Deadly Games

[Laozi]

My mother E-mailed me this week telling me about an article in this months Readers Digest. I picked up a copy today and it tells of Devin Moore an 18yr. old who shot three officers to death and led police on a brief manhunt. Upon being apprehended Moore first asked officers to "Please shoot me. Please shoot me." And later in the jailhouse spouted these wods of wisdom, "Life is like a video game. You have to die sometime."

 

Moore had never been in any real trouble before this, perhaps some minor "offences" and played Grand Thief Auto, so of course the video game industry is to blame for his actions. Jack Thompson, a Miami attorney and antiviolent videogame advocate sightes this case in a $600 million civilsuit (consisting of himself, and the relatives of the victims of Moore) against the entire chain that makes, distributes or sells GTA. That incompasses Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Rockstar Games; the Sony Corp. of America, and retailers Wal-Mart and Gamestop.

 

To prove his case Thompson intends to present neurobiological research that shows how children's maturing brains are organically conditioned to respond in certain ways to specific types of stimuli. Over time, studies suggest that learned responses become hard-wired into the brain. Video games can be particuliarly effective tools for that wiring because they are interactive.

 

Moore came from a broken home; his parents, who never married, went through a nasty split when he was very young. The prosecution's own experts has diagnosed Moore with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a turbulent childhood.

 

You can send a message to the editors of Readers digest about this at:

http://www.rd.com/talktous.do?lid=17

 

Or post on their forums at:

http://communitytalk.rd.com/WebX?50@@.ee6b765

[Calax]

wow, I played GTA during my formulative years and nothings gone Majorly wrong with me, I just need therapy, medication, and a nice computer...

[BattleCookiee]

Well, here we go again:

 

My mother E-mailed me this week telling me about an article in this months Readers Digest. I picked up a copy today and it tells of Devin Moore an 18yr. old who shot three officers to death and led police on a brief manhunt. Upon being apprehended Moore first asked officers to "Please shoot me. Please shoot me." And later in the jailhouse spouted these wods of wisdom, "Life is like a video game. You have to die sometime."

Diagnosis: Total Lunatic... Unlike the other 99.9% of Game players....

Moore had never been in any real trouble before this, perhaps some minor "offences" and played Grand Thief Auto

So he is a criminal, unless with Grand Thief Auto you mean the game GTA and not jacking cars in real-life (typo or intention?)

so of course the video game industry is to blame for his actions

Obviously. Blame the video Game Creators... There wasn't insanity before the Video Games came <_<

Jack Thompson

Known anti-Rockstar dude, that they even let him in a case against R* with his pre-base negative comments. Prob. never played GTA himself...

a Miami attorney and antiviolent videogame advocate

A.K.A. Useless guy

sightes this case in a $600 million civilsuit (consisting of himself, and the relatives of the victims of Moore) against the entire chain that makes, distributes or sells GTA.

Why not let the parents of the Lunatic pay instead of R*, didn't they cause this???

That incompasses Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Rockstar Games; the Sony Corp. of America, and retailers Wal-Mart and Gamestop

2 Retailers for Video Games??? Who is the Lunatic here. The 18 year or Thompson?

 

To prove his case Thompson intends to present neurobiological research that shows how children's maturing brains are organically conditioned to respond in certain ways to specific types of stimuli

And since Mr. Luni is 18 the process should be ended. If he played GTA before 18 the parents are to blame for creating a Low-Intelligence Luni..., as they should never allow their kid to play it if it was seriously crazy

Over time, studies suggest that learned responses become hard-wired into the brain.

18

Video games can be particuliarly effective tools for that wiring because they are interactive.

Yep, but to infants (less than 18) or people with low intelligence...

 

Moore came from a broken home

Fact 1 that proves R* innocent

his parents, who never married, went through a nasty split when he was very young.

