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MSNBC: If your kid plays HALO make sure he doesnt have a problem

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C

Charles Foster Kane

Rosebud
I know it's an unpopular opinion in a game's forum, but I do believe video games can make kids violent and desensitized. Of course it doesn't apply to all the cases, but I'm sure it happens a lot. Specially to those who practically live in them. I'm not saying that means they're making killers though.
 
Fox Mulder

Fox Mulder

Member
It's stupid to blame a mass shooting on video games again, but it's a lazy target. Many millions of people play games now, and it makes the news media look like a joke.

But kids shouldn't be playing M rated violent games like Halo, CoD, or GTA regardless. Violent games now are far more realistic than stuff that politicians went crazy for in the past. Black Ops 2 has people burning alive right at the start, and parents let their kids play it.
 
R

R2D4

Banned
To be far fighting that stupid ass flood in the first two did make me want to go on a shooting spree. A Halo developer shooting spree.
 
A

Acheron

Banned
I'd buy it if it was a normal kid, not always freaks, who shot up a school.

Though the "culture of violence" may impact violent crime overall.
 
P

Psychotext

Member
WJD said:
If my kid was sat in my basement (I don't have a kid or a basement) playing Halo over something like COD I'd be proud of his superior taste, not worried.
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Hollywood Duo said:
Yeah, I agree. He must be anti-social because he's not playing Call of Duty like all the other cool kids.
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300x-1

708x-1
 
T

The_Inquisitor

Member
Same shit different generation. As many people will/have pointed out, video games were "rock and roll" last generation causing the kids to do bad shit. Honestly it's misinformation like this that hurts more than it helps.
 
B

bomma_man

Member
Volimar said:
He's saying that Cortana's scantily clad appearance is easy to masturbate to. If one masturbates a lot, they may run out of tissues, if tissues are what they use to clean up after they masturbate.
Click to expand...

Well yes. But I've heard 4 makes some attempt at an emotional plot so it could be a piss take of that too.

Also don't waste tissues, use your jocks.
 
K

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
Charles Foster Kane said:
I know it's an unpopular opinion in a game's forum, but I do believe video games can make kids violent and desensitized. Of course it doesn't apply to all the cases, but I'm sure it happens a lot. Specially to those who practically live in them.
Click to expand...

But -what- are you basing this on? Your gut? If it comes out that it was true, great - we have something we can do to help prevent more violence. But there really isn't anything other than some mild correlation between frequent violent video game playing and slightly heightened aggression.

The issue that drives me crazy isn't that they are necessarily picking on Video games, it's that they are being stupid, and working off some gut feeling. At that point it's all nonsense, rock and roll and atheism work the same as video games apparently.

Violence in GENERAL is down since the introduction of the PS2 - Youth violence especially is down, gun violence is down. Where's this menace that everyone points to?
 
J

jtb

Banned
Violent video games are available in Europe and Japan. Mass shootings don't occur nearly as frequently in Europe and Japan as they do in the US.

But videogames are an easy political scapegoat, no denying it.
 
T

Tomat

Wanna hear a good joke? Waste your time helping me! LOL!
This is nothing new for video games. It'll pass like it always does.
 
D

Deified Data

Banned
Can we not attribute the ramblings of one lowly pundit with the stance of an entire news organization?

MSNBC is still largely tripe, though, like any cable news channel. Carry on, I guess.
 
V

V_Arnold

Member
Charles Foster Kane said:
I know it's an unpopular opinion in a game's forum, but I do believe video games can make kids violent and desensitized. Of course it doesn't apply to all the cases, but I'm sure it happens a lot. Specially to those who practically live in them. I'm not saying that means they're making killers though.
Click to expand...

I feel like this again is a generalization that is not helpful. Let us put it that way instead: IF the kid has problems and has no way of resolving the problems, of course it will be reflected in the gaming habits as well. But it will not be the cause if ot, imho.

