Games removed from stores (temporarily) in Norway after disaster last Friday

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by WriterDude, Jul 29, 2011.

  1. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    That's right. He was a right-wing Christian fundamentalist who predicted the rise of Eurabia, and wanted to show the world how right he was by murdering innocent people.
     
  2. Unit7

    Unit7 Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2009
    Messages:
    1,148
    Likes Received:
    61
    I read to this part and then I laughed. You mean he used that spray and pray fps to 'practice' shooting ppl? Ok so my only knowledge about CoD's recoil is minimal but from what I hear there really isnt any. From the videos it seems to be fairly accurate.
     
  3. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    Put it this way: First play a boxing game for a few hours. Then try to punch a real person. Can you do it? I wouldn't be able to. I don't think I'm capable of hurting anyone. Shooting someone are so insane that I can't even begin to think how it's even possible. And I'm a big fan of Mortal Kombat. :p
     
  4. J.P.Clyde

    J.P.Clyde Prince of Melancholy Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2011
    Messages:
    971
    Likes Received:
    44
    Location:
    Underground
    Mortal Kombat is quite impractical though in reality. [Btw, there is an argument against their argument. I just stated that it was not realistic. I do not think I can rip a man's body in half with just my legs. Video games, even the most violent of Mortal Kombat, don't make people violent.]

    But unto the topic at hand. I do not see why no one can rationalize that this man is a sick lunatic? Instead they blame media and functions of expression for a man's sick mind. It isn't the video game that creates mental illness, it only cripples those who were born with mental illness.

    Others shouldn't have to suffer at the hands of one man's sick delusions.

    To another point, a long time ago there was a image running around showing brain activity in the brain. People seemed assumed that it meant it was activating parts of violence and this increase of brain activity was shaping their brain to make them more aggressive. Completely wrong [can't remember the name of the article], however, some scientist clarified this activation is more of our brain remembering aspects.

    Anyone ever dreamt about beating that level you couldn't beat beforehand? That's what is being activated.

    But I digress. This man was clearly unhealthy before the video games.

    Correlation doesn't equal causation.
     
  5. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    Yeah, Mortal Kombat isn't very realistic. But still, we are talking a series of games based entirely around beating the crap out of each other, and where you can rip people's heads off (with spine attached), cut people in half, set them on fire and all sorts of creative ways to kill them. It's one of the most violent games I heve ever played, and I absolute loved the second and third. The latest is pretty good too, and an excellent return to shape. So how come no one blames these games for anything?

    Anyone remember the kid who killed his parents because they refused to let him play Halo? He was a nutcase, but "obviously" Halo was blamed. Kid stole a car? Blame Gran Theft Auto. Yet no one blames Sain't Row for anything, even though it's pretty much idential to GTA except for the added comedy stuff. They even have a porn star do voice overs in the third game. :I can't wait. :p And anyone remember a game called Mercenaires: Playground of destruction? The subtitle says it all. You can destroy pretty much anything, even your own headquarter. Sure you won't get any missions after that and probably won't survive long, but still. Yet when was the last time that game or the sequel were in the news? People always blame the popular games. Isn't that a bit sucpisious?
     
  6. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2010
    Messages:
    13,984
    Likes Received:
    8,557
    Location:
    California, US
    Art - I'm not familiar with any instances where a video game has been shown to be a proximate cause to violence. Not saying there aren't any, just that I haven't heard of them. What cases are you referring to.

    @chacotaco - I just saw a news report on a study that claimed violent games served as an outlet for aggressive behavior and decreased aggressiveness. I haven't seen the actual study, though, and reading the actual study is the only way to judge such things.
     
  7. Daydream

    Daydream Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 3, 2011
    Messages:
    559
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    In another dimension.
    Warcraft? Why blame that game :S? It's probably the most docile game out there lol. Call of Duty sounds more believeable. Still why do they always end up blaming games? Killings have always happened...it's like they always need a scapegoat. This reminds me of a shooting in America a few years back where they blamed CounterStrike. I feel like events like these go deeper than games. Bad upbringing, child abuse etc. Also a killers mind is alot different to ours. As in some people are born with a stronger killer intinct. If that makes sense ><
     
  8. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    Warcraft has actually vicariously killed people.
     
  9. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2008
    Messages:
    2,604
    Likes Received:
    151
    Location:
    the shadow of the velvet fortress
    Games and guns are to violence what alcohol is to alcoholism. That is, there is a direct causal effect but it is only pronounced in those who are susceptible to them.

    I also think that clips showing executions and also really graphic movie effects have blunted young people's reactions to killings and accidents. I'll never forget a clip of a young Japanese interpreter who was executed in Iraq. He was pleading for his life and they shot him in the head. Some of my students played it and I was totally appalled at how unmoved they were. When I was young we would have been horrified. Back to the beginning of paragraph.

    So yes, I don't think that these games etc can be said to have little effect. They certainly don't have a positive one, that's for sure. Why not ban something so disgusting? Why do you want to play killing games in the first place?
     
  10. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2010
    Messages:
    13,984
    Likes Received:
    8,557
    Location:
    California, US
    So who gets to make the determination of what must be banned and was has enough merit to keep around? You? Some bureaucrat somewhere? It's all very easy to advocate banning something you personally don't like. Religious zealots are do it all the time. Hey, maybe the only things worthwhile are those that promote strong Christian messages, and we should ban everything else? Or strong messages of Islam?

    As soon as you open the door to the kind of thinking that says "I don't like something, therefore no one should have it," you're asking for trouble. And that's really what this comes down to.

    Hundreds of millions of people play these games and aren't acting out violently. Pointing to specific rare instances and trying to create a causal link is nonsense, imo.
     
  11. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    What case studies have shown this? I've been playing violent video games my entire life, and I'm a normal, sane, rational human being.

    Good. I'm glad they can distinguish reality from fantasy.

    Again. Where is the evidence?


    Hell. Let's us just ban all culture with violent images and messages. Religion, film, music, games; everything must go!
     
  12. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2008
    Messages:
    2,604
    Likes Received:
    151
    Location:
    the shadow of the velvet fortress
    Actually, I wasn't saying ban them. But I did mean, well, why not ban them if they have PROVEN adverse effects? Maybe it's not such a bad idea. And please don't bring religion into this in such an offensive way.

    You seem to have a rather ostrich attitude, if you don't mind me saying so. All, 'where are the studies to prove this' etc etc. There have been countless studies which show they are bad for people. You do the research. You sound like the tobacco industry or MacDo droning on about 'free choice' and 'no conclusive evidence'.

    But hey--make your own minds up. I never let my kids watch violent films or play violent games when they were younger. Now they can if they want--but they have no interest in them. Bu not every parent monitors what their kids do unfortunately.
     
  13. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2010
    Messages:
    13,984
    Likes Received:
    8,557
    Location:
    California, US
    An except from Metro.uk:

    Why is it that your response consists largely of ad hominem attacks? Those are logical fallacies, of course, and not at all persuasive.
     
  14. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    Maybe I am being a bit rash, I am sorry. But I've never seen or heard of any case study that shows violent video games make people more aggressive over other forms of entertainment.

    I wasn't trying to be offensive. I was pointing out religion has a lot of violent images, which it does. You'd be foolish to say it didn't. My point is that things that provoke can also be a source of good. Is that offensive? You have to remember that some of us are not religious and don't want to be.
     
  15. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 19, 2007
    Messages:
    36,161
    Likes Received:
    2,827
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Dial back the aggression or I will close this thread. This is the only warning I will issue.
     
  16. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2010
    Messages:
    13,984
    Likes Received:
    8,557
    Location:
    California, US
    Sorry, I was just playing Counter Strike before this started :D
     
  17. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    Sorrys have been said. Things are cool now.
     
  18. NikkiNoodle

    NikkiNoodle Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    8
    Here is the thing. No one is suggesting that a video game will take a normal, sane, rational and well rounded individual and turn them into a violent criminal. Most people are not killers. But take a person who already has a short circuit somewhere. They tend to be aggressive. They desire to hurt someone or something but have no reasonable outlet. A video game (and a very realistic one, at that) that will allow someone to commit murder, grand theft auto, ect... with no consequences is a pretty good substitute.
    They get to effectively put themselves in the desired roll. It becomes easier and easier to picture doing the act themselves. Soon the video game is not enough.

    I'm not saying this is absolutely what happens, I've never known a person to whom something like this happened. It doesn't stretch the imagination, though. And prolonged exposure to violent images does dull our emotional response to violence. That would not make ME go and take my anger out on some innocent person...but what about someone who is already unstable?
     
  19. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    I tend to think someone who is unstable could kill with or without games.
     
  20. NikkiNoodle

    NikkiNoodle Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    8
    Also, just a quick side note;

    Blaming religion for violence, IMO, fails to look at the human beings behind the actions.

    Say I give you a gun and tell you, "Now you have a means to provide food for yourself and protect your family from wild animals."
    You use the gun and say, "Hey this works pretty good. That bear didn't kill my daughter and we will have food for at least a month!"
    Soon, you see that the gun is also a valuable tool in other ways. You find that it's great for hitting your son with when he gives you lip, and made getting your neighbors cool new lawnmower for yourself an easy task.
    You did not use the gun the way it was intended. Is that the guns fault, or yours?

    If you read the creeds of most religions, you find that those actions (selfishness, pride, cowardliness, cruelty, ect...) are, in he very least, frowned upon and discouraged. In the wrong hands religion can be and has been used as a weapon. Does that mean the fault is with the religion?
     
  21. NikkiNoodle

    NikkiNoodle Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    8
    It's an uncertainty either way, isn't it? They could just stomp around and give angry looks and throw crazy tantrums in their basement, or it could be the straw that broke the camels back...then again, maybe not. But I don't think it can necessarily be written off off-handedly either.
     
  22. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    I just want to point out again that I didn't blame religion, or call it violent. I said religion has violent images. Which it does.

    I didn't mean to offend anyone and I was not blaming anything.

    Very true. It's uncertain. There is no point to blame anything, least of all culture.
     
  23. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2010
    Messages:
    13,984
    Likes Received:
    8,557
    Location:
    California, US
    True. As does blaming video games. Or blaming anything else apart from the human being at issue :)
     
  24. NikkiNoodle

    NikkiNoodle Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    8
    Not offended! Just trying to point out something. There is a corollary there. The violent images in religion (at least in the Bible) are meant as lessons, the acts of bad people, shown as something bad and to be avoided, or as the result of a bad action. In violent video games, violence is the payoff.
     
    1 person likes this.
  25. NikkiNoodle

    NikkiNoodle Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    8
    Right. Could video games have played a part in the adding to the sick persons psyche? Sure. Is the sick person still responsible for their actions. Absolutely.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice