Zachary Amaranth said:
I didn't get a poke from you for some reason.
*Shrugs*
It's not a feeling. I've been pretty much watching this so-called phenomenon since the first report way back in the time of the first Mortal Kombat. Even as a kid, I wondered about this and gave it some thought. Granted, as a child, I'm not that deep, but as I grew older, I had to remember all the times with any gaming friends, all the arcades I've been to, all the games I've personally played, all the reports I've seen... And those reports, they just walk into my life. I don't even go looking for
those. People looking to make violence in video games look bad poke their necks out. The point is that I'm not just saying it just because I don't like the idea. I'm saying it doesn't seem to follow.
For it to be true, it must be largely consistant. There doesn't just have to be a handful of cases, but alot of them. I mean, very MUCH alot. There are tons of gamers out there, plenty of people who play these games. Now, games will do weird things. I leaned left and right, jumped up in my seat, and maybe did a few other things while kicking ass in an MK game along with my fighter, but the reason for that would be a fun reaction. You can say that there's an adrenal reaction of
some kind, but it doesn't have to be aggression, and - given that the case of the games conundrum isn't stronger already - I would say that mostly it isn't.
Putting aside the studies that are just trying to look important or actually dishonest, there's probably some here and there that think what they've tested for makes their point. I do not agree because excitement may not be the same thing as aggression here, and is not as dangerous. Games get exciting. People get excited with them. It's only natural. However, the normal response to losing is disappointment, and if there is anger, it's not large anger if you're normal. You see, it's like reacting to people you hate on the internet. If you're seriously losing your shit over this, you're way overdoing it and that's not normal. But the posted snarky or even insulting posts back and forth are not nearly as aggressive as a human can be. I know, because I know in my self what human aggression can be in a real rage.
The kind of overreaction that causes violence is definitely abnormal. Ragequitting and shouting obscenities at the screen is an immediate venting to blow off steam (and quite common), but actually punching someone or something is a different kettle of fish. I don't think those cases, the things people are looking for - which would be actual problems to worry about - are more isolated and have to do with the person. I know this because of a PROPER use of Fermi Paradox. Fermi stated, kind of dickishly, "Where are the aliens?" in this big universe that might support life. I feel like he ignored the obvious answer that it's a big universe and not easy to spot stuff. However, if we asked "Where are all the aggressors?" and focused on the human beings on planet Earth - something we CAN observe - we find that there aren't nearly enough to call this consistant.
Think of all the sore losers and people who shout into microphones. Think of every person on these games who has a bad attitude when playing or might ragequit or whatever. There must be alot of them, because not everybody's fair or decent about these things. It could be said that if there's anybody who is potently going to be an aggressor for some reason, it's them. But uhh...we're not up to our armpits in violent people. Gaming is a serious media moneymaker. Tons of people buy and play stuff. Why aren't ALL the hardcores punching us in the nose? Oh, they might shout a bit, even alot, but they're mostly just hyped. How often do gamers outright slug each other when one wins and the other loses? Surely, this would be something large and traceable, even obvious. It doesn't happen that often, drop in the bucket compared to all the people spending hours playing, year after year, and no real pattern to follow.
The reason is doesn't follow, is the reason that it has never followed. Media doesn't brainwash. TV, radio, games, internet, etc. It doesn't actually change you. It can maybe enhance you, but it's still all you. You are responsible for your own actions. Remember that.