New Studies: Violent Games Cause Violent Behavior In Children

This shouldn't come as a surprise to many, but once again, the anti-game activists should be able to distinguish between children and adults. ...it's doubtful, but we can always hope.

According to FOX News, new studies suggest there is a definite correlation between violent video games and violent behavior in children. The studies have tried to find a way around the previous, and very common, obstacle: how do we know if the games actually made kids violent, or if already-violent kids were the ones who played those games? But thanks to three long-term studies in the U.S. and Japan, we now have evidence that "otherwise peaceable kids" can become more aggressive in school after playing violent games. The results were published in the Pediatrics medical journal, and the results were clear across the board: there was a positive correlation in all three samples, and the difference in American and Japanese culture didn't seem to have any effect.

Again, not surprisingly, the younger kids turned out to be more affected, as children between the ages of 9 and 12 exhibited more aggressive changes than the kids between the ages of 13 and 18. The study concludes very simply: "Playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physically aggressive behavior. The research strongly suggests reducing the exposure of youth to this risk factor." Yes, well...most well-adjusted and intelligent individuals have known this for a while; violent games can have long-term negative effects on children in the same way that violent movies and explicit music can. This is why these entertainment products carry ratings. ...I'm sorry, but isn't all of this just "common sense?" We really need studies to learn that a 10-year-old who plays GTAIV might get into more fights in school and resist authority more? Really?

11/3/2008 Ben Dutka

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NuCl3aR32
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 10:23:06 PM
Reply

If this were to be true i'd be in prison by now. Been playing Resident evil since I was 11, and many other shooting style games. Heck, I remember playing the FIRST GTA game, can't remember what age I was.

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DeadReaper
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 10:27:55 PM
Reply

This has always been one of my favourite topics to debate. I have never been a believer that violent video games, movies and music have been the cause of people shooting up malls or schools or beating the hell out of people. A young child around 8 or 10 yes I could see. They are at that age where they are just starting to understand the rules of life. But someone who is 15, 16 or 20? COME ON. Your at that age where you should know, "hey, beating up someone with a golf club and stealing a car my not be the best thing". And how much blame should the parents take too. If your child is getting violent after you buy them GTA4, take it away (i know its probably easier said then done). Now I'm not trying to discredit or say this study is wrong, Im just stating my opinion. If Im wrong. Im wrong.

Last edited by DeadReaper on 11/3/2008 10:32:41 PM

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Jed
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 10:29:35 PM
Reply

ya, just like violent movies, music, schoolmates, siblings, and sadly, parents.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 10:50:40 PM
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The opposite seems to be true as well, I may have caved in a few heads over the years if I didn't have my games to come home to and blow off a little steam in.

Video games are just a scapegoat, and that is something up with which I will not put!

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FLYING_APE
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 8:29:32 AM

exactly what i was gonna say, well done.

BTW i have girls limbs in my basement.

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Bugzbunny109
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 11:15:58 PM
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It's the parents responsibilty to efface their children from violence and other types of influencial situations. If they cant do this, then we will continue to have kids/adolesence with violent behaviors that is contrary to the comportment that is expected of young children.

bUnNy FTW!

Last edited by Bugzbunny109 on 11/3/2008 11:16:58 PM

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Buckeyestar
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 11:18:25 PM
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I firmly believe that violence prone individuals are drawn to these games much more than the games influence people. Face it, if a game is going to make someone violent then something was going to set them off. I have played the most violent games there are and I won't lay a hand on anybody. And I agree with DeadReaper, if the child is influenced by these games then the parents are not doing their job. Kids shouldn't have access to such games and if they do then their parents are not keeping their end up. Just more of the same "let's blame everybody else for our shortcomings".

