Ten Years Later: Videogames Not Responsible for Columbine

[Johnn Johnston]

They did it with Rock n Roll music, then D&D, then back to music with Marlyn Manson, then video games, and the next scapegoat I believe will be Facebook-style social networking, or the iPhone.

It's already happening. A headline in today's (technically yesterday's - the 15[sup]th[/sup]) Daily Mail: "Twitter 'makes children immoral'". It goes on to say that "celebrities such as Johnathan Ross and Russell Brand use Twitter", proving that not only are they still technophobes who cannot let even the most minor scandal past and let it go, but they also see a correlation between a series of messages left on an answering machine and Twitter.

They did it with Rock n Roll music, then D&D, then back to music with Marlyn Manson, then video games, and the next scapegoat I believe will be Facebook-style social networking, or the iPhone.

you forgot about the number one cause of school shootings, TV and watching saturday morning cartoons!

Arguably, the number one "cause" of all mass shootings is TV news coverage of mass shootings. Of course, no TV news coverage would ever report that...

-- Steve

Because if they did, they would be the cause of TV news coverage of TV coverage, and they would promptly disappear in a cloud of meta and logic.

 

[IrrelevantTangent]

Wow, because the so-called experts fueled by the right-wing pundits declaring video games to be responsible for Columbine using the logical fallacy of association had so much concrete proof and credibility to begin with?

 

[oktalist]

"At the time, Columbine became a kind of giant national Rorschach test,"

Quoted for (poetic) truth.

 

[Teh_Doomage]

Common Sense isn't so common anymore.....

 

[scotth266]

Well, at least someone actually bothered to do some research at some point, and realized that these kids were already WAY out there before the videogames got pulled in.

 

[Zydrate]

Took them ten years to figure this out?

Lovely.

 

[Meta Like That]

Fistful of Fail.

 

[skorpion352]

I think violent video games are a way to let out stress, except in the form of virtual bullets into monsters.

this. i have no job so i have lto of spare time on my hands. and with this damn recession on finding one is damn near impossible without 10 year degrees and 20 years experience. so in between surfing the job sites and reading the job adds in my local paper i play games on my ps3 and my pc. i in no way feel inclined to shoot anyone in real life cause when im playing my games, all my troubles dissapear. video games are probably the only reason im not living in a mental hospial cause without them, i think i would have gone insane by now (well some of my gaming mates say im crazy, but not the kind that would land me in the nut house).

i personally think that guys like jack thompson got kicked out of arcades and tabletop game clubs back in the 80's and are now taking that anger out on us video gamers by blaming video games for anything that goes wrong, heck, im surpriced they didnt try blaming video games for 911

 

[dagens24]

Finally evidence comes out that supports what the rational world has known from the get go. Violent video games don't lead kids to kill, they lead psychotic kids who are prone to killing to kill.

If there was a world wide ban on talking about suicide and we got rid of all information on it would suicide rates drop? Yes, without a doubt. But should we live our lives like this? Where we don't aknowledge depression or violence because it could lead to more of it? No, life is harsh and brutal, we make the best of it and try to see the positives.

Fucked up kids will always find a way to break our hearts. If videogames or violent movies didn't then something else, even time itself, would.

 

[theSovietConnection]

I wish the media would stop jumping on the correlation=cause bandwagon. Just because violent people play videogames doesn't always mean that videogames create violent people. As far as that goes, if we're going to ban something just because of correlation, why hasn't anyone brought up the one universal thing all school shooters have in common, school?

[sarcasm]

It's a guarantee banning school would put an end to school shootings

[/sarcasm]

 

[Maruza]

Get your facts straight Escapist. This is news is about 10 years old.

 

[Computer-Noob]

I think violent video games are a way to let out stress, except in the form of virtual bullets into monsters.

this. i have no job so i have lto of spare time on my hands. and with this damn recession on finding one is damn near impossible without 10 year degrees and 20 years experience. so in between surfing the job sites and reading the job adds in my local paper i play games on my ps3 and my pc. i in no way feel inclined to shoot anyone in real life cause when im playing my games, all my troubles dissapear. video games are probably the only reason im not living in a mental hospial cause without them, i think i would have gone insane by now (well some of my gaming mates say im crazy, but not the kind that would land me in the nut house).

i personally think that guys like jack thompson got kicked out of arcades and tabletop game clubs back in the 80's and are now taking that anger out on us video gamers by blaming video games for anything that goes wrong, heck, im surpriced they didnt try blaming video games for 911

Actually, I think they blamed Flight Simulator. I don't think there was any evidence that it was used, they just blamed it because it was a possibility.


