Majority of Americans Believe Games Contribute to Violence
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
Well, that's new. I never thought a topic on a discussion forum could smell of malt shakes and old jukeboxes...
Yeeaah. I'm not surprised. Gaming is still a young medium. What we need is for some of us to make it to Congress or the Parliament (if you're Canadian) and start changing outlooks there. Most gamers are anywhere between 25 to 35 years old, nowadays, with a sizable few hailing from even earlier in the medium's history. Little by little, we're integrating the political system.
It'll take time, but this will eventually fade away the same way the outcry against Rock music faded away.
Yeeaah. I'm not surprised. Gaming is still a young medium. What we need is for some of us to make it to Congress or the Parliament (if you're Canadian) and start changing outlooks there. Most gamers are anywhere between 25 to 35 years old, nowadays, with a sizable few hailing from even earlier in the medium's history. Little by little, we're integrating the political system.
It'll take time, but this will eventually fade away the same way the outcry against Rock music faded away.
Far more americans believe in far dumber things, 58% is surprisingly low considering the major news networks (Not just Fox) continue to talk down to gamers and speak like games are still a kids toy.
The worst part of this article is the part where the parents rip on the ESRB, ignorance of studies relating to video game violence is one thing but the fact that basically all kids with M games were supplied by their parents really gets me.
I was at a Gamestop recently, and there was a mother and a boy, I am not good at guessing ages but my guess is that he was single digits of age. He and his mom walked in to preorder what ever Call of Duty was coming out at the time.
I was ten when I first played an M game, it was at my older brother's friends house and it was GTAIII. The violence really bothered me, I had a couple nightmares and I didn't play another M game until I was a teenager. This is the only scenario I can think of where a kid could play an M game without their parent's approval. I knew I wasn't supposed to play the game and I learned my lesson. So yes, some kids can play M games without their parent's knowledge. However, that applies to anything, minors always break the rules, its part of childhood. I haven't met a parent who blames the beer companies for not regulating beer properly when their son comes home from a highschool party drunk. Probably because the parents have the same beer in their fridge
I think this way of thinking will die with any pre-80's generation. Parents who play the violent games will know they aren't appropriate for their kids and therefore will be less likely to give them to them. The current generation of parents wants the digital babysitter of video gaming without researching who they are inviting in to their home.
The worst part of this article is the part where the parents rip on the ESRB, ignorance of studies relating to video game violence is one thing but the fact that basically all kids with M games were supplied by their parents really gets me.
I was at a Gamestop recently, and there was a mother and a boy, I am not good at guessing ages but my guess is that he was single digits of age. He and his mom walked in to preorder what ever Call of Duty was coming out at the time.
I was ten when I first played an M game, it was at my older brother's friends house and it was GTAIII. The violence really bothered me, I had a couple nightmares and I didn't play another M game until I was a teenager. This is the only scenario I can think of where a kid could play an M game without their parent's approval. I knew I wasn't supposed to play the game and I learned my lesson. So yes, some kids can play M games without their parent's knowledge. However, that applies to anything, minors always break the rules, its part of childhood. I haven't met a parent who blames the beer companies for not regulating beer properly when their son comes home from a highschool party drunk. Probably because the parents have the same beer in their fridge
I think this way of thinking will die with any pre-80's generation. Parents who play the violent games will know they aren't appropriate for their kids and therefore will be less likely to give them to them. The current generation of parents wants the digital babysitter of video gaming without researching who they are inviting in to their home.
Totally agree.MiskWisk said:
However with that small poll in mind, what I get out of these findings is that parents are still uninformed about content in games, despite measures such as the ESRB ratings system. Is there a way that we (or the games industry) can put together a massive education initiative for this very purpose? At this point, I think that's the best option we've got.
Huh I thought the US had a population of over 315 million, but it turns out there are only 2278 Americans living there. No wonder immigration is such an issue 
Yeah what more can you say, a limited study that shows that a small number of people are poorly informed about violence and videogames.
Yeah what more can you say, a limited study that shows that a small number of people are poorly informed about violence and videogames.
I'd like to point out that the people that take these surveys are the dregs of the country as they have nothing better to do while the rest of us hang up on them.
I personally find the posts in this thread amusing as they are the first to hide when their own countries post polls of what their stupid people find important. Human stupidity is absolute, not national, the only difference is that the world apparently has nothing better to do then watch what America is doing in the realm of opinion polls.
I personally find the posts in this thread amusing as they are the first to hide when their own countries post polls of what their stupid people find important. Human stupidity is absolute, not national, the only difference is that the world apparently has nothing better to do then watch what America is doing in the realm of opinion polls.
Video Games are part of American culture. America's culture is very violent. Denying that our culture influences our youth is foolish. Maybe you Escapists posters are all the exception but denying it is the mark of a fanboy. Before you try to slam me as some kind of anti-gamer know that this is a symptom of our culture in general, not specific to video games.
No. It's the same America that gave Bush a second term. Seriously, fuck my country's populace sometimes.WhiteTigerShiro said:
Not this time, though. I mean, I understand you can't sample everybody, but they are drawing conclusions from .0008% of the population. That...is pathetic.
Thank you for being one of the only few people to notice that the SAMPLE SIZE is amazingly small and honestly this is just ANDY doing more sensationalist journalism again.MiskWisk said:
I am getting really sick of him misrepresenting information in titles. It should read something like, In a recent poll of 2278 people, 58% believe game violence contributes to violence.
Instead we get this sensationalist garbage that frankly makes me not want to visit the escapist. If Jim sterling or yatzee ever leave the escapist I would be hard press to come back.