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MetalHead09
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 11:19:03 PM
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how many studys to they have to waste a butt load of money on before they realize that they have done this study a hundred times and still came up with the same conclusion and might i add, a VERY obviouse one. young kids are more easily influenced by bad stuff than the older kids in most cases so obviously a violent interactive game can cause some harm if they are not looked after. personally i totally blame the parents, stop buying your kids these games and tghey wouldnt have to do these stupid studys. my dad always told me the whole time while i was little that what i am seeing isnt real and he would even point things out in movies and stuff that i watched to prove it. i grew up on violent movies and stuff and eventually got into gaming and i turned out fine cause my dad made sure i knew this stuff. well im not violent anyway, could be doing better for myself but at least i aint violent to help support their claimes.

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xnonsuchx
Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 11:59:12 PM
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I almost couldn't read more after the "According to FOX News" part. :-)

There are SO many different studies that end up with SO many different results. MOST tend to conclude that violent video games only feed already violent behaviors, not turn people violent. If VERY young children are playing some of the more violent games, that's the fault of bad parenting, not the games.

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Scarecrow
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 12:20:38 AM
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Kids these days have a weaker mind than those in past decades(fact).

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jerocarson
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 12:40:00 AM
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hmmmm
what can i say?
since its from my favorite news channel i may have to accept it.

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Joe_III
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 1:02:06 AM
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correlation != causation.

Everyone has violence inside them. But like with every other negative emotion, its best to vent it in a measured fashion.

On the other hand, I do remember this one time. I had played GTA3 20 hrs str8 and was heading home. There was a cop car parked next to the on-ramp. As I left the stop sign I jammed the gas and headed str8 for it. After a sec I realized I wasn't in the game and braked. I had some fancy explaining to do.

My friend was playing basketball one time, and as he was playing, he saw a blue hoodie on the side of the court. He started running towards it. Apparently, he thought it was the body armore from Goldeneye and he just automatically ran to pick it up.

This kinda crap has been happening forever. I remember the slew of accidents from the dumb stuff kids did trying to imitate the beavis and butthead movie.

If people would actually enforce game ratings, that would easily fix the problems the study suggests, but it would easily help children grow up the way they should.

But on the other hand, half the users on this site wouldn't be able to say they've played CoD4.

Last edited by Joe_III on 11/4/2008 1:02:35 AM

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Zapix
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 4:55:02 AM

LMAO, Beavis and Butthead... I remember back then kids immitated that show putting their siblings and/or friends inside dryers, stick them in tires and roll em down hills, but the most memorable... Setting their houses on fire, which lead.

Personally, I'm going to start going with the belief... If you think kids aren't influenced by video games, then you must think these Middle East suicide bombers are completely sane blowing themselves up killing innocent women and children so the bomber can go to the promise land. The world is full of f'ed up people, and it doesn't take much to influence them.

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Sir Shak
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 1:42:40 AM
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i dont think little kids should be playing gta but its ridiculous to say that games increase the amount of violent crimes .

charles manson & ted bundy never played video games .

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ThePoetRazel
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 1:43:45 AM
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This one seems to be sparking some debate over the interpretation of "aggression" in the study. Often the case in studies like this. And longitudinal studies aren't easy to replicate independently.
Some researchers have an obvious bias. The questions is, why did they bother putting so much effort into researching something we already knew? And then, why did it get to Fox News? Sounds like fuel for the anti-game types.
Enforce existing laws and everything is fine. Simple really isn't it?

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akiris
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 1:59:37 AM
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it come down to know what is fake and what is real thats like seeing something rilly bad on the news and kids seeing it are thay going to go out and do it no because thay are told that it is bad but when thay do do something wrong in from what thay see is a game knowing its not right the parents use it to get there kids out of trouble and get $ from the games its a exscape goat thats all

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Zorigo
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 2:16:49 AM
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but lemme think about that 10 year old. if it is 18, then the parents r to blame. but we know that whole scenario so i wont go over it again. but as far as violence is concerned. the kids need to be taught some disipline. i've noticed myself, when i'm not doing well in a game, i get snappy, and that's cause i'm very very competitive. When i'm faced with GT5p, i can get snappy if i get cut up, overtaken etc, but i know not to go and kill someone over it. obviously their young minds need disipline. even though i wont admit that to my parents, they do.

