Jimquisition: Desensitized to Violence

[Formica Archonis]

How about an oddball data point for you, Jim? I'm not a gamer (for all but the more liberal definitions) anymore. I came to this realization when I saw the "Game of the Year" stuff and realized I hadn't seen any of them anywhere but on this site, that skimming the Escapist front page was my entire involvement with mainstream gaming for the entire calendar year.

The only first person games of any sort I've played in the past five years have been Minecraft and Legend of Grimrock, which definitely aren't Call of Duty clones. (Well, I played Hard Reset for 30 minutes before I realized it was another Painkiller-esque series-of-locked-rooms load of BS and packed it in.) Other than that it's been indie/casual stuff. That's it. And even when I was a gamer, I wasn't really into FPSs. I played a lot of Doom when I was younger, some Deus Ex and Unreal Tournament when slightly less young. But it wasn't really my "thing". I was out of it before the military shooter really took root. I'm probably the closest thing to a non-gamer that you're going to see in your audience.

And honestly, the anticipation was substantially worse than the video. I've seen so many vile things on live news and in real life that an actual death... eh, some discomfort but that's it. The excessive warnings completely oversold it.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't really notable. Perhaps I did get desensitized, but if I did it happened after I stopped gaming.

 

[Atary77]

Not so fun fact: This happened on my fifth birthday since I was born on January 22nd 1982. Yeah... shocked and disturbed.

 

[Eruanno]

Huh, I didn't expect to feel anything after hearing Jim explain what he was going to show. As the clip started, I figured it didn't look so bad, and then he pulled up the gun and I was prepared for what was going to happen... and I still twitched and shouted "OH FUCK" out loud at the actual deed. Well. Guess I'm not completely desensitized either.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

I've got to the admit that I was feeling uneasy just hearing Jim describe what was about to happen and the actual footage I've found to be one most chilling things I've seen. A great point made Jim, real life violence is neither entertaining or glorified.

 

[1nfinite_Cros5]

I am sick to death of outlets blaming games for the disturbed and mentally ill people who make school shooting news. It's as if they think games, movies, comics, and music all had a hand in the death of innocent people. The NRA in particular. To quote Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade: "It's a very odd sort of patriot that would destroy the First Amendment to protect the Second."

 

[UNHchabo]

That's really harsh Cynik; I disagree with him too, but that's no reason to rail on him like that.

People can be afraid of guns without being "just a child". In some cases it can be due to a traumatic personal experience, or just due to a lack of exposure. For anyone who only sees guns in the hands of criminals, it's not that irrational to see guns as tools of the criminal.

The way to fix that is to be a good example of a peaceful gun owner, not to call people names. I'm reporting you myself.

Edit: Fixed typo.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Bravo. Honestly. Bravo.

I'd forward it to my fairly alarmist mother who's somehow convinced that in order to prevent violent shit from happening, all forms of violent shit have to be excised from ALL media. Problem is, she has trouble with some levels of English and some accents. Being from rural Quebec, she's never had to hear a British guy established in the southern States speak. About two thirds of the content would fly right over her head.

Makes me wish we could have a transcription option for videos. I'd totally take some time to subtitle the entire thing if I could.

That said, this was one of the best Jimquisitions ever.

Edit: as far as guns go, I'm terrified of the things. I have a handful of American friends who consider conversation-openers to be forwarded links to this or that tank-buster or one-shot elephant killer, and who then proceed to gush about how freaking awesome it must be to fire that kind of piece.

That just chills me, honestly. My uncle owns a hunting rifle and I treat it like it's radioactive material. If I moved to the States, I'd be the weirdo who flat-out refuses to own a gun.

Closest thing to a piece I've handled is a Laser Tag pistol, so... Yeah.

 

[Feylynn]

A point very well made.

I'm not deeply disturbed by the footage but I recognize it as disturbing. I possess at minimum an inclination to not watch the footage a second time as I did not enjoy seeing it.
That is an incredible number of steps away from the video game parody of violence where I go out of my way to make sure I'm removing every limb in Dead Island and Fallout NV.
When it isn't real violence sure burning things is a grand old time, I get called a pyromaniac all the time for my excellence and enthusiasm about Fire Mages in World of Warcraft, and some other games as well.

I've seen a video of a bunch of stupid kids lighting a dog on fire.
That is not the same thing.
It is not even similar.

 

[kajinking]

I actually watched my father commit suicide when I was 16 in pretty much the same exact manner as the footage Jim played (BTW thanks for the warning).

I'm a very avid gamer who has played literally thousands of hours of various violent videogames starting at GTA 3 when I was 8 and most recently Farcry 3 and Skyrim. Even after all those games that footage was hard to watch with me zooming out and even scrolling the page up and down several times when it was playing.

According to the NRA my years and years of playing videogames should have made me desenatized to it but Jim is right by all accounts. In videogames I've killed thousands of people and only remember those who died in a special manner, when you see someone die in real life even if it's only video like this you always remember it.

There is a weight to seeing a actual human die, to truly know that someone's life is ending, that no known form of media can ever hope to replicate to the point where it doesn't affect you.

 

[TheSteeleStrap]

I saw the pre-Escapist episode, so I pretty much knew what was coming, especially when I saw that age verification. It was disturbing then, and it's disturbing now. The point is valid.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

That was, quite simply, brilliant. One of the simplest, best, and most pointed demonstrations of exactly why an apparently self-evidently false argument is wrong.

Bravo Jim Sterling. Bravo.

 

[sbutler1]

I'd heard about the Budd Dwyer thing because it happened the day I was born, but never saw the footage. It's shocking even when you know what's coming.
Another very well done episode Jim.

 

[Igen]

Just my two cents some where deep in the comments.

I skipped the footage. I don't think I can bring myself to watch it. In my mind there is a sharp difference between this footage and what I experience in games. I have played several violent games, of which the mass media claims should have made me the next "Americas most violent." In a game I have no problem killing the bad guy or shooting at those that are shooting back. But to actually cause real harm... I dislike it and avoid it. My aunt once asked me to kill her pet rat, a mercy kill. The rat had a tumor half its body weight. I took the rat outside, let it enjoy a few minutes of sunlight and fresh air, then ended it with a hatchet to the neck. Quick and clean. To this day I still feel guilt and sorrow over ending its life. A rat, that most people wouldn't even think twice about ordering its death. The rat was obviously in pain because of the tumor, and the tumor was wrapped around its spine. A quick death was an act of mercy. I still am troubled by my act of mercy... I still play games like battlefield, amnesia, etc. And I will probably continue to play violent games. But to this day, real violence and harm breaks my heart.

EDIT: It was also my first time meeting the rat, I had no history with it. So to me it was just a rat.

 

[Zeraki]

Yeah I had to turn my head away from the actual footage there. I learned my lesson when I saw the raw footage of the little girl in China who got run over twice a few years ago. I was shaking for a good hour after that, and was in a very gloomy mood for the next two days. Even now I've got a pit in my stomach and I didn't even watch the actual suicide... I just listened.

Still from what I did watch this was a very good episode, with a very good message behind it. And I agree with you Jim. For someone like me who plays a lot of "violent" games, real violence is something I really would not like to see. My father used to be a heavily active volunteer firefighter... and some of the shit he's seen is just beyond my comprehension.

 

[Gallium]

Too often I have wandered into a modern art exhibit (for my sins) and confronted by the work of some hack who decides that shock is the way to make his pile of corrugated cardboard and masking tape "art". This will usually be the use of unedited war footage and photographs. The result is cheapens any argument the artist is trying to make, it also cheapens the images and events that are used.

So with that, I tip my hat to both Jim and the Escapist for running this video. This is how shock should be used. Thank you.

(As a "keeps himself to himself" 29 year old raised by television and computer games my exact reaction was that horrible bit in my stomach when you experience something truly disturbing)

 

[UNHchabo]

Eh... I don't remember Jim saying it's wrong to own a firearm. I remember him saying you should be afraid of them, and rightly so. I don't live in the US, and personally, I feel if you own a gun you are mad... ...perhaps not literally so, but it's still not something I'm comfortable with. I imagine Jim meant that you need to be 'afraid' of guns in the same sense as religious people are meant to be 'afraid' of their resident deity - that a gun or deity is powerful, and dangerous.

