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Violent Games Good for Kids

fjordboy writes "Scholars from MIT, the University of California in LA, and the University of London have worked together to oppose laws restricting children from playing violent video games. The battle is currently taking place in the US Court of Appeals and the case seems to hold a decent amount of merit. From Vnunet:"Experts on childhood and adolescence have long recognised the importance of violent fantasy play in overcoming anxieties, processing anger, and providing outlets for aggression." Similar article from Reuters as well."

16 of 350 comments (clear)

  1. So that's what's wrong with me by principio · · Score: 5, Funny

    I knew I should have spent more time playing video games and less time studying.

  2. Whew! by JUSTONEMORELATTE · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sure the folks over at The Army are glad to hear this one!

  3. They are right by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They havn't warped me.

    --Inmate # 1268358 Walla Walla State Pen., WA

  4. Don't believe it? by FreshMeat-BWG · · Score: 5, Funny
    For anyone who doesn't believe this: Sit through a two-hour long meeting with a manager and then go play twenty minutes of GTA3.

    Feeling better aren't you?

    Good for kids and adults!

    1. Re:Don't believe it? by GigsVT · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sit through a two-hour long meeting with a manager and then go play twenty minutes of GTA3.

      That could be dangerous if you aren't allowed to play games at work like 99.9% of people. Imagine sitting in said 2 hours meeting, getting all riled up for GTA3, then having to drive home before you can play. :)

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
  5. When I was a kid... by kbielefe · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I was a kid I released my agression by chopping wood and mowing lawns. Nothing like violently chopping the heads off of 1 million blades of grass to relieve stress.

    --
    This space intentionally left blank.
  6. Murderer ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    And I begged, "Angel of the Lord, what are these tortured screams?" And the angel said unto me, "These are the cries of the carrots, the cries of the carrots! You see, Reverend Maynard, tomorrow is harvest day and to them it is the holocaust."
  7. Violent games do not exist by Slashdolt · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I used to play chess, I would often find myself getting very angry. I'm generally a fairly passive person, but when playing chess, I would just plain get mad. In fact, I would sometimes get so mad that I felt like hitting someone, but I never did.

    Anyway, that's somewhat beside the point. "Violent" implies that you are doing something to someone. Nobody gets hurt when I sit down and play "Return to Wolfenstein" on my computer. No real Nazis die. My health doesn't deteriorate, and I generally don't even eat any real chicken dinners while playing. When I play a videogame that simulates violence, I often find myself relieved of lots of stress built up over the workday. When I play chess, I get really stressed and want to hurt people.

    Obviously, chess is bad, and games with simulated violence are good.

  8. Dennis Leary Had it Right by EverlastingPhelps · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Crying and mowing the lawn at the same time! How's that for therapy? 'Geez, the Leary kid is in therapy again -- their lawn looks great!'"

  9. Re:Single validation not enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's always the damn ninja's isn't it, well, what about our feelings... You think it's easy to put on the black mask and never get any recognition for our work!!!!

    Damn you ninja throwing star movies, and damn your pat moraito(sp?).

  10. Computer games has no effects on people !!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Computer games don't affect kids.
    If Pac Man affected us as kids, we would all be running around in
    darkened rooms, munching pills, and listening to repetitive music.

  11. NEIN! by Sj0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    NO!

    One should only supress emotions such as anger and hatred, so they can stoke a fire inside you, rather than making you look angry, until you destroy the world in a fit of rage! DEATH TO INFIDELS!!! DEATH TO NON INFIDELS!!! Oh. I feel better now. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    Supression, not control, is the answer!

    Ask me, three time serial-killer killcount award winner SJ Zero!

    --
    It's been a long time.
  12. that's right by fredopalus · · Score: 1, Funny

    Otherwise you would have kids running around with rocket launchers all the time. Where they would get them from, I don't know.

    --
    Jonahweb.com has stuff.
  13. Violent games are clearly bad for kids. by MongooseCN · · Score: 3, Funny

    If my kid Tommy needs to take his aggression out, I don't want him taking it out on video games. It's far better for him to take it out on his classmates, friends and neighbors dog. Actually the neighbors dog isn't around any longer since Tommy got his last test back, so it will have to be his friends and classmates.

  14. Re:I get strange impulses... by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 2, Funny
    I used to go snowboarding after playing SSX, too.

    Then I learned how hard it is to play SSX while in traction.

  15. good ! bad ! good ! bad ! good ! bad ! by stud9920 · · Score: 2, Funny

    RPG bad !
    No, RPG good !
    videogames bad !
    No, videogames good !
    Napster bad !
    No, Napster good !

    HEY, TEACHERS, LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE !