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Violent Games 'Almost' As Dangerous as Smoking
Via Voodoo Extreme, a Reuters report on some very 'interesting' research into violent games. A study out of the University of Michigan has apparently found that 'exposure to violent electronic media' is almost as dangerous to our society as smoking. "'The research clearly shows that exposure to virtual violence increases the risk that both children and adults will behave aggressively,' said Huesmann, adding it could have a particularly detrimental effect on the well-being of youngsters. Although not every child exposed to violence in the media will become aggressive, he said it does not diminish the need for greater control on the part of parents and society of what children are exposed to in films, video games and television programs."
"Get that PSP away from me, I don't want any of your second-hand fragging to endanger my health!"
Yeah. I don't think I'll be hearing that one. Well, maybe from Jack Thompson, but not normal humans.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
They have no right! I'LL KILL THEM ALL!
No, wait...
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
There was this healthy guy I knew that started playing violent games and he got lung cancer!
Think of all those dangerous chemicals that are in games. They should be illegal!
I would think the risk was much higher than that: I died five times just playing the last map in Episode 2.
I swear I'm gonna kill the next person I hear complaining about violence in the media!
If I don't put anything here, will anyone recognize me anymore?
Hmmm, another example of this correlation vs causation confusion. Lead has, certainly, a strong correlation with violence, but does not cause it by itself. Otherwise, this place which was named after lead sulfide should be one of the most violent places in the world.
Let's take a look at some of these and put a more positive, game industry friendly, take on them.
11 percent of males had been convicted of a crime, compared with 3 percent for other males.
We could rephrase this to say that 89% of males who play video games never commit crimes! Where as 97% who don't are just a lot better at not getting caught.
42 percent of males had "pushed, grabbed or shoved their spouse" in the past year, compared with 22 percent of other males.
Sounds bad right? But what about the males that don't have spouses because they spend all their time playing violent video games? Aren't we jumping to conclusions, I'm sure these numbers even out when you consider that.
39 percent of females had "thrown something at their spouse" in the past year, compared with 17 percent of other females.
Well that is just misleading, what exactly did they throw? Maybe it was a pillow.
As you can see these statistics have perfectly reasonable and non game related explanations. There is absolutely no connection between cigaret...I mean games and violence. But our industry is going to do everything to investigate these matters further and invest in ad campaigns to keep kids from picking up the habit of violent games. We can all agree that the children, are our (financial) future.
If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
And to think I was about to stop smoking! Ha, I'll just quit violent video games and call it even.
Too many people were getting killed by second-hand video game playing.
Spelling and grammar mistakes specifically left in to give the grammar and spelling nazis a meaning to their life.