The arguement about video game violence...

[Brainiac]

...officially has a new and interesting contributing opinion. The Karmapa Lama, the only Buddhist leader acknowledged by China, Tibet, and India, has something to say (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/94875-Buddhist-Religious-Leader-Says-Games-Satiate-Aggression) about video games (http://www.destructoid.com/buddhist-monk-recommends-games-for-treating-aggression-149304.phtml). Anyone wanna get him and Jack Thompson into a debate?

The only problem with the coverage is one lists the Lama as 24 while another lists him as 26. This is probably a goof due to the fact that there are currently TWO people that have been enthroned as the 17th Karmapa (one born in 1983, the other in 1985).

[Swish]

The catharsis argument isn't anything new to the debate. A Buddhist perspective is, mind.

Also - and I know you weren't being serious - but I don't see the point of debates with Jack Thompson. No one takes him seriously on either side anymore.

Besides which, I think he's actually an experimental comedy genius, who worked tirelessly for decades to create this absurd moral guardian character. Then when things briefly started moving in his favour a couple of years ago, he quickly and efficiently burned all of his bridges to prevent things getting out of hand.

[Songbird]

Also - and I know you weren't being serious - but I don't see the point of debates with Jack Thompson. No one takes him seriously on either side anymore.

"Applauds to Swish's comment"

[zippy]

Ah, Wacko Thompson brings back memories. xD I personally found it funny that he got disbarred on the 1 year anniversary of halo 3's release. :p

[Macacão Sapão]

It's my belief that videogames don't spur violence. Bad parenting does.

But I admit I might be too radical about it.

[Stranth]

There is no such thing as being too radical about anything related to videogames.

But it is true that the games are not at fault because the parents can control everything about their child's life if they want but they decide to buy games like halo for them and then complain about something that thier kid shoulden't have been playing if they look at the ESRB rating so they complain about things like the fact that Cortana has no clothes.

sorry but I have debated about parents vs videogames many times so evreytime this comes up I express my opinion and still many people blame the games.

[zippy]

Seriously! One day I was waiting for my music lessons to start, and these 2 little kids saw the halo stickers on my cello case and started talking about how awesome halo is. I didn't think much about it until their mom told me that both of the kids wrote an assignment for kindergarden saying how much they loved killing each other. -_-

Even better though, is when you come across a 4 year old on xbox live playing GOW 2, and their parent comes on demanding everyone stop cursing. xD This SERIOUSLY happened to my brother once. :p I will have a field day if this happens to me, because I will tell the idiot to not buy a game for your 4 year old where you can chainsaw people in half and hear an f bomb in every cutscene.

[Swish]

My friend Tony plays more or less completely normally when prepubescent boys join Gears matches, but talks, pretty much exclusively at them, in an affected squeaky voice until they leave.

I'd do it too, but I'd be stealing his bit.

[Stranth]

when little kids come on you shouldn't need to change your game-play unless you feel like targeting them, which I do from time to time.

[Leontendo]

Video game violence is fine. It won't turn you into a psychopathic killing maniac.

[Macacão Sapão]

Just for fun (http://www.demotivateus.com/posters/fatherhood-demotivational-poster.jpg), but it kind of makes my point.

[zippy]

^ broken link...

Video game violence is fine. It won't turn you into a psychopathic killing maniac.

Try telling that to 500 year old politicians that don't bother to play the games before legislating them. :p

[Songbird]

^ broken link...



Try telling that to 500 year old politicians that don't bother to play the games before legislating them. :p

Strange, the link is working for me.

What kills me that it is encouraged to read highly regarded books that might have violence in them yet in video game form it is pure evil...

[Yorae Dragon]

My opinion is, has been, and probably always will be, that violence stemming SOLELY from video games is retarded. Now, can they be a contributing factor? Maybe. That I can believe. But if anyone honestly thinks that just a video game can turn someone into a murderer, they need to be locked away in an institution. Bad judgment from parents is what starts kids down the path of destruction. Like someone else earlier said, is it the video game's fault if a parent buys it for an underage kid? Hah.

