Jimquisition: Desensitized to Violence

[Malisteen]

The casual, gratuitous, ubiquitous violence in video games doesn't have to directly cause real world violence, or desensitize players to it, for it to be worthy of some amount of criticism. Video Games are an artistic medium, there's a lot more to human experience that they can explore. this is less a criticism of the game creators and more one of the gaming audience that seems to want to be sold the same experience over and over rather than experience anything new.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Well said Jim.

I remember seeing a clip of the guy who beheaded by the Taliban. For a few days, every time I closed my eyes, the image and the sounds of that clip haunted me.

Real violence, real gruesome violence, seeing someone killed, has never been similar to video game violence.

Ever.

 

[themilo504]

Was hoping you would talk about the video game burnings still really liked this episode.

 

[Ukomba]

Skipped it. :/ Good argument though.

 

[GoddyofAus]

Jim, while I ultimately respect this video because it was very well done and hit the nail on the head, the only point I would make would be that the sort of audience that a website like the Escapist attracts, mostly the regular internet user who knows their way around and has plenty of experience with it, all of us already know the Mainstream Media are scum and are truly to blame for this. You're preaching to the choir there. Your video needs the sort of exposure that virality provides.

Could I suggest that you upload this video to Youtube, just to give it a chance at a broader audience.

 

[MrCollins]

While I agree that true actual violence does not resemble in the slightest the over-the-top cartoon-ish spectacle of violence in games and most media. I must admit that the clip did not really get a strong reaction out of me, I had seen it the last time Jim showed it and don't recall it getting much of a reaction out of me then.
But then again, despite not being moved by seeing real life violence on screen (curiosity and the internet can be a *****), I am still extremely averse to real life violence, despite hobbies that include karate and Medieval Re-enactment.

 

[C117]

Hello. I'm a 20 year old male. I've played videogames ever since I was 4 years old at least. Got my first GameBoy in 1998. Played a lot of TimeSplitters 2 when I was 11 years old. Needless to say, I've killed more virtual people than I can count, in any way imaginable.

I came to the Escapist today. Noticed the age control on the video. Saw the warning in the description. I skipped ahead. I knew didn't want to see this. Didn't skip ahead enough. Got to see and hear the last 2 seconds or so.

I am scared.

 

[Your once and future Fanboy]

Not to seem like a monster. But I wasn't faced by the clip.
Then again I think suffering is grusome and hard to watch. Death (in this maner at least) is quick and (as far as I know) painless.

 

[Wolf Hagen]

Dammit Jim, you made the weirdest, but actually build on concrete Argument one can have. We feel in a definate negative way about it.

I am quite used to some stuff on this show but woooaaah. that... rather "calm" incident gave me the chills, how calm and peacefull the guy looked. before and afterwards.

Yep.... good thing you where able to put it on here.

But I gotto say I don't find guns creepy, I find Idiots and Psychopaths with guns creepy. But same could be said about welding tools and the same persons. O__o

 

[roushutsu]

I took a college class on TV and pop culture, and one of the days was about the evolution of news. We talked about and watched violent footage from the Vietnam War that was broadcast on the news and it disturbed me then. This was the first time I've seen this footage, let alone even heard of Budd Dwyer, and it disturbed me now.

You make an excellent point about the difference between real and virtual violence. Kudos!

 

[Ukomba]

The end makes me think of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PezlFNTGWv4

It's the same principle that caused more and more people to run onto the field during sports games. When they cut all coverage of those people during broadcasts, the number of incidence dropped precipitously.

 

[taciturnCandid]

I honestly will say that didn't shock me, but it wasn't videogames that did that.

Nah. It was r/WTF and 4chan that desensitized me to things like that presented over video. However, any real sign of blood, gore, or death around me and i'll panic.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Jim, while I ultimately respect this video because it was very well done and hit the nail on the head, the only point I would make would be that the sort of audience that a website like the Escapist attracts, mostly the regular internet user who knows their way around and has plenty of experience with it, all of us already know the Mainstream Media are scum and are truly to blame for this. You're preaching to the choir there. Your video needs the sort of exposure that virality provides.

Could I suggest that you upload this video to Youtube, just to give it a chance at a broader audience.

The Escapist also has a YouTube channel, so yes, this will show up there next week.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I didn't really find it all that disturbing or shocking, mostly because your warning played it up so much that I was expecting something much more graphic.

I was worried about this. I underplayed it last time for that very reason and people got upset at me, so I figured it far more prudent to err on the side of playing it up than playing it down. For most, it still seems to have retained its effect, so I'm happy with the decision.

All things considered, it probably was the wisest choice. After all you're point is still very clear. I still didn't find the suicide very amusing in the slightest. It's like watching news footage of the wars in the middle east and whatever. That's not at all entertaining or funny or amusing.

 

[jokulhaups]

No warning or timestamp for the Willem Dafoe scene at the end. Sterling's been desensitized to Dafoe.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

I skipped that bit, but I saw the last few seconds and... oh, why did the cameraman zoom in?! Total Biscuit did a video similar to this one, and I agree with you both on all points. Screw the people that pin this on games, then go "tonight at 11, a bajillion murder cases that drive up our ratings." We need a better media, we need to stop pinning tragedies on stupid causes, but most of all, we need to talk about mental health and weapon control.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

I'm not going to lie - I really didn't have much of a reaction to the clip. I think it was due to the low quality of the vid and me not being able to tell what was going on even when he actually pulled the trigger, but of course it makes me wonder. Still, I know how I react when I see violence or death happen in person and have gotten pretty upset by other real videos like the Middle-Eastern women who got killed by an AK-47 as the crowd cheered on or a lion latching on to someone's throat, so I know I'm not a full-on sociopath. I still wonder though why this barely got a reaction out of me. Is it really my confusion while watching due to the horrible quality, or is that just an excuse?

EDIT:

I didn't really find it all that disturbing or shocking, mostly because your warning played it up so much that I was expecting something much more graphic. You're right though, video game violence is far removed from real life violence. I recall once seeing a old black and white photograph of a war torn region that featured a child horribly burned by napalm on a road with a tank behind. Now that disturbed me.

Not to seem like a monster. But I wasn't faced by the clip.
Then again I think suffering is grusome and hard to watch. Death (in this maner at least) is quick and (as far as I know) painless.

These could also be a part of the reason why his didn't bother me much. Still, that could just be an excuse on my part.

Overall, good video and I definitely agree with your points here. Real guns do actually have a major terrifying presence to me, though it is countered somewhat by my fascination with technology.

 

[Pinkamena]

Well, he died painlessly and quick, so it's not that gruesome, is it? I don't know... Just weren't as affected by it as some say they were.

 

[Erttheking]

...You know, the video wasn't that bad (I mean there was nothing pleasant about it, but I didn't find it traumatizing), but still, your point stands. Still if I were to see someone get killed personally, I probably really would freak out, video game violence is seriously over the top. I'm not desensitized to violence because of video games. I'm desensitized to violence because of the FUCKING MEDIA, telling me that the umpteenth shooting happened and that another poor shlock got murdered today.

 

[Varya]

Props to the Escapist for allowing Jim to do this ep, and props to you Jim for doing one heck of a job with it. In my opinion your strongest video yet, from an emotional and argumentative point of view in any case.