Ban for violent games?

[Tom S. Fox]

Here in germany some guy went mad and ran amok in his school. Again.
And exactly like last time they blame computer games and want to ban violent games.
What happened is a real horrible thing, but I think blaming computer games is going the easy way.
I mean, just because one of the guys had some bloody computer games, it doesn't mean it's the cause for their actions.
A high percentage of killers eat bread in the 24 hours before the act.
So, should we ban bread?
Those games are very popular, but not everybody who plays them walks around and shoots at people in real life.
Before the guy went amok he anounced his actions in the internet and stated, that he was unhappy with the money-controlled world and the fact that already in school everything is just about the money and such stuff.
So, how the heck do they come to the conclusion, that it had anything to do with computer games?

[PsychicHeart]

People blame what's easiest to blame.
For example, Thomas, you are ignorant, pathetic and moronic, therefore i shall come to the random but simple conclusion that it was your school.
See?
Cheers,
Fluke.
PS: I don't really think you're ignorant, pathetic or moronic...too much

[Krysis]

Blame the parents.

[vict0r]

Blame Canada.

[Radiant]

Should we blame the matches?
Should we blame the fire?
Or the doctors that allowed him to expire?
Heck no!

Blame Canada.

We must blame them and cause a fuss
Before somebody thinks of blaming us!!!!!

[Gilbert]

Blame Hitler.

[Boney]

But don't blame it on the sunshine!
Don't blame it on the moonlight!
Don't blame it on the good times!
Blame it on the boogie!

[Khris]

Before the guy went amok he anounced his actions in the internet and stated, that he was unhappy with the money-controlled world and the fact that already in school everything is just about the money and such stuff.
So, how the heck do they come to the conclusion, that it had anything to do with computer games?

When they (the politicians without a clue) blame the "killer-games", they don't see them as his motive but as the main factor leading to the guy going from just thinking about shooting innocents to actually doing it. (Which is still wrong, of course.)

And why? You've already answered the question yourself: because it's the easy way. Plus, it's exactly what the ignorant masses want to hear.
Think about BSE or the bird flu. As long as the people are being convinced that the government is going to do something about it, they'll lose interest rapidly, even if the actual danger is far from decreasing.

Blaming gory games is a classic case of mistaking correlation for causality. There are countless other examples, and it's not going to change unless politicians are forced to take an IQ test before partaking in important decisions.

[Radiant]

Apparently these politicians have never heard of catharsis.

[BOYD1981]

didn't the guy leave a suicide note saying that it was basically school that made him do it because it taught him he was a loser and that he hates people?
blame the school bullies and arrogant teachers.
plus as far as i know he didn't actually kill anyone, and no game rewards you for just wounding people.

[m0ds]

Blame whoever you want, and ban some violent games. They're just a modern form of brainwashing for some unfortunate morons. Why are we on this forum? Because adventure games made an impression on us. Luckily they're adventure games.

[Buckethead]

Porn quest said that I can't sleep. And now I can't!! It brainwashed me!! Ban it!!

[Afflict]

Blame the moron that gave him the gun.

[MillsJROSS]

It's far easier to blame computer games then the school and the education system. For one, most people are willing to believe that violent video games cause aggression, so it's an easy way for politicians to say, "It wasn't our fault, blame the entertainment industry." It's always funny that they go right for video games, but violence in movies and television isn't nearly attacked as much. The truth of the matter is that there were people who killed people long before video games. I'm not arguing that video games don't cause aggression, I don't have enough information to back up the claim that video games have nothing to do with it. Perhaps video games affect people who are already mentally unstable to do things that they wouldn't have done otherwise...I don't think so, but it is a possibility. People should have to take some sort of psychoanalysis before being allowed to play any games...including tetris.

There's obviously a problem somewhere...and I don't see how banning video games will solve it. The population is growing, and the ability for people to get weapons that cause far greater damage in the past has grown. I wouldn't care so much if they banned violence in video games, as long as they banned it in other forms of entertainment too. Not that I think that would solve anything, but at least it would apply to all forms of violent entertainment rather than just picking on one medium.

-MillsJROSS

[BOYD1981]

a ban on videogames wouldn't stop people from playing them anyway, it would just prevent them from being published, then the goverment just invents another illegal trade.
plus they can't go around to everyone's home and ask them to hand over all their videogames and remove all games from their computers.

[ManicMatt]

Heh, if we were influenced by Adventure games like they think violent games made people kill, then how come we don't go around picking up everything not glued to the floor and stuffing it all in our pcokets and walking around with two huge bulges in our trousers. (And maybe a third bulge depending on if you played a lot of Leisure Suit Larry.)

[MillsJROSS]

Who says we don't.

-MillsJROSS

[m0ds]

Exactly, Mills. After seeing Gone in 60 seconds I was really tempted to steal a car. Because I'm a fairly rational person I realised it would be a very bad idea, but that doesn't mean it wasn't put on my mind. I don't think that was because of my parenting, as my parents are strict and proper, and they've taught me to be like that. It was definitely the influence of that film.

Plus, after watching super size me at college in lesson, half the class wanted a macdonalds after it. Heh! I'm pretty sure instances of being influenced through the media, games etc is relative in all our lives.

[MrColossal]

But your parenting and upbringing or what have you created a fairly rational person that doesn't do everything a movie shows them.

Therefore you can watch violent movies and play violent games with no fear of becoming a murderer.

[lo_res_man]

Heh, if we were influenced by Adventure games like they think violent games made people kill, then how come we don't go around picking up everything not glued to the floor and stuffing it all in our pcokets and walking around with two huge bulges in our trousers. (And maybe a third bulge depending on if you played a lot of Leisure Suit Larry.)

Or RPG's, why don't people go around wearing minuscule amounts of leather and nothing else, while killing dire squirrels and breaking into peoples houses, all the while screaming "quest!" I admit I like many violent video games,  Perfect dark is on my top 10 list games, along with doom and quake. I never had so much as fun as when I “chunked” the monsters in “quad” mode in quake.