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The Oslo Massacre and Violent Video Games: the Facts
An anonymous reader writes "Media hysteria is once again blaming a real life massacre on violent video games. But looking at every single gaming reference in the Oslo killer's manifesto shows that such accusations are ridiculous. He played games to unwind from plotting and used them to mask his activities."
It's caused by people reading things on the internet but ignoring the true ones.
..You never see THAT headline do you??
Why is this being downgraded to a "massacre" now that we know the perpetrators aren't Muslim?
Call it what it was. It was a terrorist attack. That's a superset of massacre, and it wasn't merely some deranged nut suddenly going off--it was premeditated, and it was for political reasons. But it seems a lot of people are trying to push that under the rug.
The usual silliness.
You might as well blame the wetsuit manufacturer for making the wet suit he was photographed in for a youtube video, as it made him feel too much like James Bond.
The problem is not that he's a violent politically motivated murderer that plays video games.
The problem is that he's a violent politically motivated murderer.
If you play a video game as "training" to commit a violent act in the real world, the game is not the thing making you a violent psychopath, you're already there.
Sometimes I wonder if the reason the media goes after video games has something to do with the fact that they are often in direct competition with each other for the (mostly) finite number of media consumption hours of the average person. I seem to remember the media, at least in the US, seemed to spend an endless time demonizing the internet and focusing on worst-case scenarios back of ID theft, scams, and viruses in the late 90's when they still thought they might snuff it out. I wonder in newspapers and radio engaged in these same tactics in against radio and TV when they were the up and comers?
It appears that radical right wing thought, conspiracy theories, bigotry, and a healthy dose of nationalism is to blame, but god damn that's hard to shorten in to a catchy headline.
"Why are Christians and "right-wingers" being blamed?
I guess you meant to write:
"Why aren't Christians and "right-wingers" being blamed?"
angry Muslims
Angry Muslims? Is that the game where the birds throw themselves at pigs, effectively committing suicide bombings?
(in a perfect world, I wouldn't have to post this anonymously...)
Honestly, I think I've seen more references in the mainstream news of Breivik's religion, politics and manifesto than I have of his preferred entertainment. In fact, the first link in TFS is the first such news story I've seen. Maybe I just don't follow the sorts of news outlets that jump on that anti-game bandwagon.
It might be that games are the default boogeyman in shootings when the killer doesn't give a motive - that explanation is offered when other explanations fail to pan out. When the perpetrator is outspoken about his motives the media doesn't need to invent new ones. In this case, the murderous bastard had an entire freaking manifesto dedicated to telling the world why he did what he did.
Erotic is when you use a feather. Exotic is when you use the whole chicken.
What seems to be happening, typically, is that a number of groups are attempting to disown Breivik. I'm not sure why, as the media and the police have made it pretty clear this guy was a far right extremist, and hardly typical of the moderate right anywhere in Europe. Still, you see Christians nitpicking at his Freemasonry to claim he isn't Christian, conservatives trying to find ways to move him away from any kind of right wing ideology, Norwegians declaring him sort of alien species (despite the fact that there has long been a small right wing and neo-Nazi movement in Norway). I guess that's typical enough, people want nothing to do with this kind of person.
To my mind, and I don't even play a psychiatrist on TV, Breivik seems a very narcissistic type. I mean, this guy went to all the trouble to write a 1,500 page manifesto of his mutterings, make himself uniforms (the picture of him in his neo-Templar uniform is precious), and along with some other nuts (whose doors, I'm assuming, are already being busted down) played a very bizarre private fantasy. The events of a few days ago are sadly where Breivik's private fantasy tragically intersected reality.
It's hard to call the guy insane in the general use of the word. He clearly planned this, and if he did it himself, he's shown no lack of diabolical genius in setting of the bombs then making his way to the island to con a bunch of kids into gathering around him so he could blow them away. There's no denying that's a mad, crazy act, but this guy knew what he was doing. He still hopes, it seems, to use the court as his soap box, and while the judge has deprived of him it for several weeks, eventually this is going to go to court and the Norwegian and international press are going to have to make the hard decisions of how much of this guy's ranting they should report or not. Based upon current reporting, this will be to sensational for them not to repeat his every utterance, and so, at the end of the day, even if they throw Breivik into a deep dark hole and throw away the key, he's accomplished a good deal of what he wanted. He's got the exposure, he's got people of like mind posting all over the place trite messages about how "we deplore the his methods, but what he says makes sense!"
