Expert Says Blaming Videogames for Violence is Racist

[Terminal Blue]

It's just as much founded evidence as blaming kids video games for violence.

That is to say, barely any.

No, see.. unlike those things, you can actually do a little study to determine whether he's correct. Look at how the media responds to cases of gun murder amongst young black men, and then look at how it responds to cases of gun murder amongst young white men. How many times in the former case was violence in video games highlighted as a causal factor, how many times was it in the latter case?

You can come out with real numbers, and those numbers suggest an extremely strong correlation. He's accusing the media of racism because it responds differently to gun violence when the perpetrator is black compared to when the perpetrator is white.

Bear in mind that he has already stated that his studies have shown that 95% of young men (distributed across the entire population) have played violent video games, so why are they only being blamed in cases where the perpetrator is white? Is the suggestion therefore that black people are unaffected by video game violence due to some unacknowledged trait inherent in being black, or is it because black people aren't seen to need an outside cause for violence. In either case, how is it not racism?

Racism = assuming (not necessarily in an acknowledged fashion) that particular racial groups possess particular attributes and traits which are universal and determinate. In either case, it seems pretty clearly racist to me.

 

[iDoom46]

One of the most well-written, cohesive, well thought out, and all around best articles I've ever read debunking the "video games cause violence" myth.

 

[Tdc2182]

Ah, so it's not racist to ignore shootings in schools that aren't predominantly white because minority students are violent gang members with psychological problems so it's to be expected and of course white people are automatically more peaceful and mentally well-adjusted, especially if they're middle class. And these unfounded claims of yours are not racist (and classist). I see. Have fun with that.

Keeping up with calling people who don't agree with you racist? Mmmmmm.... sure smells like a Strawman in here.

There's political correctness, and then (in your case) there's just plain ignorance.

In order to adequately explain this to you, I'd have to re-teach you 3rd grade American history covering segregation. While I am truly sorry that you missed that class, I quite frankly don't feel like getting into it.

Being black or white or latino has nothing to do with it. It's the situations you live in. Bad situations cause bad settings to live in. Generally these people are poor and living on the bear necessities.

Generally, you need money to buy games. Games are not necessities. These kids don't have video games.

They happen to be minorities because of the shameful history here in America.

Good talk, Cya out there.

 

[Tdc2182]

It's just as much founded evidence as blaming kids video games for violence.

That is to say, barely any.

No, see.. unlike those things, you can actually do a little study to determine whether he's correct. Look at how the media responds to cases of gun murder amongst young black men, and then look at how it responds to cases of gun murder amongst young white men. How many times in the former case was violence in video games highlighted as a causal factor, how many times was it in the latter case?

You can come out with real numbers, and those numbers suggest an extremely strong correlation. He's accusing the media of racism because it responds differently to gun violence when the perpetrator is black compared to when the perpetrator is white.

Bear in mind that he has already stated that his studies have shown that 95% of young men (distributed across the entire population) have played violent video games, so why are they only being blamed in cases where the perpetrator is white? Is the suggestion therefore that black people are unaffected by video game violence due to some unacknowledged trait inherent in being black, or is it because black people aren't seen to need an outside cause for violence. In either case, how is it not racism?

Racism = assuming (not necessarily in an acknowledged fashion) that particular racial groups possess particular attributes and traits which are universal and determinate. In either case, it seems pretty clearly racist to me.

I'd like to direct to posts 166.

If there's something you don't understand about me, inform me. I'd be happy to go further into depth.

 

[Terminal Blue]

I'd like to direct to posts 166.

Nonetheless, 95% of the population of young American males has played violent games. Is 95% of that population white? There have to be exceptions.

What the guy is saying is that if games have the harmful effect on people which is claimed then why is that effect not treated as universal? I take the point that race might not have been the best factor to pick to highlight this, but still, black people do play video games.

I think you also assign too much credit to the media in terms of actually investigating whether people actually have played violent video games. As he says, it can be reasonably assumed that almost all young males have, you don't have to find a smoking X-box to assume that it happened.

And if the media is assuming that black people don't have access to games at all because they're black, it's still kind of racist. It may have a statistical grain of truth to it, but many stereotypes do. It's still kind of racist to treat them as absolute truths.

 

[KirbyKrackle]

Ah, so it's not racist to ignore shootings in schools that aren't predominantly white because minority students are violent gang members with psychological problems so it's to be expected and of course white people are automatically more peaceful and mentally well-adjusted, especially if they're middle class. And these unfounded claims of yours are not racist (and classist). I see. Have fun with that.

Keeping up with calling people who don't agree with you racist? Mmmmmm.... sure smells like a Strawman in here.

There's political correctness, and then (in your case) there's just plain ignorance.

In order to adequately explain this to you, I'd have to re-teach you 3rd grade American history covering segregation. While I am truly sorry that you missed that class, I quite frankly don't feel like getting into it.

Being black or white or latino has nothing to do with it. It's the situations you live in. Bad situations cause bad settings to live in. Generally these people are poor and living on the bear necessities.

Generally, you need money to buy games. Games are not necessities. These kids don't have video games.

They happen to be minorities because of the shameful history here in America.

Good talk, Cya out there.