Fact 2 to prove R* is innocent and the guy went mad young without parental guidance

The prosecution's own experts has diagnosed Moore with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a turbulent childhood

Final Point: R* is innocent, the kid was made like this in his childhood...

[Kaftan Barlast]

OMFGZ0rZ!!!!!0101 Ill never play another videogame again!

 

 

 

and water is dangerous too, people drown in it all the time! we must ban water and videogames NOW!!!

[Laozi]

Hey Battlewookie, you should probaly refrain from sending any of the editors

 

 

 

 

please

[Darth Flatus]

Don't play videogames in water though

[BattleCookiee]

Hey Battlewookie, you should probaly refrain from sending any of the editors

 

please

 

Wasn't planning on doing so...

I don't want to make them feel dumber than they already are...

 

P.S. Sorry for the often use of Retard, Lunatic and such, it is just that this Thompson dude still haven't learned, and some still believe games cause Mass-Murderers that gets me irritated...

[Laozi]

I can understand that

 

 

 

What really bothers me about the article is that it doesn't even mention the rational conclusion that people who would be seeking to committ these sort of acts would seek these types of games. It estimates that roughly 70% of teenage males play these games, but makes no mention of what percentage of them commit acts like these vs. what percentage of the general populous commits similiar acts

[jodo kast 5]

um, whats the point of this topic?

[alanschu]

I agree. If 0.1% of the people that play violent video games committ violent crimes.

 

Rockstar sold over three million copies of GTA3. If GTA3 created violent people, why haven't there been at least ten thousand or so maniacal killers created?

 

 

Henry Jenkins wrote an interesting article, and he bases his conclusions on scientific analysis and not dramatic, colourful emotional responses of anecdotal evidence.

 

You can take a peek at his article, Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked, which at points refers to violence in video games.

 

In particular, I like the observation that over 90% of young boys play violent video games. Basically what this means is that if a young boy commits a violent act, there's a good chance that he's played a violent video game, so these activists will have no shortage of ammunition in their crusade.

[Laozi]

um, whats the point of this topic?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

You're too young to get it

[alanschu]

Well, we aren't all 99 years old :D

[jodo kast 5]

um, whats the point of this topic?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

You're too young to get it

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah i understand now, i thought you posting an email from your mother was weird and i didn't get it, but now i understand.

 

and i agree the people who play video games like GTA are more likely to commit crimes such as: murder, theft, robbery, and other crimes whether they be serious or not, but why they do this stuff is probably because after playing it so much they can't depict reality from virtual reality anymore, and also probably because they are inspired by these violent games.

[Baley]

snip

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

That's just BS.

 

I've played a lot of RPGs.

 

You don't see me go Larper do you ?

[alanschu]

and i agree the people who play vidoe game like GTA are more likely to commit crimes

 

Why?

 

why they do this stuff is probably because after playing it so much they can't depict reality from virtual reality anymore, and also probably because they are inspired by these violent games.

 

If while playing the game they are no longer able to depict reality from fantasy anymore, than there is something else at work than merely playing the violent video games. Unless you are proposing that playing these games is actually the cause of the inability to depict reality from fantasy. However, the millions of people that do play violent video games and aren't sociopaths don't lend much support to your argument.

[jodo kast 5]

and i agree the people who play vidoe game like GTA are more likely to commit crimes

 

why they do this stuff is probably because after playing it so much they can't depict reality from virtual reality anymore, and also probably because they are inspired by these violent games.

 

If while playing the game they are no longer able to depict reality from fantasy anymore, than there is something else at work than merely playing the violent video games. Unless you are proposing that playing these games is actually the cause of the inability to depict reality from fantasy. However, the millions of people that do play violent video games and aren't sociopaths don't lend much support to your argument.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I mean't some not all people who play these games, and we don't know who these people are(none of us do), i mean look at GTA:SA, they're already argueing that it is too violent but now some people already said that it has sexual content.

[alanschu]

Edit your UBB tags (turns out I'm dumb) There's supposed to be a "Why?" after the first quote, and then change that endquote to a start quote tag.

 

However, making a claim that it affects some and not all in the same way is the very reason why you cannot really make that claim IMO. If it only seems to affect some and not all, then violent gaming is not the cause of the violent actions.

 

Since it only happens it some, there is clearly some sort of confounding variable that we do not yet know (or actually do, like abused childhoods, poor socioeconomic upbrings, and whatnot) that would actually be the cause.

[jodo kast 5]

Since it only happens it some, there is clearly some sort of confounding variable that we do not yet know (or actually do, like abused childhoods, poor socioeconomic upbrings, and whatnot) that would actually be the cause.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I totally agree with you.

[alanschu]

Unfortunately, people are content with what they *think* and "common sense" (an overvalued attribute) and make bizarro relationships between violent video games and violent people.

 

Also unfortunately, the raving masses drown out the intelligent scientists.

[jodo kast 5]

Unfortunately, people are content with what they *think* and "common sense" (an overvalued attribute) and make bizarro relationships between violent video games and violent people.

 

Also unfortunately, the raving masses drown out the intelligent scientists.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also definately agree with you there!

[Damnhippies50]

I think this stuff about violence in video games causing psycotic kids is BS. For one thing, the kid that was mentioned obviously has phsycological issues if he cannot tell the difference between a video game and reality. Also, the case about violent video games effecting kids as they grow up (I assume between like 12-17) shouldnt be playing GTA because it is rated M FOR FREAKING MATURE, PARENTS NEED TO NOT LET THEIR KIDS PLAY THIS STUFF IF ITS SO DAMAGING. Got it parents stop blaming the gaming industry and instead get your kids some psycho kids some counseling because they obviously need it if they can't differentiate between fantasy and reality. Get it, got it, good.

[Gabrielle]

Video games do not cause a person to do stupid sh!t. They were already f*cked to begin with.

 

Now excuse me while I plan my trip to England. I have to sharpen my sword, oil my armor because I have a fight ahead of me searching for the red dragon's hoard.

[jodo kast 5]

Video games do not cause a person to do stupid sh!t. They were already f*cked to begin with.

 

Now excuse me while I plan my trip to England. I have to sharpen my sword, oil my armor because I have a fight ahead of me searching for the red dragon's hoard.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[EnderAndrew]

If video games warp us and sap away our free will, forcing us to mimic the actions of video game characters, then 30 years ago everyone would be eating pellets and chasing ghosts.

[metadigital]

I can understand that

 

What really bothers me about the article is that it doesn't even mention the rational conclusion that people who would be seeking to committ these sort of acts would seek these types of games. It estimates that roughly 70% of teenage males play these games, but makes no mention of what percentage of them commit acts like these vs. what percentage of the general populous commits similiar acts

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're forgetting who publishes Readers Digest, and who their target demographic is.

 

1. Publisher is a Right Wing Conservative Christian organisation: they believe in:

• Right To Life, i.e. Pro-Life, Anti-Abortion
  E.g. I read an article once about a baby girl born without a brain (like Jodo, only it was due to water on the brain, as the water was drained, the brain grew and adapted: she ended up having about 60% of normal brain functioning with about 20% of the normal mass of an average brain by the time she was old enough to go to school).
  
• Death Penalty for criminals. Zero tolerance.
  They see no contradiction between these two tenets.
  

2. Target demographic is old and conservative. My mother reads it (she's over 70). Don't write anything that will scare the horses.

 

This idiot attention-whore (not Jodo, Thompson) is trying his best to become the most reknown lawyer for this class-action-in-Posse, so that he gets to cream off the lucre if it hits paydirt.

 

Sensationalism sells media. It doesn't win over high court judges, and the way this is shaping up (with born-again conservative presidential candidate 2008 Hilary Clinton already on record saying that violent video affects violence in society) it will go all the way to the Supreme Court before it is defeated.