One more thing: I personally handle all video games as a pure result of Will. It is a playground for the mind, wholly and utterly. Bullies and stronger students, outside activities and sports might dominate this so-called real life, but for those that did not find that so compelling, there was little interactivity before video games (books, but that is a different - not better, not worse - experience). Now this new field of experience was born, and millions of kids want it in their lifes. But that does not mean that they cant encounter the same problems, for example on Xbox Live. If your escape plan turns into a verbal abuse by angry 13 year olds over a Black Ops 2 match, then the situation will be just as fucked up as it was if you were on a playground, getting bullied by others.

The key is still communication with the parent. No substitutes for that.
 
B

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
Everyone knows that playing Mass Effect 3 for 3 hours in the basement is more dangerous than playing Halo.

Especially if those 3 hours happen to be the last 3 hours of the game.
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
Kinitari said:
But -what- are you basing this on? Your gut? If it comes out that it was true, great - we have something we can do to help prevent more violence. But there really isn't anything other than some mild correlation between frequent violent video game playing and slightly heightened aggression.

The issue that drives me crazy isn't that they are necessarily picking on Video games, it's that they are being stupid, and working off some gut feeling. At that point it's all nonsense, rock and roll and atheism work the same as video games apparently.

Violence in GENERAL is down since the introduction of the PS2 - Youth violence especially is down, gun violence is down. Where's this menace that everyone points to?
Click to expand...

I think video game violence can have an affect on kids and people that are already messed up to begin with, but I highly doubt video games turn people into sociopaths. The amount of people affected in this way is so small that it is dumb to blame video games (or movies or music for that matter) rather we should become more serious about recognizing and treating mental illness. This kid's parents probably should have recognized or seen some signs that their son wasn't right and not let him play CoD or Halo and not let him have access to guns or go to a firing range.
 
C

Charles Foster Kane

Rosebud
Kinitari said:
But -what- are you basing this on? Your gut? If it comes out that it was true, great - we have something we can do to help prevent more violence. But there really isn't anything other than some mild correlation between frequent violent video game playing and slightly heightened aggression.

The issue that drives me crazy isn't that they are necessarily picking on Video games, it's that they are being stupid, and working off some gut feeling. At that point it's all nonsense, rock and roll and atheism work the same as video games apparently.

Violence in GENERAL is down since the introduction of the PS2 - Youth violence especially is down, gun violence is down. Where's this menace that everyone points to?
Click to expand...

Of course I'm not basing it on anything, it's just how I feel. Maybe it doesn't make them violent, but I do feel it might desensitize them. I'm not necessarily saying playing videos games makes someone violent, but it must happen to some. There are lots of other elements that influence that, but I could see them as being a part of some cases. It depends on the person though, and how susceptible they are.

If it's a kid likely to be influenced it might affect them.

I'm not saying I agree with the article, or that many of these reports are baloney.
 
D

Deified Data

Banned
While I agree with Todd that you should probably be aware of the mental state of your kid in every scenario, attributing it to video games is missing the point by miles. Doesn't matter. Video games have suffered worse scrutiny in the past and come away unscathed.
 
Fox Mulder

Fox Mulder

Member
Deified Data said:
Can we not attribute the ramblings of one lowly pundit with the stance of an entire news organization?

MSNBC is still largely tripe, though, like any cable news channel. Carry on, I guess.
Click to expand...

Chuck Todd isn't a lowly pundit at msnbc. He's the political director for all of NBC news, and a chief White House correspondent.
 
D

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
I like how they always pick some random game that's supposedly the culprit. This time it's Halo I guess. These people don't know what the fuck they're talking about.
 
I

i-Lo

Member
Charles Foster Kane said:
Of course I'm not basing it on anything, it's just how I feel. Maybe it doesn't make them violent, but I do feel it might desensitize them. I'm not necessarily saying playing videos games makes someone violent, but it must happen to some. There are lots of other elements that influence that, but I could see them as being a part of some cases. It depends on the person though, and how susceptible they are.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I have been playing violent video games for a quite a while now. But for some reason, I still feel uncomfortable seeing actual dead bodies mutilated or otherwise on the news.