People will compare him to Timothy McVeigh, and to an extent, it does seem that kind of terrorist act, but in some ways Breivik reminds me more of one Colonel Hitler, and I suspect before this is done, every far right culture conservative out there from American white supremacists too Western and Central European neo-Nazis to Serbian racist thugs will be declaring this guy some sort of champion. Polite society certainly will reject him, but the wingnuts, well, he's the perfect poster boy, handsome, dashing and articulately mad.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
His manifesto actually (readily available in english) makes a big deal out of how pretending to have a gaming addiction is really usefull for hiding nefarious activities. He wasn't a gaming addict, he was using it as a cover.
Also, if your media is one of those who kept harping on about this being muslims long after it was clear he was Norwegian you're probably better off without them either (I'm looking at you NY Times). The american coverage of this incident has been pretty much abysmal, and I'm sorry for being able to read english. I wish I couldn't.
However, while his gaming certainly didn't affect him, it's pretty clear that the fact that he was taking a coctail of anabolic steroids did. He even described it himself in his manifesto. To which extent we won't know until later, but we'll figure it out. There's plenty of time, and we have to grieve a bit of first.
Signed
A Norwegian
(Also; Glenn Beck; May you burn in hell)
"" How about taking the safety labels off everything, and let the stupidity-problem solve itself? """
It has been mentioned in the media here in Norway, but it's really not part of the discussion about why he did this. His political beliefs (anti-Islam, anti-Labour Party, etc) is the focus now. In addition to how much of a lunatic this guy really is.
The manifesto is full of details about just about everything, so it's easy to pick one small thing and focus on just that. Remember that this document is something he put together and published before the bomb and shooting, knowing that it would be read trying to find an explanation for what he did. If he expected to die, this was to be his legacy, I guess. So who knows how much of it is true and how much is how he wanted us to look at things.
Its so predictable that some people will blame video games and the media when these things happen It really reminded me of the interview Michael Moore did with Marilyn Manson in Bowling for Columbine I really recommend people rewatch it as its still true now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrHFB2KP8fc Maybe its the way that governments conduct themselves that should have the finger pointed at them before they start with the media - unfortunately its much easier to blame someone or a video game rather than look at a how governments legitimize violence and the effect that this might have.
As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a reference to Godwin's Law approaches 1
Found it. Thanks Wikipedia:
http://www.kevinislaughter.com/wp-content/uploads/2083+-+A+European+Declaration+of+Independence.pdf
In looking for this, I found a Right Wing blog arguing that he was motivated by the belief in Evolution, another blog arguing that he was a liberal Al Queda sypathizer, a liberal blog arguing that he would be a member of the Tea Party if he lived in America and all of them using this 1500 pages of batshit insanity to justify their positions.
i ~ Celebrating Science, Cyberspace, Speculation
Not here in Norway at least.
The facts are, he was a right wing nationalist, conservative christian and idolizing the Knights Templar and the crusades.
This is blinging
2.5% unemployment, 520$ billion dollars stashed away in a goverment fund for later spending, universil healthcare and ridicilously good unemployment benefits (80% of your last salary, available for 100 weeks as long as you're looking for a job). Apart from the odd massacre and a holier-than-thou-attitude we're fine thank you.
"" How about taking the safety labels off everything, and let the stupidity-problem solve itself? """
My gut reaction agrees with you. I'm still flipping through the manifesto and a lot of it reads like what you would hear on Rush Limbaugh for the three hours that slime is on the air every day.
