Violent video games and movies are conditioning people "Pavlov style" to massacre and murder as

I enjoyed a childhood full of Mario Bros....never have I taken Mushrooms, grabbed a hammer, and jumped in the sewer...

Disturbed people do disturbing things, stop trying to find a reason for unreasonable actions.

ban videogames!!!!

I can't wait for GTA V to come out, but I'm not filling the void by thinking it is okay to go outside and run hookers down with my stolen hummer.

You have a stolen hummer?

been playin vid games for over 30 years and will till I die. and even more so now that I know this is all just a computer simulation we live in and I can better feel for my fellow counterparts I am playing.

This is my personal experience, and I'm not trying to generalize.

I've been playing video games since I was 5. (Pathetic, yes I know)

The thing is, I did have some violent tendencies. I went hunting quite a bit, and I had this weird blood-lust towards killing animals.


[snip-------] I can't even fathom hurting another animal or let alone a human now.

Honestly, I think it depends on the person. And actually, video games might help people (especially if their violent) to focus their violence in the video games rather then take it out on society.

Also, people have been killing each other for thousands of years, video games and movies are not making a huge impact, trust me.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
There is no scientific evidence linking video games to real world violence.

Neither is there any evidence to tie movies to such a thing either. What there is evidence of is that we are slowly creating an atmosphere where violence is regarded as normal and OK.

That is the real problem. But it's not encouraging anybody to go out and commit mass murder. Crazy does that.

~Tenth

Considering our history, I would say we are actually breaking away from violence. The world is a lot more passive now then it was 50 or 100s of years ago. Come on now, we don't have our modern day vietnam, holocaust, witch trials, beheading monarchies and gladiator arenas we did not so very long ago.

Originally posted by grandmakdw
Through classical and operant conditioning violent video games and are training the population to reduce itself through pre-conditioned massacre.

Through "precognitive loading" we have trained youngsters and people to react with massacre on unconscious levels.

Hollywood is making propaganda movies teaching our population that massacre can be justified.

I saw on TV a NCIS LA where the main characters stood over a pile of dead bodies and joked with each other. How sick!

You may say, I play them and nothing has happened, I'm a good guy. Well when I was a kid I was never in a car seat and never wore a seat belt and nothing happened.
Can't we learn from experience?

Are TPTB encouraging violent movies, tv and video games to reduce the surplus population?

Given that biological evolution happens so slowly, its not surprising that we would develop "substitutes" for violence such as video games, etc. I think people would do this regardless of any corporate or government influence all on their own, just out of pure fun.

If it's being done to reduce population then they're doing a horrible job, the number of people killed because of it pales in comparison to people dying from pretty much any other reason you can imagine. Take the recent school shooting for example, 20(?) some people died and this type of thing isn't exactly an everyday occurrence. If they plan to kill a couple of dozen people every year and seriously think that is going to do anything to reduce any population issues then they're just dumb.

If it's being done for some reason by TPTB (doubtful), then its going to be a political reason like oh... say... gun control or even manipulating the education system somehow. This and other recent incidents like it where people carry out such violent acts for what I see as ridiculous reasons also makes me think there is something up, problem is in this world you can't really be sure about anything.

By "Pavlov style" I guess you mean reward training, like how you would train a dog to shake with treats. I don't really think that extends to complex things like "kill a bunch of random people and have fun like in a video game or movie". I'll give you my simple answer to why people do these things, it is:

Because they feel stricken by society, wronged by the world and want to lash out at it in a general random fashion with no concern for order or their future. In a nutshell they just don't give a crap anymore and want to inflict pain around them, like a tumor on civilization. That is all there is to it I think, nothing more about it, there really is no reason except they think they got dealt a crappy hand somehow and felt they deserved to live in a utopia when all they got is this. Maybe there is a social/political message in there somewhere, you tell me thread starter.

I have never played a video game as a child or an adult and wanted to go shoot up some school or cause harm to anyone.

Here in the UK we (as children) get sticks and go play army in the woods, we pretend to shoot each other.

I don't believe that video games are any way responsible for the actions some people take.

Originally posted by benrl
Cop-out.

Video games, movies, music.

All scape goats for our overall social responsibility.

Better Parenting might be a start to address the issues, but than extends to public education, and public health care availability, specifically mental health care.


Everything else that gets drummed up is simply people looking for the easy answer to these horrible tragedies, we have become a society that treats symptoms not causes, always running for the quick fix.

