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View Full Version : Violence in video games.



coolboy
Apr 27, 2001, 02:52 PM
Check out this story on IGN. It's about the Columbine shooting victims suing video game makers.
I sent this response in to their letters section, and I thought I would start up a discussion on it here. What do you people think. Do you agree with me?
http://cube.ign.com/news/33771.html

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The problem isn't the games (or movies, tv, etc.) It's the parents' fault! I grew up playing video games all my life and did I ever take a gun into school and start shooting people left and right? No! My parents raised me to have half a brain and realize that games are fake and killing people for real is wrong. They also didn't buy me any violent games, or let me watch violent movies, when I was younger and still learning right from wrong. Then, when I got older and could buy my own games, I already knew not to go shooting people "because I did it in DOOM."

Parents nowadays are far too lazy, and uninvolved in their kids' lives. A lot of them just don't care and let their kids run around like idiots and do whatever they want. Then they go push the blame around away from themselves and onto the big corporations. Why? For two reasons: First, then the parents don't have to take any responsibilty, and second, those big corporations have very large pockets to scoop the $$$ out. Yep, it's lazy and greedy... the way so many parents are going these days.

Maybe a good way to change that is go after the parents of the kids that do the crimes. Sure they won't get you your millions so you can retire (and be even more lazy) but it's not about the money. It's about stopping the killing from happening in the first place. "I'm filing this suit so people are more aware of these horrible games and how they brainwash our kids! We must stop the game makers! Oh yeah, and gimme $5 billion too because I'm a greedy bastard!!"

"But they did it because they played DOOM." Why did you let them play DOOM?!? "I didn't know they were playing it." Why didn't you know they were playing it?!? or "They hung out with the bad crowd." Why did you let them hang out with the bad crowd?!? Parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing and where they are, who they are with, etc. ALL the time! I remember growing up and hating the fact that my parents were so "nosy" and wanted me to call them when I was going to be late, and to tell them where I'm going. But they kept at it and never gave up on me until I did call them and tell them where I was and what I was doing. The kids may hate it but they will thank you later.

If the parents are not mature enough or too lazy to raise their kids the right way, then they are not ready to be having sex! but that's another topic... heh

Also, where do these kids get the guns? If the parents have guns, that's fine. But lock them up in a safe or gun cabinet or something! Throwing them under your bed, or up on a high shelf saying "they'll never find it there" is not good enough. Kids get their hands on EVERYTHING that isn't tied down or locked in a box. I know, because I used to do the same thing. I'd search around my parent's room looking for my christmas presents during the couple weeks before Christmas. I would get up to the top shelf in the closet. I would look under the bed, etc. Believe me. Any hiding place that an adult can find, the kids already knew about it long ago.

Another place to put some blame is on the stores where these games are sold. They are all VERY clearly marked with their M rating, but I constantly see stores selling them to kids that can't possibly be older than 12 or 13. Same thing at the movies. I go to the movies and see 15 year olds get into R rated movies. It isn't like these kids look older than they really are, It's that the stores/theaters don't care.

phew... I'm done...

Omega_Zero
Apr 29, 2001, 11:38 AM
I totally agree. The whole problem with trying to cesor games. it should be up to the parents to decide if there child can play these games.