http://news.mmosite.com/content/2008...13950656.shtml
I find fewer things more absurd than the theoretical link between real life violent action and video game playing. As video games take on a more realistic tone, combined with filling a larger portion of modern entertainment, they are becoming subject to the same accusations that were pointed at movies.

Are FPS (first-person shooter) games violent? Yes. By definition, the goal is to shoot your opponent. They also serve to teach advanced tactics in a real-time environment, which can also be a dangerous knowledge. The same can clearly be observed by action movies dating back to the 60's. These ideas and principles can also be gotten from books at your local library.

One may as well say that the popular Nintendo game 'Duck Hunt', being one of the first FPS games, was the inspiring idea behind violence and gangs. This particular ideology would lead one to believe that Nintendo's "Night Shift" (a game in which one runs a factory at night) makes children become factory workers. Or that popular MMORPGs (massively multilayer Online Role Playing Games- WoW, Everquest, etc) makes kids become 'questing' genocidal maniacs; leveling up by killing things being the sole means of achievement in them.

Why must we constantly look to blame 'outside' sources and fail to look inward. Who was responsible for making sure these children knew the difference between right and wrong? Who should have told them about the difference between reality and entertainment? Who taught these children that taking responsibility for your actions, be they right or wrong, is more noble than suicide.

The answer, at first, seems obvious; the parents. But societies standards have dropped to the point that they can not be to blame. (more on this here Social Decay Amoung The Young and Us )

While I do understand that all these sources of entertainment evoke violent images and ideas among our young and further to desensitize them, but the same ends can also be met by world events and media-news shows that cover them.

I suppose my question is this- Influences and ideas that have attempted to guide the young down a hurtful path have existed for centuries. Why then, since humanity has dealt with it for so long, has it become the fault of something invented within the last 50 years?

Who is it that is claiming video games are the only influence that helps to cause violence?

I would say they are a causal factor but not the direct sole cause.

Whether you like it or not studies do indicate violent video games cause people to be more violent. This has been demonstrated in numerous studies from labs to physiological studies. You can't just ignore the facts.

But I do not think this means we should ban video games. You can show the same data for violent TV as you can for video games so we'd also have to ban violent TV. There's no reason to be dogmatic about it from either side. Video games will not turn a calm person into a cold hearted killer. They do however make children more violent on the playground. You can take any basic psychology class and learn this; humans demonstrate rather good observant learning, especially younger kids. I remember a bunch of idiots in my psych 101 class three semesters ago tried arguing with the professor when the studies were right there in the book.

I've played all the Grand theft auto games, watch violent movies, and watch violent TV shows.

I've never felt the urge to become violent due to this, quite the opposite, it seems to relive my stress to come home after a bad day and kill alien's or zombie's or whatever.

I think that if a video game is a serious factor in you causing a crime, you are probably messed up already and are therefore more likely to commit the crime in the first place. I think it is bullshit that people put as much emphasis as they do on how video games cause violence.

Agreed - in the absence of any other factors, I don't think violence in video/movies/whatever would have any significant effect. But when combined with other factors, it can be a factor too.

I don't think people are claiming it is a simple case of - if you play video games they will make you consciously want to go kill people afterwards. More like, if a person has prolonged exposure to violent material, then when other factors in life come about, they are more likely to react with violence - because subconsciously they have come to see violence as more acceptable/normal as a solution to problems.

I agree- Video games help to make violence commonplace, therefore, more acceptable. I'm thinking more along the lines of violent crime though. I'll have to look into it, but I sure that if you compared the number of children that play violent games to the number of them that commit a violent crime, the number would be staggering low. Anyone happen to have any links regarding such?