Precisely this and of course rather than taking a hard look inward many would rather have a simple solution and blame games and tv.

Originally posted by grandmakdw
Through classical and operant conditioning violent video games and are training the population to reduce itself through pre-conditioned massacre.

Through "precognitive loading" we have trained youngsters and people to react with massacre on unconscious levels.

Hollywood is making propaganda movies teaching our population that massacre can be justified.

I saw on TV a NCIS LA where the main characters stood over a pile of dead bodies and joked with each other. How sick!

You may say, I play them and nothing has happened, I'm a good guy. Well when I was a kid I was never in a car seat and never wore a seat belt and nothing happened.
Can't we learn from experience?

Are TPTB encouraging violent movies, tv and video games to reduce the surplus population?

I think you forgot to include violent music and violent books... And what about people talking about violent topics?

I am for censoring any form of communication as soon as it might be interpreted as violent!!! How about that one!? ROFL

Now to get a bit more serious. As to your link between violence and media, imho you are confusing cause and effect. Violent media wont make normal persons more violent. It is the violent (or in other ways instable) individuals who are naturally more attracted to violent media.

Btw if you want to see effective conditioning you should join the military forces and undergo military training. I mean if you are already concerned about people being possibly conditioned by games and movies you should keep at least a ten miles distance from any military personnel.

Oh, and what about ambulance, firemen and law enforcement. Given the sh*t this persons see every day, they must be some frigging totally desensitized murdering zombies, if one follows your logic.

I have no real idea about the links between violent video games and acting out violence in real life. However I find it very troubling the close similarities between say military training simulators and some of the more brutal video games. Even drone operators who pretty much use x-box controllers to deliver payloads etc. To say that video games are benign in this argument is naive. There are definitely negative emotional violent reactions in many who play. Just try turning it off on someone in the middle of their game. These games story lines are designed to provoke emotional responses and not everyone is at the same level emotionally. Some may be a straw away from snapping and the continual playing of these video games may prove to be that straw that broke their back. Just saying.

reply to post by grandmakdw


the reason why your statement holds now weight is because before video games and movies kids emulated warriors and soldiers, and showed it in the games they would play, ever since people have been killing each other, kids have wanted to be just like there elders. Im not sure if you have ever read a history book, but war and death has happened since we were cave men, and if ur a bible believer, people have killed each other since the cane and able. your an idiot for believing that movies and games make people kill. i almost believe that you made this thread for stars and flags

Originally posted by DocHolidaze
reply to post by grandmakdw

 

the reason why your statement holds now weight is because before video games and movies kids emulated warriors and soldiers, and showed it in the games they would play, ever since people have been killing each other, kids have wanted to just like there elders. Im not sure if you have ever read a history book, but war and death has happened since we were cave men, and if ur a bible believer, people have killed each other since the cane and able. your an idiot for believing that movies and games make people kill. i almost believe that you made this thread for stars and flags

edit on 4-1-2013 by DocHolidaze because: (no reason given)

Military technology has taken the close quarter kill away. Now death is delivered far away from the actual whites in the eyes. Is it just a coincidence that these means of delivery are almost identical now technologiacally speaking? And even recruiters target those who are proficient in the hand eye coordination and nowledge of controllers used in both incidences?

I have seen docs on how many military systems use controllers and monitors from within tanks and other vehicles that are identical in configuration.

reply to post by sparrowstail

And there "are definitely negative emotional violent reactions in many who" interact with each other.

So what is your point? What makes games or any other media so special?

Originally posted by unityemissions

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
There is no scientific evidence linking video games to real world violence.

Yes there is. You must not have been looking too much into it. I found several a few years back.

Neither is there any evidence to tie movies to such a thing either. What there is evidence of is that we are slowly creating an atmosphere where violence is regarded as normal and OK.

Yes there is. Those studies go back way further.

edit on 3-1-2013 by unityemissions because: (no reason given)

Im still waiting for those studies you found several years back... and that go back even further.

But I can show you a couple of studies that indeed prove the increased coordination and attention to detail and the amount of information players of FPS can retain over extremely short periods of time... one of them is even on TED and the presenter is a woman, tall, skinny and french canadian... go on, I'm sure that you'll search for it like you searched for those you "found a few years back that go back even further" - and considering your choice of words I'm willing to bet those studies were about pong.

Because you know.. pong is nothing more than programming people to not take guilt or accept it and always try to deflect issues to another side... or can be just a very simple tennis game in 2D... but hey...