This guy wasn't stupid, and his insanity is of a psychopathic nature, not delusional. He killed all those people in a cold calculated stunt for attention. He's very well read, hates Muslims, hates socialism, hates hip-hop, believes in implementing population control on 3rd-world countries, has an extensive understanding of history that is completely biased, and, most of all, extremely Christian. I can easily see this manifesto being picked up by the militias in the United States and secretly admired as a great work. Scary.
i ~ Celebrating Science, Cyberspace, Speculation
If you believe the internet, Hitler was whatever the opposite of the person posting is. In point of fact, I'm pretty sure he wasn't much of anything. Deeply narcissistic individuals don't do religion, except insofar as they wish others to worship them.
And he did have a cult of personality.
Something similar seems to hold true for most leaders of totalitarian states. If you're The Leader, then you honestly expect others to treat you as either an actual god (see: various historical tyrants), an agent of god (see: absolute monarchs) or an idol (see: Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao, Kim Jong-il, too many others to list). Anything less is disloyalty, and disloyalty is tantamount to treason.
Erotic is when you use a feather. Exotic is when you use the whole chicken.
But let's not fool ourselves that like-minded people are going to look to Breivek's writings the way oodles of self-proclaimed revolutionaries have poured over Mao's Red Book or Hitler's Mein Kampf.
Perhaps not, but they might look to his writings the way people looked at Osama bin Laden's writings. Or Geert Wilder's Fitna. The new European right-wing have constructed a narrative where immigration and Islamification simultaneously represents both an invading army and the ultimate evil to be confronted, and one which the "liberal" governments of Europe are unwilling to fight, leaving brave determined indigenous people as the only resistance.
It is a compelling narrative for people who are that way inclined, and I expect we will be seeing much more violence of this type in the coming decade; the Guardian obtained some illuminating undercover videos of the EDL (who Breivik has been associated with) , which has been called "the most significant far-right street movement in the United Kingdom since the success of the National Front during the 1970s". They have successfully attracted all sorts: skin heads, disenfranchised youths, football hooligans, etc. and are stepping up the game by attacking mosques and planning marches through areas with large numbers of non-whites in an obvious attempt at provoking violence.
The Tea Party sought an alliance with the EDL last year. Oddly, some right-wing Jewish organisations also seem to be supporting the EDL - you'd have thought that encouraging European ethnic-nationalism was a dangerous game for an ethnic minority to play, but apparently they forget history and believe "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".
(Maybe his aversion to "marxism" explains his distancing himself from "national socialism"?)
He distances himself from National Socialism because it is anti-Jewish. In his ideology, Israel is the frontline in a global fight against Islam, and Jews are the foot soldiers. They aren't Christians, and he probably doesn't want them living in Europe, but he's quite happy for them to be fighting his war in the Middle East.
There has been a very odd change in European extremism since 9/11 - the Jews, who were traditionally seen as the underhand enemy, manipulators of the banks, purveyors of the New World Order etc., have been embraced as brothers against Islam. This change isn't universal among extremists, but it is significant. I suspect the switch is purely one of convenience, and if these people were ever to gain power, then the Jews would be removed from Europe shortly after the Muslims and black people.
False equivalency. Whenever these terrorist attacks occur, it's a right-wing terrorist behind them. From the assassination of Dr. Tiller, to the attempted assault on the Tides Foundation, to the attempt to bomb the MLK Day parade in Spokane, to the bombing of a Democratic party primary in Arkansas, to the bombing of a mosque in Jacksonville, to the suicide plane crash into the IRS offices in Austin, to the Hutaree Militia's plans to bomb a police officer's funeral and spark a civil war... and that's just a sample of the attacks in the past two years alone.
When the left-wing eco-terrorists were operating decades ago, then yes, that was also scary and deplorable and turned a lot of people off to the cause of environmentalism. But today, right now, the terrorist attacks are coming from the right-wing, pseudo-libertarians. And they are being encouraged by Fox and Limbaugh and the Republicans, who are constantly on the air, reinforcing the notion that the government is illegitimate and that violent attacks ("second amendment solutions") are acceptable responses. The reason for the hate-mongering is clear - if you whip the masses into a frenzy, they'll get out and vote for you. And if you push some over the edge and they murder people, you can just deny responsibility.
