Linking games to Arizona

[GriffinSentinel]

I thought they would be at this sooner. Here's what they're up to so far.

From GamePolitics:
First article blaming video games.

Opinion: Violent Media Culpable in Arizona Tragedy

In Niall O'Dowd's latest Periscope column he takes a crack at pinning Jared Loughner's senseless act of violence on the influence of violent films and video games. Of course, there is no evidence connecting Loughner to either, but why let the facts get in the way of commentary, right?

O'Dowd opens his column by saying that "other factors" are lost in the discussion of whether or not political rhetoric influenced or inspired the Tucson killer. What influences does he speak of? The culture of violent media that the youth of America are so immersed in, of course. The first target is movies:

Lost in all the hate mongering over the Gabbie Gifford shooting and killings are other factors that likely caused the crazed killer to go off.

I'm not talking about the political stands offs but rather what the youth of America are surrounding themselves with every day.

That is violent images.

When was the last time you saw a Hollywood movie without significant violence?

Just look at the box office at the moment, 'True Grit', 'Season of the Witch' 'The Fighter', 'Tron Legacy , all at or near the top are violence pocked movies which make a virtue out of killing and maiming.

Next, he blames video games:

Then don't even mention the video games kids play. The law of the games is to kill or be killed and if you haven't accumulated a hundred or so bodies by the end of the game, then you have been a waste of space.

Maybe it is as the ancient Romans believed that man is made to fight, first and foremost, over women, power, land whatever, hardwired for ever to seek combat and triumph

Maybe what we witnessed on Saturday last with the shooting was the natural outreach of that.

One thing for sure, we will find that the killer was desensitized to violence by movies and video games that proclaim it is cool and worth watching.

He goes on to compare the video game to the NRA:

Likewise, those major corporations who manufacture the video games and pretend, like the NRA they have nothing to do with the spread of violence in this country. They too need to look in the mirror if they dare to .

I won't hold my breath, but every time I think of that little nine year old girl killed in Arizona I ask myself if these games are just harmless fun as the movie makers and manufacturers would have us believe.

I think not. Like the NRA the makers know in their hearts that they too had a role in background to the deaths last weekend.

His point, facts be damned, is that violent media is the cause of Loughner's shooting rampage and that blame lies at the feet of Hollywood and the video game industry.


Second article stating other factors are involved.

Researchers Agree: Too Soon to Judge Influences on Arizona Killer

An article in Scientific American featuring comments from psychologist Craig Anderson (director of the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State University) and psychologist Christopher Ferguson (Texas A&M International University) comes to the conclusion that many in the media are drawing conclusions with little evidence when it comes to Arizona killer Jared Loughner.

While the media tries to say that Loughner was influenced by heavy metal music, angry political speech, and video games, both Anderson and Ferguson agree that more details on the individual are required to come to any kind of conclusion.

Here's what Anderson says about it:

"The problem in any specific case is that you can't really know for sure whether an incident would have happened had not there been, say, a lot of media violence exposure," says psychologist Craig Anderson, director of the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State University. "In this particular case, we can't really know whether such shootings would have taken place had there not been this recent history of fairly nasty political exchanges in the press."

Ferguson zeros in on video games:

"There is still some debate about whether it is a risk factor, and I would argue that it's not," Ferguson says of video games, noting that violent crimes among juveniles have been on the decline even as games have increased in both prevalence and graphicness.

Similarly, studies by Ferguson and by other researchers, such as economist Todd Kendall, have found a decrease in rates of rape that coincides with increased availability of pornography. "Once again you see this sort of inverse relationship across not just in the U.S. but in other countries as well between pornography consumption and the actual rates of sexual violence," Ferguson says. That does not mean that video games prevent violence, or that pornography curbs sexual crime, but it does highlight the difficulty in establishing a casual relationship between any one medium and a group's behavior, let alone the actions of an individual.

Ferguson goes on to say that many are being irresponsible:

"It's irresponsible in my opinion to start blaming anything until we know more about this individual," Ferguson says. "I think we're really rushing to judgment, and that's not to say that I like this kind of political speech. I find it atrocious, like everybody else."

Anderson agrees:

"I think it would be fair to say that when political discourse gets more and more strident, and when there are images portrayed on the Web where you have a scope sight as part of your attack on your political opponent, that isn't helpful. I think that's safe to say. But whether or not it plays any major causal role in any given case, it's just impossible to say."

[CrzyChinook]

I thought they would be at this sooner. Here's what they're up to so far.

From GamePolitics:
First article blaming video games.

Opinion: Violent Media Culpable in Arizona Tragedy

In Niall O'Dowd's latest Periscope column he takes a crack at pinning Jared Loughner's senseless act of violence on the influence of violent films and video games. Of course, there is no evidence connecting Loughner to either, but why let the facts get in the way of commentary, right?

O'Dowd opens his column by saying that "other factors" are lost in the discussion of whether or not political rhetoric influenced or inspired the Tucson killer. What influences does he speak of? The culture of violent media that the youth of America are so immersed in, of course. The first target is movies:

Lost in all the hate mongering over the Gabbie Gifford shooting and killings are other factors that likely caused the crazed killer to go off.

I'm not talking about the political stands offs but rather what the youth of America are surrounding themselves with every day.

That is violent images.

When was the last time you saw a Hollywood movie without significant violence?

Just look at the box office at the moment, 'True Grit', 'Season of the Witch' 'The Fighter', 'Tron Legacy , all at or near the top are violence pocked movies which make a virtue out of killing and maiming.

Next, he blames video games:

Then don't even mention the video games kids play. The law of the games is to kill or be killed and if you haven't accumulated a hundred or so bodies by the end of the game, then you have been a waste of space.

Maybe it is as the ancient Romans believed that man is made to fight, first and foremost, over women, power, land whatever, hardwired for ever to seek combat and triumph

Maybe what we witnessed on Saturday last with the shooting was the natural outreach of that.

One thing for sure, we will find that the killer was desensitized to violence by movies and video games that proclaim it is cool and worth watching.

He goes on to compare the video game to the NRA:

Likewise, those major corporations who manufacture the video games and pretend, like the NRA they have nothing to do with the spread of violence in this country. They too need to look in the mirror if they dare to .

I won't hold my breath, but every time I think of that little nine year old girl killed in Arizona I ask myself if these games are just harmless fun as the movie makers and manufacturers would have us believe.

I think not. Like the NRA the makers know in their hearts that they too had a role in background to the deaths last weekend.

His point, facts be damned, is that violent media is the cause of Loughner's shooting rampage and that blame lies at the feet of Hollywood and the video game industry.


Second article stating other factors are involved.

Researchers Agree: Too Soon to Judge Influences on Arizona Killer

An article in Scientific American featuring comments from psychologist Craig Anderson (director of the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State University) and psychologist Christopher Ferguson (Texas A&M International University) comes to the conclusion that many in the media are drawing conclusions with little evidence when it comes to Arizona killer Jared Loughner.

While the media tries to say that Loughner was influenced by heavy metal music, angry political speech, and video games, both Anderson and Ferguson agree that more details on the individual are required to come to any kind of conclusion.

Here's what Anderson says about it:

"The problem in any specific case is that you can't really know for sure whether an incident would have happened had not there been, say, a lot of media violence exposure," says psychologist Craig Anderson, director of the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State University. "In this particular case, we can't really know whether such shootings would have taken place had there not been this recent history of fairly nasty political exchanges in the press."

Ferguson zeros in on video games:

"There is still some debate about whether it is a risk factor, and I would argue that it's not," Ferguson says of video games, noting that violent crimes among juveniles have been on the decline even as games have increased in both prevalence and graphicness.

Similarly, studies by Ferguson and by other researchers, such as economist Todd Kendall, have found a decrease in rates of rape that coincides with increased availability of pornography. "Once again you see this sort of inverse relationship across not just in the U.S. but in other countries as well between pornography consumption and the actual rates of sexual violence," Ferguson says. That does not mean that video games prevent violence, or that pornography curbs sexual crime, but it does highlight the difficulty in establishing a casual relationship between any one medium and a group's behavior, let alone the actions of an individual.

Ferguson goes on to say that many are being irresponsible:

"It's irresponsible in my opinion to start blaming anything until we know more about this individual," Ferguson says. "I think we're really rushing to judgment, and that's not to say that I like this kind of political speech. I find it atrocious, like everybody else."

Anderson agrees:

"I think it would be fair to say that when political discourse gets more and more strident, and when there are images portrayed on the Web where you have a scope sight as part of your attack on your political opponent, that isn't helpful. I think that's safe to say. But whether or not it plays any major causal role in any given case, it's just impossible to say."

OMG!! they used to say the same shit about Dungeons and Dragons....PLEASE......let blame it on the sun because it rise's every morning?? makes about as much sense!!

[Bull3tBait]

What did they blame it on in the days before Media? I mean seriously? We didn't have mass murder or mayhem until the invention of Movies and Video Games? Give me a break.

I don't get why they have to defend these wackos with a "oh they did it because of ....." Put the blame where it's due and drop it.

[toby2533]

Fox had a thing on about the music that he listened too it bodies by dead pool, damn we scream that at the vfw all the time.

[CrzyChinook]

Here a great post from my Father in law.. a retired baptist pastor

To everyone who is calling for stricter gun laws in light of the tragedy in Tucson, may I offer this little tidbit: If guns kill people, then pencils misspell words, cars drive drunk, and spoons make people fat. Remember: Hold the person accountable for their actions, not the means they chose to utilize!!!

right on pops!!

[GriffinSentinel]

Here a great post from my Father in law.. a retired baptist pastor

To everyone who is calling for stricter gun laws in light of the tragedy in Tucson, may I offer this little tidbit: If guns kill people, then pencils misspell words, cars drive drunk, and spoons make people fat. Remember: Hold the person accountable for their actions, not the means they chose to utilize!!!

right on pops!!

This wins hands down.