/angry rant
Really? Because it seems like the majority of Americans are the ones who play video games.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0318/Video-game-nation-Why-so-many-play
In short, I don't buy it.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0318/Video-game-nation-Why-so-many-play
In short, I don't buy it.
Id be interested to see who was polled. If its certain groups i can see why this came out this way.
and to be honest, I agree I dont think the ESRB keeps m rated games outof kids hands cause parents by them for their kids and then blame the ESRB for themselves not reading the box or caving in to a child crying.
EDIT: for the people saying that this was a small number, yeah, thats the point. its called a sample. Of the 300+ million people living in the US right now, how many of those are people under legal age, or under reasonable age to poll (say 13 or less). Probably a good portion. So even taking them out, you then have to send a survey to everyone, and how many people actually do them (or even see them if its electronic and it just goes straight to spam). this is what tehy could/wanted to afford. it would just be better if tehy said 58% of people polled believe video games cause violence and all those other questions, not make a blanket statement.
and to be honest, I agree I dont think the ESRB keeps m rated games outof kids hands cause parents by them for their kids and then blame the ESRB for themselves not reading the box or caving in to a child crying.
EDIT: for the people saying that this was a small number, yeah, thats the point. its called a sample. Of the 300+ million people living in the US right now, how many of those are people under legal age, or under reasonable age to poll (say 13 or less). Probably a good portion. So even taking them out, you then have to send a survey to everyone, and how many people actually do them (or even see them if its electronic and it just goes straight to spam). this is what tehy could/wanted to afford. it would just be better if tehy said 58% of people polled believe video games cause violence and all those other questions, not make a blanket statement.
Lets see here, sensationalist bordering on dishonest title, horribly moronic study with no info given about the composition of the (far too small) sample size, comments instantly devolve into "huurrr americunts" hmmmmm
To be fair, statistics, REAL statistics as in the crunching of numbers and the use of complex algorithms, can say a lot of things about a population sample. Granted, I'm skeptical of things like data analytics when it comes to things like business (past performance isn't a guarantee of future potential, etc.), but when it comes to simple yes/no questions I think there's an element of truth.GAunderrated said:
Remember, even if it were true, that still doesn't mean that people are necessarily right, it's just what they believe. I wouldn't metaphorically shoot the messenger here. I kind of wish they had asked another question in parallel, such as 'Do you believe the moon landing was faked?', or 'Do you believe Obama is an American citizen?'. THAT would have been eye opening.
Ah sensationalist journalism. Did you wake up and read the National Enquirer today?
Justify why apartheid only ended nine years ago in your country. Go!Azex said:
Who did they survey again? The parents who say they're responsible, but don't even look at the box that lil' Timmy is holding up that "Blood and Tits 4: Murder Simulator" when they buy it for them?
Or, Was is the daily audience of sensationalist news channels like Fox or MSNBC? The networks that focus on a few second sex scene that was censored in an M rated game. All because they know ratings will go way up for something about a supposedly controversial game even if it was meant for adults.
As a US citizen, I know a lot of people here really are stupid. But, There is plenty of decently intelligent people to negate the mass of fools. The problem is the media always pays attention to the idiots far more than smart people. The corporate devils know they can sway their opinion. Then they use that mass hysteria to prove their (false) point. It's disgusting.
Why don't we stop letting people watch these police and courtroom dramas. There is some dimwits who think that they can use what's said on CSI as legal advice and end sounding like grade schoolers first learning about Social Studies. Or, they think that CPR entails pushing lightly on the chest and breathing mouth to mouth, then paramedics arrive to find out our CPR "expert" could have helped that person in trouble IF they didn't learn Hollywood CPR. Maybe if the government start passing laws restricting games, they should also pass legislation that makes movies and TV depict real live scenarios better or have them state a disclaimer saying something like "The Miranda rights and CPR tactics used in the this program are Bull because the writer couldn't be arsed to do any research. Do not attempt any action seen on this program except for breathing." If they treat the grown audience in one industry like babies; They should do the same to the rest.
Is this entire world full of idiots who can't think for themselves? Or just some of varying levels who make the stupid choice of being lazy and not researching the subject past watching a piece of fiction on screen, with a few really unstable loons out there that would have harmed others anyway and video games or movies just gave them the names and basic demonstration of some weapon choices?
Or, Was is the daily audience of sensationalist news channels like Fox or MSNBC? The networks that focus on a few second sex scene that was censored in an M rated game. All because they know ratings will go way up for something about a supposedly controversial game even if it was meant for adults.
As a US citizen, I know a lot of people here really are stupid. But, There is plenty of decently intelligent people to negate the mass of fools. The problem is the media always pays attention to the idiots far more than smart people. The corporate devils know they can sway their opinion. Then they use that mass hysteria to prove their (false) point. It's disgusting.
Why don't we stop letting people watch these police and courtroom dramas. There is some dimwits who think that they can use what's said on CSI as legal advice and end sounding like grade schoolers first learning about Social Studies. Or, they think that CPR entails pushing lightly on the chest and breathing mouth to mouth, then paramedics arrive to find out our CPR "expert" could have helped that person in trouble IF they didn't learn Hollywood CPR. Maybe if the government start passing laws restricting games, they should also pass legislation that makes movies and TV depict real live scenarios better or have them state a disclaimer saying something like "The Miranda rights and CPR tactics used in the this program are Bull because the writer couldn't be arsed to do any research. Do not attempt any action seen on this program except for breathing." If they treat the grown audience in one industry like babies; They should do the same to the rest.
Is this entire world full of idiots who can't think for themselves? Or just some of varying levels who make the stupid choice of being lazy and not researching the subject past watching a piece of fiction on screen, with a few really unstable loons out there that would have harmed others anyway and video games or movies just gave them the names and basic demonstration of some weapon choices?