9 year old boy commits suicide, videogames to blame....really?

[Dr Beefcakes]

50 bucks says the people who said that never even touched a game controller

as for the kid, sucks for him but VIDEOGAMES!? SERIOUSLY!?
these old American bastards need to do some more research that isn't based on what a book written 50 years ago told em

 

[Thaius]

Yeah guys, remember Hangman 2: Revenge of the Suicidal Hangman, when we hung ourslves? That was the best game ever! Totally made me want to try hanging myself! I think I'll see about it right now: this'll be awesome!

 

[Lemon and Paeroa]

see i want to blame the family, or the school, or anyone else but the media and games, i mean the kid must have acted out in some excessively emotional way that should have set off some red lights at home.

i agree with you, even if your avatar does looks like a small girl smoking

I third this, You cant blame it all on video games... Only some.

 

[DarkinWilder]

Not to beat the dead horse some more but how many youths are there worldwide that have played the exact same games or watched the exact same television shows as this one and not done anything to harm themselves or anyone else?

Maybe I'm just a cold-hearted bastard but I think that blaming this kind of stuff on inanimate objects is not only inaccurate, it's preventing people from facing the real issues behind it.

 

[reiem531]

do you really need to ask what we're going to say? "THIS SHIT IS BANANAS!"

 

[BlackKraken]

Lock yourself in a darkened room, clamp your hands over your ears, and keep repeating "its the games' fault" over and over.

Im sure this will solve everything.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

She dosen't even list any evidence to violent video games in that quote. She just says Kids spend a lot of time in front of a TV and to be frank, TV isn't much better then most violent video games. Why must we blame the video game when the parent themself must buy it for them and allow them to play?

 

[DragonsAteMyMarbles]

Where does it say the kid even played video games? Am I missing something here?

 

[Nargleblarg]

Wow I played Halo when I was that young, and I turned out not killing myself. I also love how absolutely no games were even mentioned, and I wouldn't even be suprised if the kid never touched a videogame. Also this happened in the school during school hours....and they are still blaming videogames? these councilors are freaking brilliant

 

[Skootle13]

So TV isn't to blame when they show REAL people and having REAL deaths but a VIRTUAL character on in something that isn't real is just because the person is pressing buttons.

But children don't always understand the difference. There are many little girls out there that really believe if they look hard enough, they'll find cinderella, ariel, etc. The part of the brain that differentiates between real and imaginary doesn't kick in until later.

Now, I'm always the first to defend video games, but what if the violence did factor in? Maybe he was disturbed, and seeing the gore disturbed him further? But, I think in all fairness, if people want to blame video games, they need to blame all media. I think bloody/violent movies are just as fault as video games are.

This is such a tragic event. =(

 

[enzilewulf]

What proof is there anyways? I mean the worst this kid was playing was probably MW2. In that you killing others. Anyways this doctors an idiot. Like he never saw a fight at school wich is way worse than not real violence.

 

[WorkerMurphey]

I tend to think the article has more to do with the Dr. promoting her own agenda and career than video games or this particular case. Her comments (lacking proof that the kid played/gamed 52 hours a week) would be equally (in)valid following almost any other tragedy involving children or teens.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I can imagine it now...

"This sure is a fun and violent video game..."

...
...
...

"I'm gonna go kill myself now!"

HOW can these experts not see a problem with that? It's completely jumping the gun!

While I'm at it, how can you blame video games for a suicide? Have they even looked at his social life or any problems he may have had?

 

[e2density]

OHNOZ I play on average 50+ hours of video games a WEEK! SUICIDE TIME GUYS IM OUT!

 

[ExaltedK9]

No, it's not videogames that unhinged this boy, that kind of behavior cannot be instilled by videogames.

 

[Lordtommy]

Well of course! It makes so much sense! Remember that one video game where you move your character into a bathroom and then make him hang himself?... Because I sure don't.

Usually when people blame something on video games, it's because the person was imitating the game.. but I've Never seen a game in which you hang yourself..

This seems more like something that would happens from watching too many movies (like in the Mummy, when the main character survives being hanged).

Still, these are all legitimate art forms, it's up to the parents and teachers to discpline children properly so they don't something stupid like this.

 

[WorldCritic]

Woo hoo. Video games are to blame again they say. Damnit, what is it with people, do they really like to blame video games that much? CLearly yes, honestly the whole family instability theory sounds more logical. I know quite a few people who have considered suicide over family issues, but never over a game.

 

[Tom13ombadil]

retarded®

 

[Yeager942]

Yeah, our media is always looking for scapegoats. Instead of actually asking hard questions about degrading family life and the availability of guns, most people are content to blame their nearest "game box".