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Trump's Meeting With The Video Game Industry To Talk Gun Violence Could Get Ugly (washingtonpost.com)
Anonymous readers share a report: President Trump is set to pit the video game industry against some of its harshest critics at a White House meeting on Thursday that's designed to explore the link between violent games [Editor's note: the Washington Post article may be paywalled], guns and tragedies such as last month's shooting in Parkland, Fla. Following the attack at Marjory Stoneman High School, which left 17 students dead, Trump has said violent games are "shaping young people's thoughts." The president has proposed that "we have to do something about maybe what they're seeing and how they're seeing it." Trump has invited video game executives like Robert Altman, the CEO of ZeniMax, the parent company for games such as Fallout; Strauss Zelnick, the chief executive of Take Two Interactive, which is known for Grand Theft Auto, and Michael Gallagher, the leader of the Entertainment Software Association, a Washington-focused lobbying organization for the industry.
Three people familiar with the White House's planning, but not authorized to speak on the record, confirmed those invitees. A spokeswoman for the White House declined to share a full list of participants on Wednesday. ESA confirmed its attendance this week, but the others did not respond to questions. Opposite of them are expected to be some of the video-game industry's toughest critics, including Brent Bozell, the founder of the Parents Television Council, and Rep. Vicky Hartzler, a Republican from Missouri, the three people said. After another shooting -- the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. -- they each called on government to focus its attention on violent media rather than just pursuing new gun restrictions.
Three people familiar with the White House's planning, but not authorized to speak on the record, confirmed those invitees. A spokeswoman for the White House declined to share a full list of participants on Wednesday. ESA confirmed its attendance this week, but the others did not respond to questions. Opposite of them are expected to be some of the video-game industry's toughest critics, including Brent Bozell, the founder of the Parents Television Council, and Rep. Vicky Hartzler, a Republican from Missouri, the three people said. After another shooting -- the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. -- they each called on government to focus its attention on violent media rather than just pursuing new gun restrictions.
Thousands of game journalists have been proclaiming for years there is a link between sexism in games, and sexism in real life. They also constantly whined there were too many violent shooters and so on.
So why would you not expect any non-gamer to read what the game journalists wrote and take it to heart? Trump would seem to be well-aligned with what the press has been saying for years, that games are affecting behavior.
A little late to back out now fellows now that someone you hate has finally listened. Who did you think would listen to you, the game developers that actually have to make money from what they sell?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Like someone else said on the internet:
Real guns = Good
Fake guns = Bad
But in a broader sense, video games are unrealistic. When you get shot in a game, it should cease to work. In fact, it should erase the entire contents of your computer. And delete your social media accounts. You are dead. No more fun stuff.
For some people shot in-game, the software should scramble all your data, making it unreadable. And the game controls should respond slowly, if at all. Just like suffering a traumatic brain injury.
Have gnu, will travel.
The President thinks he's getting good visibility / PR with these free form live discussions where he can say whatever he wants (without following through on anything). I would expect the same with this one as was done with gun session and the dreamers sessions - and expect more of this. Echoing back to the Apprentice and him talking at the board room scenes....he probably really likes this - even if nothing gets done legislatively. He's getting back to being able to be on talk TV again.
Kids have always played variations of cops and robbers, cowboys and indians etc.
The whole "I kill you so I win and you lose" game is as old as our species. We have adapted it into a new kind of entertainment with the same basic premise.
How often do you see kids playing at raping each other compared to shooting imaginary fingerpistols at each other? Yes, even in Europe.
-=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
As an Old Right conservative, I naturally oppose government regulation of video games of any kind.
However, we are a culture of sorts, and cultural changes influence what businesses are willing to offer. In that context only, it might be useful to discuss this issue.
To my mind, the angle of approach should be the combination of gun violence and realistic looking scenarios. All video games are violent and war-like, but those that look most like movies or memories could have a conditioning effect, which our Army has capitalized by offering its own 3D first person shooter.
The effect of such games cannot be viewed outside the context of single-parent families, SSRI use, general lack of faith in society, and the failure of our civilization to have any kind of meaningful social order.
So, while every instinct I have has me wondering WTF Trump is thinking in this case, he might be kickstarting a very valid dialogue.
If realistic video games + gun violence + social disorder + medication + single parent homes = a fertile ground for school shooting, then we have a checklist to address, and one of the points can be how our culture rewards super-violent and realistic-looking video games.
Alternative Right.
The studies are only "lacking" because they didn't come to the conclusion that the Family Research Council wanted to here.
I am still astonished that people who refer to "Crooked Hillary" voted for Trump with a straight face.
People who say "Crooked Hillary" all the time might not have voted for Trump.
They might not even be eligible to vote in US elections.
That fact is only true by cherry picking data. I believe you are referring to 2015 when a series of horrific terrorist attacks occured in France. All other years gundeaths in France are a fraction of the US.
It's also debatable if you should compare organized terrorism to lone gunman type shootings. One is warfare the other a symptom of poor mental health.