- GameJunkieJim
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- Exalted Mythic Member
A general lack of mental well being is often all it takes -- I am a videogame fanatic so read the next few lines carefully...
Videogames can indeed trigger violence. Videogames cannot, however, directly cause violent actions - at best they can offer circumstance.
Oftentimes when a violent act occurs in people in the age range of 12-21, the ensuing media frenzy looks for any media they can to attribute it to... Nevermind that since I started watching the news regularly, I see more violence on that than on COPS...
Nevertheless the News Media looks for anything to blame that will protect their own interests and boost their ratings... Nevermind that these are the same media that go to E3 and ask where the "Pac-Man" booth is...
It's childish and amoral to speed blame for an act of violence to anything without understanding it completely. You usually get to the point where someone mentions a game somewhat linked to the investigation and News media jumps all over the connection, what about the mental condition of the offender? That takes a back seat to the ratings.
In my opionion it's utter jealosy -- News used to be the #1 media in the world, now they are taking a back seat to the internet (as it becomes cheaper and easier to obtain service to the Web) and the new #1 media in the world Videogames...
It's an unfair stigma that the gaming companies must bear unless or until the news media can regain their crown...
The state of things sickens me -- I have a lot of games -- No record to be sure - but likely more than 99% of you on this forum -- I've been playing videogames since I was 3. I played everything from Bad Dudes, Operation Wolf, and C.A.B.A.L., to Mortal Kombat, Quake and Doom 3. I have more than 1700 games in my personal collection...
If videogames caused violence - there would be a path of mayhem across the Eastern Seaboard.
And my mugshot in every Post Office from here to Hong Kong... (They'd never catch me -- I played Harvest Moon so I know how to live off the land.)
-JIM