Times Online Points to Games as Motivation for Planned School Attack

[xHipaboo420x]

It might just as well be reported that Bastien played basketball, or that he enjoyed drinking Coke.

But that's not entirely true. Videogames have long been held up by the mainstream press as the primary inspiration behind some of the 20th/21st century's most horrific crimes - Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc. And, whilst it is certainly a gross overreaction, it's not as biased or unfair as you might think. I'm sure I speak for a large cross-section of gamers who get frustrated at games once in a while. I've damned my consoles to the depths of Hades for several eternities, and I'm sure you all have as well.

Now, I'm not suggesting that everyone who can't beat Bowser will immediately take up arms and wreak vengeance on the society that has shunned them so, but in a lot of cases the perpetrators are frustrated, depressed, disillusioned young adults/teenagers, and to come home from a day of social anxiety and disappointment only to be faced with frustration and failure can't help.

Am I say that if these people had just bought a GameShark or something then the murders (or in this case potential murders) wouldn't have happened? No. But I am saying to dismiss the role of violent or frustrating games in the psyche of a killer is as short-sighted as those who lay all the blame at their door.

 

[Phishfood]

Video games don't make people violent. Moronic news "reports" about video games make people violent.

Funilly enough I can't register to post a comment on the story because the server is down. Wonder if that was deliberate, since my comment consists of only two words.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

I was reading the comments for the article, and I am glad to see that nobody thinks there is a connection.

"I'm pretty sure there are no shotguns in World of Warcraft. Now had he gone to school armed with a battle-axe and broadsword, then fair enough."

Nobody in the comments section saw the title as appropriate.

I remember when power ranges was popular back in 1992. Since I was a large fan of the show, my mother showed me a newspaper article. A little girl was beaten to death by two little boys who were influenced by the show and decided to act it out.

 

[Scarecrow21]

what i want to know is how on earth the kid managed to walk out of the house with his fathers shotgun, even though his parents new he wanted to go on a killing rampage and had even called the police about it!!!

(unless they only read the blog after he had walked out with the gun, still what kind of parent doesn't lock those things up safely?)

Seriously, i think the parents should have easily been able to stop all this madness!

 

[Chaossebba]

Indeed, i have played this game for 3 years and ever since i've been haunted by murderous intent.


But more seriously, that has to be the most stupid thing i've read for quite some time now...

 

[Booze Zombie]

I'm sure it has nothing to do with it being a private school or with the preasures of attending said private school.

HE KILLED ORCS, CLEARLY THIS INFLUENCED HIS BEHAVIOR.
ALSO, PLEASE CHECK PAGE 28, I NEED A NEW KEYBOARD, CAPSLOCK PROBLEMS.

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

Hey, I just noticed something. A French kid chickened out. Way to break the stereotype, kid!

Oh thank god, I wasn't the only one to think this.


OT: Eh. Unsurprising.

 

[-Ezio-]

at least the buddhists are on our side. lol [http://www.interfaith.org/2009/09/23/buddhist-leader-expunges-inner-violence-with-video-games/]

 

[AcacianLeaves]

I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that this poor bastard was attending a Catholic private school. Ugh.

It could be worse, it doesn't look like they're actively blaming the game yet - just saying that he is gamer. Which is bad, but not 'ZOMG GAMES MAED HIM A KILLER' bad.

 

[Macgyvercas]

The Middle Ages didn't have orcs??

He must be lying. Next, he's going to tell us there were no dragons, either.

No dragons??? I...I'm sorry, I need to go cry now.

OT: This is utterly pathetic on the wirters part.

 

[Iron Mal]

Every week. Every damn week a story like this comes along. Sooner or later someone's going to do something about these terrible video games they keep hearing about. And it won't be pretty.

I can't wait for a news story about someone murdering a games developer because they were 'protecting the children from those evil influences' (of course, this will also be tied to video games having a corrupting presence).

 

[CD-R]

The Times didn't post my comment. The bastards.

 

[Andronicus]

The incident again raised the question of the influence of violent online games. A boy who described himself as Bastien?s best friend said: ?He always wanted to go into the army. He loved battles. He was passionate about history, warriors. He played video games up to one or two in the morning. I didn?t think that he would be capable of something like this. I don?t think he wanted to harm anyone.?

The kid's friend said he liked battles and was passionate about history, and then completely changed the subject, going on to say he played lots of games. What kind of a segue is that? This is supposedly the source they referenced to make the claim that his actions were influenced by videogames, but it's taken completely out of context. If you ignore the rest of the article about WoW, the actual quote here means nothing. They're two completely unrelated interests. I love videogames, but I'm not particularly interested in wars or battles, and I expect there are plenty of people who love battles but hate games.

So yeah, basically what I'm saying is... this is bad journalism, although I expect anyone with half a brain cell could have figured that one out.

 

[Lt. Vinciti]

Being a Hunter or Rogue helps in Terrorism

 

[AceDiamond]

BTW you are aware that the comments are monitored by a mod right? That any arguement you might pose has to pass through a person who is employed by the site before it posts. Gamers will surely get a fair shake.

I don't think moderation works the way you think it does. It takes less than 2 seconds from the time I hit "Post" for this to appear on the forum. Moderation is done after the fact, not during or before.

 

[squid5580]

BTW you are aware that the comments are monitored by a mod right? That any arguement you might pose has to pass through a person who is employed by the site before it posts. Gamers will surely get a fair shake.

I don't think moderation works the way you think it does. It takes less than 2 seconds from the time I hit "Post" for this to appear on the forum. Moderation is done after the fact, not during or before.

Apparently it does since I signed up and posted a very simple question. I asked what proof the journalist had that his playing a computer game was directly related to the incident. They still won't post my question. It is not a forum. When you post a comment a message pops up saying you comment is being checked by a moderator.

And yes I am fully aware I gave them a hit. I just was reading through the comments which were similar to those here yet no one had asked that question. I guess iknow why now. We mortals dare not question thier journalistic integrity.

 

[Generic_Dave]

How about...

"Dad leaves weapon laying around where teenagers can pick it up and head to school with it..."

Is that not a more pertinent issue?

 

[Azmael Silverlance]

Headline!: Kid enjoys potato chips, kills 5.
*ahem*
Yay, glad to see our beautiful games are still the scapegoat for the 21st century.

ye its so damn annoying. I would love to see headline "A coca cola drinker commited suicide." . . . . how about that :O
Its just the war against games is so un-fair. everybody is out there to get us n our beloved games Need...defence