Fuel doesn't ignite fire, just sustains it. No matter what the medium, innate violence lack of inhibitions don't originate from them.
 
L

LordCanti

Member
Hitokage said:
Plays Halo -> Mass murderer
Watches MLP -> Child molester

Shoe is on the other foot.
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Substitute MLP for anime of any sort, and most of us would come out looking like weirdo's on national TV.

Deified Data said:
He's not the policy mouthpiece for the entire network.
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Millions of people watch him every night.

What's her face convinced my mother not to let me play Mortal Kombat back in the nineties (some politicans wife). I'd say that Chuck Todd has at least that much power, which is enough to make some parents look at little Timmy and wonder if those vidya games aren't rotting his brain.
 
C

Charles Foster Kane

Rosebud
i-Lo said:
Hmm... I have been playing violent video games for a quite a while now. But for some reason, I still feel uncomfortable seeing actual dead bodies mutilated or otherwise on the news.

Fuel doesn't ignite fire, just sustains it. No matter what the medium, innate violence lack of inhibitions don't originate from them.
Click to expand...

That's why I said it depends on how susceptible the individual is. I'm not saying it's going to turn kids into murderers.

It could be a part (not the whole) in some cases.
 
D

Dash27

Member
Right now as I type this CNN has a banner "Video game concerns after Newtown" and the backdrop is.... Starcraft 2. Terrans were taking down a Nexus.

They're saying friends claim Lanza played Starcraft.

bkfount said:
Chuck Todd isn't a lowly pundit at msnbc. He's the political director for all of NBC news, and a chief White House correspondent.
Click to expand...

And the thing is, there is tremendous pressure to do something. So, assault weapons ban, limit magazine size, general gun control laws... fine. More money at mental health programs, sure. Make video game ratings stricter so companies wont make them because it kills their profits to have an M rated game? Hey may as well...
 
D

Derrick01

Banned
They're right. Parents should be making sure they're kids are out vandalizing shit, getting into fights and getting drunk and getting some girl pregnant like normal people do!
 
A

Agnostic

but believes in Chael
Derrick01 said:
They're right. Parents should be making sure they're kids are out vandalizing shit, getting into fights and getting drunk and getting some girl pregnant like normal people do!
Click to expand...
My high school experience except for getting a girl pregnant. Good times.
 
D

Deified Data

Banned
LordCanti said:
Millions of people watch him every night.

What's her face convinced my mother not to let me play Mortal Kombat back in the nineties (some politicans wife). I'd say that Chuck Todd has at least that much power, which is enough to make some parents look at little Timmy and wonder if those vidya games aren't rotting his brain.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying he should be let off the hook for irresponsibly placing the blame where it doesn't remotely belong - he should be raked over the coals as much as possible. I'm just saying that the title should reflect that it's just this guy saying this, and not the entire network.
 
B

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
Charles Foster Kane said:
Screw scientific evidence, it's what I think. There isn't scientific evidence to prove the opposite either, or do you have it?

I said they "can", not do.
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They can only make kids violent and desensitized if the parents did not do a good job raising them. Parents who did a good job should never have to worry about their kids playing violent video games. And by kids, i mean older than 12. Anyway, if they're good parents, they wouldn't let their 6 years old boy play Call of Duty.
 
C

Charles Foster Kane

Rosebud
Bisnic said:
They can only make kids violent and desensitized if the parents did not do a good job raising them. Parents who did a good job should never have to worry about their kids playing violent video games. And by kids, i mean older than 12. Anyway, if they're good parents, they wouldn't let their 6 years old boy play Call of Duty.
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I don't mean in general. Of course video games wouldn't be the only culprit. There's lots of things involved and the parents are probably the main thing.
 
H

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
I wish old people who don't play video games would stop talking about video games.
 
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