[suicunerider]

Yes, I agree that the parents really need to be the ones responsible for what the kids play.

As far as the violence goes, I think it depends on whether it actually lends to the game or is just there. For a game series like Resident Evil, it's kind of an integral part since you are fighting off violent zombies, alien-thingies, etc. The only ones I really ever question are Grand Theft Auto (for gang related violence and YOU KNOW WHAT) and Madworld (for just being one giant bloodbath).

[musicalGforce]

Here's a message I sent to Mr. Tallarico. He didn't reply yet (very likely too busy for February) but I just wanted to post it to share my feelings:

-----------------

Hey Tommy! How's it going? I don't want to bother you since you're so busy, but I thought this was important.

When I heard that you're going to be performing on PBS in June, I felt both ecstatic and terrible. Happy, because I'll finally be able to see it on TV and buy the DVD and show my friends, and miserable becaue I have to wait half a year to see it! I don't have that much patience! :'(

Anyway, I should get to my point. I've watched some amazing segments of VGL on the internet (but not too many so I don't get tired of the spellbinding music), and found one where you said that you don't believe that video games cause violence. Although I understand why many people think that, and don't exactly disagree with that, I think it's only fair to say that maybe video games can lead to violence for some people. Desensitization to harming/killing people, practice aiming a gun and other things suggest there could be a possibility. (You've probably heard all of the arguments already) Like, alcohol doesn't cause drunk driving but it can if you get drunk and then jump in the car. Maybe that's not the best example but the first thing that came to mind.

So, what I'm getting at is maybe it would be best if you didn't say video games don't cause violence on the PBS airing, since most of them would probably think otherwise and it's still debatable. (Not that they couldn't edit that part out) I would personally prefer if you didn't say it at all, just to be safe. (Although I do like to joke that playing so many Mario games has desensitized me to jumping on people) I think that enough exposure of any kind of violent media has the possibility to raise aggression and desensitize, I know I've felt it myself. I just don't want anyone to believe something that may not be true and wind up on a dangerous road, but I also don't like to ruin anyone's fun so it's not something I like to bring it up. Yet I felt I needed to say it.

Thanks for your time and caring about us fans. You guys rock the world.

P.S. Don't forget to bring the show to Iowa some day! We're all still waiting! Even those who don't know they are.

-------------

I also agree that parents have a responsibility to not let their kids play any game they want. Even if they can't prevent them from ever playing games against their morals, they can still do their best.

[don]

Videogames are usually well rated by entities like PEGI or other regional rating entities, just as movies. If progenitors don't want their children to be exposed to more or less adult content, they have the ratings in game covers, or, if they're buying online, on the web stores.

If they do buy them, they have only themselves to blame.
The demand to erradicate violence in videogames is like to demand irradication of violence from movies or books.

The same goes for sexual content (which isn't as present in games as it is in movies and books). (I don't see activists protest against pornography, btw. ROTFL x'D).

Oh, one thing though, I don't agree the least with Hugo Chávez (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2010/jan/19/hugo-chavez-games-poison), of course, and I don't know particullarly which game he was reffering. But if there was a videogame which one game objective was to kill me, I would also be angry with it.

[Songbird]

(Although I do like to joke that playing so many Mario games has desensitized me to jumping on people)

LOL!

Actually, I do see your point there MusicalGforce. Not that I think what Tommy says is a bad thing, I cheer every time he says it, but there's always the exception. Mostly, I wouldn't want the show be a political target for those who would use the phrase as backup to claim as proof that those who are supportive of video games are blunt to the fact that video games can cause violence and don't care about your children and etc.

Would it be right to suggest that MusicalGforce should post this in the "General Questions" area where it's more likely for Tommy to read this?

And Don, it's Mercenaries 2; first sentence, third paragraph.

[don]

And Don, it's Mercenaries 2; first sentence, third paragraph.
Fourth :P Thank you. Never played it, not my kind of game.