I took the wording another way; Jim said we should be "terrified" of guns. To me that means more fear than that brought on by simple "healthy respect", which I think is appropriate when dealing with firearms.

Most people, when they first learn to drive, are afraid of everything, and don't like going anywhere near the speed limit. Over time you become more competent, and more comfortable, with having that kind of responsibility. Nobody should ever get complacent with that responsibility, but far more people do with cars than guns.

I own firearms not because I am a violent person, but to defend myself and my family from the violent people in the world. If I ever had to defend myself, I believe that I would feel terrible about it, but I feel it's necessary in order to prevent evil people from using violence to achieve their desired goals.

 

[Crazy_Dude]

Was wondering why there was an age verification at the start. Never heard of this clip before, it was quite shocking and disturbing to watch a man die.

Needless to say you make an excellent point in this Jimquisition. I am getting tired of the media blaming video games and movies for violence. And the NRA still trying to justify their gun laws after multiple tragic shooting this year. It just makes me sick.

 

[barbzilla]

Desensitized to Violence

Description: Warning -- Contains graphic content. If you don't want to see disturbing Internet things, skip the footage starting at 1:20 and ending at 1:49.
As the mainstream news media continues to revel in the Sandy Hook shootings, its pundits point at the finger at videogames for reveling in digital violence. If you believe these hypocrites, your gaming hobby makes you cold and indifferent to scenes of death and destruction. If you believe the Jimquisition - and you should, for its word is law - you'll know that's bollocks.

Watch Video

First off;
Thank you Escapist managers for allowing Jim to show this footage. Without the full impact of the footage the point would not have been made.

Secondly:
Jim Sterling, thank god for you. You have managed to show the same proof I've been using in my local community for quite some time. I have been using the hospital trauma ward to show the difference between being desensitized to media violence and real violence. I first discovered this link in my life. I have been an avid video gamer since I was 6 years old, meanwhile my first choice for profession was medical field. This was, of course, prior to any experience. Well I started working in a hospital at 18 years old (got the job because my mom was the nurse manager). I took 6 months and learned all I could about heart waves and obtained a certification in cardiac telemetry.

The hospital placed me in the telemetry station at my local trauma center. The first time I saw a patient come in with half of his head missing, I vomited. Me, the guy who plays violent and gruesome video games for 4+ hours a day. On top of all the violent action and horror movies I watch. I spilled my lunch all over the floor and had to excuse myself from work. I thought that I would get over it, but I didn't. I ended up having to resign from the hospital and move on to the IT field.

My mother on the otherhand is completely desensitized to the real gore, while she can't handle fake gore. My mother had to walk out of braveheart because of the graphic nature of the film. So the reverse is also true, same deal with violence. People who live violent life styles will become desensitized to it, but not those living peacefully.

Anyway, the point is thank god for you Jim Sterling.

 

[MB202]

I remember an old Jimquisition episode that dealt with the same thing, back before he joined The Escapist. In fact, he used the exact same footage of the politician shooting himself (although it appears to be much more blurry this time around), and I'll admit, I was very, VERY disturbed when I first saw that... It's nice to fall back on this argument since the issue's become relevant again.

Not to mention, this is the second time I had to verify my age to watch a Jimquisition episode... Not to mention, the age verification system was specifically made for Jim's one episode. He's just causing all sorts of trouble!

Edit: HOLY FREAKING CRAP, my YouTube comment is in this video! I'm Rubberman202!

 

[flarty]

It at least affected you on a negative level. I'm willing to bet those that don't find it disturbing have already been desensitized by some *other* form of vile real-life content. The Internet's pretty full of that stuff!

I wasn't really shocked, but after reading the wiki on the mans life i felt an over whelming sense of sadness, especially for the wife and children he left behind.

Whilst you raise some very good points, i think you could of easily argued against the desensitization of gamers by providing your favorite game of the past year as an example. The walking dead was the hit it was because it made gamers feel a whole lot of emotions for fictional characters, and people should be able to acknowledge that there is a difference in being desensitized and being incapable of being empathetic.

I suppose the point i was trying to make is the majority of violence in video games give you nothing to emphasize with. Making the violent encounters nothing but mindless fun. We all know this is the exact opposite in reality.