These threads really make me dress like a cheerleader and cut people down with a chainsaw... oh wait... I meant... grab my manly leather armor and go kill dragons.

reply to post by sparrowstail


They're not "identical", some are actually the same controllers. So what? They're smart and intuitive... and before it was the other way around - first joysticks were brought from the military industry into the entertainment world... now it works the other way just because the gaming industry spends a lot more trying to deliver the best experience possible and the army takes advantage of it.

I dont see the problem here... your toothpaste can also be used to clear the "foggy" headlights of your car, yet you brush your teeth daily with it... same product, completely different applications.

reply to post by sparrowstail


yeah people kill now with longer range weapons, people used to kill with spears, than swords and bows, than catapults, then muskets, than repeaters, then machine guns, and now drones missiles, and heavy tanks, and even beter machine guns, people kill each other. since day one, as tech grows so does the way are children play there war games. back when we only used swords, kids fought each other with sticks, as much as things change they always stay the same.

Anybody who's going to go on a killing spree because of what they saw in a movie or what they did in a video game isn't mentally stable in the first place and if it wasn't movies or video games, something else would have set them off. People just look for the easiest scapegoat in trying to explain how/why somebody could do some of the unthinkable things people do and blaming video games and movies is much easier than actually exploring the mental illnesses those people suffer from.

Originally posted by EyesWideShut
I enjoyed a childhood full of Mario Bros....never have I taken Mushrooms, grabbed a hammer, and jumped in the sewer...

Disturbed people do disturbing things, stop trying to find a reason for unreasonable actions.

it is quite unrealistic though, real sort of fantasy/cartoonesque- unlike a lot of other games- I never "got" such analogies (without even getting into how much the more realistic games actually do influence us)

Originally posted by King_John
Anybody who's going to go on a killing spree because of what they saw in a movie or what they did in a video game isn't mentally stable in the first place and if it wasn't movies or video games, something else would have set them off. People just look for the easiest scapegoat in trying to explain how/why somebody could do some of the unthinkable things people do and blaming video games and movies is much easier than actually exploring the mental illnesses those people suffer from.

I agree, though the success of these games may be just a wider acceptance of violence and more likely to commit violence generally, chicken and egg thing?


Look at the UK we had no gun restrictions in the UK up until the 1920s (I think)- govt stepped in over fears of anarchists

Up to this point there were no (or precious little) mass/spree killings

I firmly believe the wider use of alcohol and drugs (both illegal and legal) combined with closing "lunatic" asylums is at the heart of these spree killings.

We must also question though the "fear" generated by these killings in the media and by politicians- it is extremely rare that anyone will die in a spree killing, an incredibly small chance of such an occurrence

We will all most likely die, horribly, over several months, from some illness

Yet we focus and generate fear over these, thankfully, rare occurrences

Originally posted by sparrowstail
I have no real idea about the links between violent video games and acting out violence in real life. However I find it very troubling the close similarities between say military training simulators and some of the more brutal video games. Even drone operators who pretty much use x-box controllers to deliver payloads etc. To say that video games are benign in this argument is naive. There are definitely negative emotional violent reactions in many who play. Just try turning it off on someone in the middle of their game. These games story lines are designed to provoke emotional responses and not everyone is at the same level emotionally. Some may be a straw away from snapping and the continual playing of these video games may prove to be that straw that broke their back. Just saying.

Hahahaha, yeah there would be a negative response to turning off the system in the middle of someone playing a game, but that's just because that would be a douche bag thing to do, go knock a book out of the hand of a person reading it and I'd image a very similar response would be had.

Once again (i reckon its every quarter)

this madness is posted, i do think if someone is chemically unbalanced they shouldnt listen to certain music, read certain books, watch certain movies and yes play certian computer games...

however i think there seems to be a missunderstanding as people on here seem to think the games\movies\books\music cause issues in the brain, make people go out and shoot hookers or steal cars or kill people in airports etc. etc. but this is not the case, a mentally balanced and stable person can play games and see the difference between computer game entertainment\ fun and reality.

As we cant do a psych test for every possible nutter trying to get there hands on any possible form of entertainment that may push them over the edge, do the freespeech\gun holding\oppression fighting members of this site feel we should ban all games\music\books\poems\movies that could causes issue with a very small number of people? that seems a bit like taking peoples right to choose? does it not?



Show me scientific proof that anyone who has used\has been given the scape goat of ANY MEDIA for the atrocities\actions they have commited were not already in some way chemically imbalanced prior to the interaction with said media.........