What is it that I said that you feel is a straw man? Why do believe that what you said isn't racist? Please tell me what the foundation is (since you hate unfounded claims) for the claim that inner-city students don't play video games. And that mass violence such as school shootings can be linked to poverty and aren't committed by members of the white middle class (on that note, I like that you don't argue that you aren't classist as all get out). Also, I missed all of the 3rd grade American history, so please explain how segregation leads to school shootings. I'm very interested. I'm also very interested in what parts of American history could have changed to make the minorities majorities; since I've never taken 3rd grade American history, I'm sure you could inform me.

 

[JET1971]

"Lets also blame prescription drug abuse on video games as well. it all started with pac-man because the dots look like pills."

Now the idiots that blame violance on games would agree with that statement regardless of how ludicrous it is. You cannot argue with them just like you cant win an argument with a sports fan if you disagree or wich is better republicans or democrats. The less they know the more you are wrong is the syndrome.

 

[Reincarnatedwolfgod]

that guy has some agreeable points defending video games but the racist part is questionable but who know it could be true that society is ignorant.

that being said i agree with this fully.

"But as more people play video games on mobile phones and tablets, on PCs and on gaming consoles and portable devices; more people out there understand that games are entertainment. And games are no more at fault for a crazy person going on a rampage than movies or TV shows."

once games become excepted in society they will stop being the scapegoat for all problems. after that a new form of media will be the new scapegoat by the same ass wipes who once blamed video games for society problems.

 

[Tdc2182]

What is it that I said that you feel is a straw man?

You used a distorted version of what I said too make my argument moot. You misinterpreted what I said and then started attacking me for that.

Why do believe that what you said isn't racist?

Because my argument is being based on statistics that are proven. I'm the one trying to show that race has absolutely nothing to do with it other than the fact that it happens to be the situations minorities are in.

Please tell me what the foundation is (since you hate unfounded claims) for the claim that inner-city students don't play video games.

Let's get this straight, I'm talking about lower class innercity students, such as poor areas like Detroit and The Bronx (if that are is still poor). Pretty much the simple fact that by your logic, everyone who shoots up a school plays videogames (along with this guys claims). I'm simply stating that News organizations don't place videogames to blame because these kids don't have video game consoles. It doesn't happen It's not like a case where over half the nations have Xbox's. Out of 10 kids who shoot up a school, let's say 3 of them own a console. Those three are gonna get blamed for going crazy whilst gaming. How could you possibly link the other 7 to gaming?

And that mass violence such as school shootings can be linked to poverty and aren't committed by members of the white middle class

This was strangely worded, but I'll take a shot at it anyway.

Like I said. Middle white class kid probably owns a Console. He's gonna get blamed for it.

Let's try some more statistics. White people make up most of the US with 72.4%. African Americans make up about 12.6%.

Keep those numbers in your head, we'll be going back to that after I explain some American History to you.

(on that note, I like that you don't argue that you aren't classist as all get out).

Honestly, I skipped over that part on accident. No, I'm not classist. Me saying that lower class people are more poorer than middle class people is not classist. That's common fucking sense.

Also, I missed all of the 3rd grade American history, so please explain how segregation leads to school shootings. I'm very interested. I'm also very interested in what parts of American history could have changed to make the minorities majorities; since I've never taken 3rd grade American history, I'm sure you could inform me.

Way long ago America used to love Slavery.

After the Civil War, it was abolished. But unfortunately, heavy racism still remained. Due to this Heavy Racism, laws were put in place by governments segregating Colored people from White people. There were two different water fountains for each race, and many places made it illegal for Black people to walk inside. It was extremely hard for a Black man to make a decent living, which in turn made them poor.

Down in city areas, they kind of became trapped where they lived creating poor neighborhoods. White people didn't have a problem with Racism. They basically had had a head start for the past 100 years.

When the civil rights act happened (look it up if you don't know), situations became much easier, except the fact that all these people were still dirt poor because they received no damage money from the past 100 years of segregation. These poor towns are still very much alive because these people couldn't escape the situation. That's why there are still towns and cities in the United States still heavily filled with minorities.

Now due to poor conditions, crime remains rampant to this day. Crime forms in poor areas. Now these poor areas happen to be filled with African Americans.

Are you starting to get it?

Now if 73% of Americans are white, how much more often are you going to see them shoot up a school? If 12% are Black, how often are you going to see them shoot up a school?

Fill in the rest yourself.

 

[O maestre]

kudos to this article i honestly have to say that, i had never drawn this conclusion on my own. this actually highlights a greater social issue, that is quite disturbing

 

[MrGalactus]

"I know it's a little controversial to say but there's a certain type of racism in place with these killings," he told Forbes [http://blogs.forbes.com/johngaudiosi/2011/07/28/expert-calls-blaming-video-games-on-tragic-massacres-like-oslo-and-columbine-racist/]. "When shootings happen in an inner city in minority-populated schools, videogames are never brought up. But when these things happen in white majority schools and in the suburbs, people start to freak out and videogames are inevitably blamed. I think that there's a certain element of racism or ignorance here."

Huh. I thought the title was incredibly dumb until this bit. I see what he's saying, and it makes sense.
This should be in the overbearing suburban mother meme.

 

[luckycharms8282]

OMG I go to A&M! Good to see we got an Aggie defending video games. Whoop!