzing on little fire-guys.
Well, mommy bought this game, then was horrified when she saw Junior playing the game.
Naturally, her first action was to sue Nintendo for making this awful, awful game. Nevermind the fact that the comercials were all censored, and the game box and manual both were printed with "THIS GAME IS NOT INTENDED FOR ANYONE UNDER 17!!"
Nintendo had the position of "we made this game for people who grew up with the 8-bit system, playing Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda. They are in their 20s, now, and the game and humor are geared for a college crowd. We do have all kinds of warnings about this game."
The judge in the case had a level head on his shoulders and (in a nice way) told the woman, "You were warned, you ignored the warning, get out."
You know, humans are incapable of keeping the dumbest amongst us out of the news.
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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
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WhizzbangThePowerSquig
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Master Sergeant
Joined: 21-Mar-2005 00:00
Posts: 345
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 17-Sep-2005 10:03 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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All the griping and groaning has done something. I work in the electronics department at the local Toys R Us, and we have to check ID for anyone buying an M rated game, or R rated movie. If we don't, and make the mistake of selling to someone under 17, we could get hit with a heafty fine.
Anyway, I don't see why games get singled out. There is much worse on TV then in most games. Ever watch CSI?
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All fear Squiggy!
"I've never seen anything this beautiful in the entire galaxy - okay, give me the bomb." - Ultra Magnus
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DarkAdder
Clan Star Adder
Star Commander
Joined: 10-Jan-2004 00:00
Posts: 604
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| Posted: 17-Sep-2005 11:19 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Makes me wonder whats going to happen in October. They are making a movie based on the video game "Doom". This is a game that, when it was released, was banned in more than one country and took quite a flak storm in the US for its 'graphic portrayal of violence'. Nevermind the fact that it was so pixelated you couldnt tell -what- you were shooting at.
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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
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WhizzbangThePowerSquig
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Master Sergeant
Joined: 21-Mar-2005 00:00
Posts: 345
Location: Canada
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| Posted: 19-Sep-2005 09:15 Post subject: RE: violent games? |
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Doesn't mean that the movie wil be.
Even if it is, so what? Starship Troopers was a gore fest, and there have been many movies since then that have been, and before then.
It'll probably get an R rating, anyway.
_________________
All fear Squiggy!
"I've never seen anything this beautiful in the entire galaxy - okay, give me the bomb." - Ultra Magnus
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