We dont ban stuff like Tylenol because you can swallow 4 containers and die from overdose. Why? Medicinal effects. Video games provide solid entertainment for many people around the world. And it remains solid entertainment when they take it in moderation, and when they understand to not bring their games to real-life.

Edit:QFT

 

[TheIr0nMike]

From the University of NoKidding, comes another report on things a two-year-old could figure out.

My question would be, who actually thought video games had anything to do with Columbine. Please raise your hand so we can slap you.

They did it with Rock n Roll music, then D&D, then back to music with Marlyn Manson, then video games, and the next scapegoat I believe will be Facebook-style social networking, or the iPhone.

I got $50 on 4chan.

 

[Ashbax]

i personally think that guys like jack thompson got kicked out of arcades and tabletop game clubs back in the 80's and are now taking that anger out on us video gamers by blaming video games for anything that goes wrong, heck, im surpriced they didnt try blaming video games for 9/11

Actually, I think they blamed Flight Simulator. I don't think there was any evidence that it was used, they just blamed it because it was a possibility.

yeah your right, they said terrorists were using flight simulator to 'Practice' so that why they took away the plane explosions in the newer versions, but remember before videogamesgot enough attention for people to blame them? they were blaming Music, and tv, the world just wants someone, or something, to blame, just so they feel better, dont bother trying to stop the worlds dumber people doing this, its about as easy as telling duke nukem hes a prick without getting your head ripped off and your neck shat down. and anyway, videogames ten years ago were too primitive to inspire real shootings, even if they are considered 'Classics'

 

[Elf Defiler Korgan]

A little late, the damage was done long ago. Yet the growing popularity of games, and the fact they don't turn people into psychopaths will inevitably shape the debate. Yet until actual exposure, people can believe such nuttery that playing a violent video game unleashes the inner barbarian. Many will happily deny agency in others, yet expose them to it, and then ask them if it made them violent? Might get a little light going on in their brains.

Gah more psychological theories on how we have so little control, once exposed to stimuli that drive us supposedly bonkers. Determinism is such nonsense. Who here has enjoyed a good mêlée in game, and then gone and hacked someone apart with random sharp implement? No correlation.

 

[Computer-Noob]

i personally think that guys like jack thompson got kicked out of arcades and tabletop game clubs back in the 80's and are now taking that anger out on us video gamers by blaming video games for anything that goes wrong, heck, im surpriced they didnt try blaming video games for 9/11

Actually, I think they blamed Flight Simulator. I don't think there was any evidence that it was used, they just blamed it because it was a possibility.

yeah your right, they said terrorists were using flight simulator to 'Practice' so that why they took away the plane explosions in the newer versions, but remember before videogamesgot enough attention for people to blame them? they were blaming Music, and tv, the world just wants someone, or something, to blame, just so they feel better, dont bother trying to stop the worlds dumber people doing this, its about as easy as telling duke nukem hes a prick without getting your head ripped off and your neck shat down. and anyway, videogames ten years ago were too primitive to inspire real shootings, even if they are considered 'Classics'

They can blame video games all they want, but what exactly do they plan on doing? Banning them all? Do they have ANY idea what will happen to global markets? The world's economy is shit as it is. Last thing we need is something as unpredictable as billions of worldwide sales vanishing into thin air. Whats next? The sun causes skin cancer, so we try to blow it up?

For the "video games ten years ago were too primitive" comment, It mostly depends on the time. There are some games that were made before doom that are just plain awful, and not just in gameplay.

 

[Lord_Panzer]

A resounding "Gee, really?"

 

[Pimppeter2]

Wait people who go on mass killing sprees have phycological products

 

[ShadowKirby]

Let me break the mold and make a comment that is not "duh, really".

I am quite surprised to see it had nothing to do with bullying. It was the most evident option for most and now it seems we were wrong. I mean, sure it's easy to say it was psychological, but what are the causes and early symptoms of such psychological conditions are really important to know so we can avoid such events in the future.

But yeah, damn psychologist trying to figure stuff out, they should do something useful like play WoW..........

Also, a bit off topic but is it me or most gamers are paranoid. Gaming sites report sordid stories more or less related to games more often than most media and 90% of the comments are "OMG Fox is gonna spin that story", almost like you want them to spin the story so you can ***** more about something. I'm not defending Fox or anything but let's face it, mass media care as much about video game as they care about books or paintings.

 

[balimuzz]

i am so sick of this whole argument over whether or not videogames ever have something to do with school shootings. NO!!! anyone who shoots up a school has a whole host of issues that have nothing to do with video games. im glad to see that this has come to light finally (albeit, a little late, considering it allowed the rise of Jack Thompson). i hope that people are starting to grow out of this fear of video games, and the fear that they are causing kids to shoot up schools. it is an irrational fear, and it is one that i hope to not have to come across again.