Stanford report on the link between violence and video games

a reply to: oddscreenname

I agree with you. Everything can be harmful. Too much water or too much oxygen can be fatal. No one should be surprised by negative effects of obsessive video gaming. Of course the reasonable question is, how does it negatively impact the average player? I would say not at all.

originally posted by: rickymouse
a reply to: M5xaz

I can't disagree with that. But then again, I have to add, the parents are letting their kids play these games of violence that also can lead to improper behavior instead of teaching them to live symbiotically in society.

The majority of kids that play these games will not get depersonalized but if one out of a hundred does, that one person can start to get infatuated with military style weapons and can go hulu. When I was a kid, we played cowboys and Indians...my cousins and friends always made me be the Indian because cowboys always killed the Indians on TV so I usually always lost. I actually had some real good friends that were Native Americans and alaskan Indians over the years. Probably because I was always the Indian when I was a kid. At least we did not have WW11 games, I would probably have been a German so they could win.

Strangely, sixty years later I found that I am about one point seven percent Inuit...like an Alaskan Indian or Eskimo. Kind of rare for a Finn guy I guess.

Video games are mostly bad because they keep kids from playing outside, which is better.

Most kids had pellet guns and played cops and robbers and/or cowboys and indians and none of us turned into mass murderers.

I played with chemistry sets and homemade rockets and fireworks, but somehow managed not to turn into the Unabomber...

***** PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY !!!! **********

While the majority of kids who play these games won't become depersonalized or exhibit improper behavior, it's important to acknowledge that there can be rare cases where someone becomes overly infatuated with military-style weapons and acts out in harmful ways. It's essential for parents to be attentive to their children's experiences and engage in discussions about distinguishing between fantasy and reality, as well as promoting empathy and understanding.

Your childhood experience of playing cowboys and Indians highlights the impact of media portrayals on our perceptions. It's unfortunate that certain roles were stereotypically assigned, perpetuating a skewed view of history. However, it's heartening to hear that you formed genuine friendships with Native Americans and Alaskan Indians later in life, which shows how personal connections can break down stereotypes.

a reply to: oddscreenname

I was raised a poor Pong player....

I'm a gamer, Been one since Commodore, even worked for a few gaming companies between 98 and 2004. The vast majority of the community then and now are just average folk enjoying a wide variety of games not just fps or tps, but space exploration, horror games, mysteries etc etc etc. If someone is unbalanced Video Games is the least of their worries.


In case of an emergency, Blow it up, blow it up real good. Oh wait,