The right-wing has fully embraced terrorism as a means to achieve their goals. And the scary thing is that it's working.
"So that Breivik would have attacked Norway’s liberal Prime Minister and his party is horrifying – but it is therefore not terribly surprising: these are the politicians who, in the name of civil rights and equality, have made most of the concessions."
That sounds very much like blaming the victims... Let's see how that works:
"So that Hitler would have attacked the Jews is horrifying – but it is therefore not terribly surprising: these are the people who, in the name of civil rights and equality, have made most of the concessions."
"So that bin Laden would have attacked the people of New York is horrifying – but it is therefore not terribly surprising: these are the people who, in the name of civil rights and equality, have made most of the concessions."
For some reason, Forbes/Ms. Esman thinks it is reasonable to blame the "liberal" Norwegian victims for an attack in a way that she never would for other groups.
Note also how Abigail R. Esman consistently uses the word "assimilate" rather than "integrate". She and her ilk won't be happy until she is unable to detect that someone has ties to cultures which did not develop in Western Europe. And when that is finally achieved, the crescent moon armbands will be brought in.
Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
They noted he had 3 firearms registered under him: a rifle, a shotgun, and a Glock. They did not use the generic term pistol or handgun like they did with the rifle and shotgun, they specifically mentioned the gun manufacturer. When I saw this, it made me stop and think for a minute.
You're barking up the wrong tree - this is cultural. Glock is the military handgun in Norway. If the rifle had been one used by the Norwegian military or universally known, it would have been named too, not just described as a rifle. Ruger Mini-14 would be meaningless to a Norwegian audience, but in a country with conscription, most people know what a Glock, AG-3 or HK-416 is.
LOL
By killing Jews he did not put himself into conflict with the Christians, 5 min. looking into European history will tell you; Killing Jews is the great Christian pastime.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." - Denis Diderot.
They have successfully attracted all sorts: skin heads, disenfranchised youths, football hooligans, etc. and are stepping up the game by attacking mosques and planning marches through areas with large numbers of non-whites in an obvious attempt at provoking violence.
The EDL can't even muster decent numbers for a march most of the time. Their last effort, the police planned for the claimed 600 marchers, and had to police only 250 EDL members, who were seriously outnumbered by the anti-fascists who'd turned up for a counter-demo.
They've already called off one march through Tower Hamlets, because they'd get slaughtered. I'm sure they'll try to find a face-saving way of pulling out of the one planned for September as well. In much the same way as the KKK might act all big and tough in downtown Podunk, but wouldn't have the nerve to march through Compton, or Harlem; the EDL have most success in places which are predominantly white and working-class.
And yes, I suppose you could call them the most significant far-right movement in the UK, but that's only been because there really haven't been any others for comparison. Nobody takes them seriously, they're not perceived as having any real influence. It offends me that they have attempted to claim the UK flag as somehow 'theirs'. They're not soldiers, and certainly not the Aryan warriors they often present themselves as being. They're shouty morons, fuelled by bad lager and stupidity.
Doesn't everyone play games now? Aren't we reaching the proverbial 'all murderers eat bread' argument by this time?
Yeah. For us in Europe, it ranks second only to killing other Christians.
Christians are eager to mod you up even if your claim has no base in reality. That's so typical of religious folks.
Hitler was Christian in his public life. His mother and father were Catholic, but he personally identified more with teachings of Martin Luther. Maybe this was because Luther had very anti-Jewish views. In his book Von den Juden und ihren Luegen (On the Jews and Their Lies) Luther described jews as:
"base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth."
Seems like Hitler found a soulmate in Luther.
In Mein Kampf Hitler wrote:
" The folkish-minded man, in particular, has the sacred duty, each in his own denomination, of making people stop just talking superficially of God's will, and actually fulfill God's will, and not let God's word be desecrated. For God's will gave men their form, their essence and their abilities. Anyone who destroys His work is declaring war on the Lord's creation, the divine will. "
Those aren't words of an Atheist, are they?