@shak44, we get the point.

Last edited by Zorigo on 11/4/2008 2:17:37 AM

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Ultimadesires
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 3:47:43 AM
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I blame the old stereotype "Games are for children", yes it’s sort of dying down now but it’s still left its mark. As it’s seen as a typical thing for children to play video games, allot will gain interest. So when we get games like Dead Space, Fallout 3 and GTAIV, which are all getting fantastic reviews and seen as good games they'll naturally be interested.

Maybe the problem is due to many companies trying to interest an adult audience. games with violence tend to get better ratings, looking at my games only 1 doesn’t have violence which would be offensive to a child, Star Wars Lego, Little Big Planet also succeeds on being acceptable for children and actually being a good game.

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Joe_III
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 12:55:50 PM

Its not that all violence is bad, because games like contra and stuff never caused anyone problems.

Entire generations were raised on Looney Toons and the like. The exacerbating problem that violent vgs are twofold:

1. There is an interactive portion that allows the player to do violence rather than just watch.
2. Violent games strive way too hard for realism.

Giving a kid a game like rayman's rabbits (or wtf ever its called) is a lot different than a game like CoD4.

And probably everyone is going to disagree with this last part, but Manhunt 1/2 should never have been made. Games like that don't just desensitize people to violence, but it aggressively promotes violence for violence's sake.

Snuff films are illegal (here in the states) for a good reason, and games about creating/participating in snuff films should be too.

Last edited by Joe_III on 11/4/2008 12:56:48 PM

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Wage SLAVES
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 3:59:28 AM
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Im sorry but I think the trace amounts of Mercury found in "Mandatory" vaccines are more damaging to a young mind than video games.

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Geobaldi
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 5:00:14 AM
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Playing violent video games doesn't cause violent behavior. Being forced to watch Barney, the Wiggles, the Teletubbies, and any other "childrens" programing is enough to drive any kid over the edge!! But it ultimately comes down to bad parenting. But then again, just trying to be a parent nowadays is an adventure in of itself when you can't even disipline a child in public without somebody calling the authorities on you. But I've played violent games since I started playing games way back in '82 and I'm ok.

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TheRaPtuRe
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 6:25:53 AM
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here we go again.... im sick to death of it!
they need to find the REAL problem and not use summet as a scapegoat.... RETARDS!!

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crapreviews
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 6:36:30 AM
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blah blah blah. im soooo sick of hearing this EVERY year. Parents be involved in your kids lives and stop blaiming everything else when your kid does something wrong.

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Jizmack
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 6:56:53 AM
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This is dumb. You really can't prove what we think and what can influence what we do. I think its just how we were raised and how easily we are influences. I beat mario at the age of 5, and i keep on beating games, nothing wrong with me yet.

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cegmp
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 8:17:55 AM
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I see that ignorance is rampant here. Try reading it before knocking it off. And yes Ben, researches and studies are necessary, especially in this day and age where there is an overload of information. Keep in mind that during the time of Copernicus, it was "common sense" to think that the earth was the center of the universe. As for me, I haven't read the research but I might read it especially that I'm a researcher in training. And to the rest, keep in mind its a correlational study (it is not causation!). It doesn't mean that everybody are destined to be that way. If you didn't then you merely deviate from the norm, according to the study. Study stats, research and related fields and then you'll understand its intricacies.
P.S.
What Jizmack said is true. They can't prove it. But that is why it is a correlational study. Example: There is 85% correlation that smokers will smoke after eating.This either means (depending on the study) there is an 85% chance that smokers will smoke after eating or 85% of the smokers smokes after eating. Obviously, there maybe other factors which may contribute to a person smoking after eating. And thats why correlational studies could be seen as probability. Anyway, read more if you're interested. Its more complicated than what i mentioned above.

Last edited by cegmp on 11/4/2008 8:26:28 AM

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CH1N00K
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 8:48:20 AM
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Isn't that what the ESRB ratings are for? If the game is rated M, who's fault is it for letting a ten year old play it? This is the same old story over and over again. Parents aren't spending time with their kids and are looking to blame someone else for the fact that they don't know how to control them. It was the same in the 80's when the wrestling phase started. These activists need to start taking some responsibility instead of just pointing fingers.

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xtreme
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 9:01:47 AM
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Im 15 and I played GTA 3,VC,SA and IV and it hasn't affected me one bit. I supose it really has to do with the metality of the person in question. i'm more mature than some other people my age so maybe it would effect them in different ways.

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xStatiCa
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 9:10:21 AM
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Well i guess this is true. I used to be pretty calm but ever since having to pay $60 for a game it just gets me angry and provokes violence!

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GamerKid123
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 9:48:23 AM
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Man, i am really starting to get irritated by all this 'violent games make kids violent' crap... it's not the games, it's the kids!!!

I'm fourteen, i play tons of violent games and i'm not in the least bit violent, in fact, it probably helped STOP me from being violent.

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Sir Shak
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 10:02:49 AM
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sorry for the extra posts
happens sometimes when posting from the ps3

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 10:28:29 AM
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For the record, guys, I hold a degree in Psychology and if anybody believes violent entertainment doesn't have a direct impact on the behavior of children, they are DEVOID of common sense. Either that, or they're children themselves. It's a well known fact, which is why I don't believe we need any further studies.

And we all have to understand that none of these studies are saying, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that children who play GTA will grow up to be criminals. That's not what they say at all. It simply says it prompts a significant and document-able behavioral change, and that much is most certainly true. And as Joe said, we really need to enforce the ratings on games; I've always been a big supporter of that.

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coverton341
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 10:51:03 AM

Amen to that Ben, and yes we have to enforce the ratings or we are going to se our games start to get government regulations and mark my words not one of us here wants to see that EVER Period. If the government steps in the way that they have tried before we will see a lot less of what we want and a lot more of what they believe is acceptable.
Parents have to play a bigger role in this instead of getting junior baby son-of-a-b%tch GTAIV just because he cries for it for 10 minutes because "all my friends play it, its not bad."

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Joe_III
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 10:58:56 AM

QFMFT to both of ya. I dunno if anyone heard, but there's this 15 yo kid who ran away from home because his parents took his xbox away. WTF is that shiat? When I was a kid, if my parents took my NES away and I tried to do something about it, they would beat me like a rented mule.

The fact that kids are getting dumber, more agressive, and more apathetic to the plight of the world lies solely on their parents shoulders. I swear we need a parenting license or something.

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 11:14:31 AM
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Yes. Parenting license. I'm also a big supporter of THAT. :)

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Scarecrow
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 12:12:23 PM

Aye!
Let's ask the next President to introduce this!!!

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WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 11:51:57 AM
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Remember when they tried to blame Columbine on those two kids playing Doom? I think there are some cases in which we must recognize that people have demons that are going to find a way out come hell or high water, nevermind the popular entertainment aspect.

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TheRaPtuRe
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 12:13:22 PM
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it's just when u read things like this it makes u think that theres a potential to ban violent games cos of what they MIGHT do to a child.
There not even for children, they just need to enforce the age restrictions much more.
This is the reason mh2 was banned, they feared children would play it and that it would corrupt them somehow.
Leave adult games to the adults, i don't care if it effects the children, thats there parents problem, deal with it!

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Joe_III
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 12:50:28 PM
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You know, they don't do any studies on how R movies or porn affects kids, and those are alot more accessible to minors in this day and age. I wonder what a study of that would suggest.

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Arvis
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 1:18:39 PM

Good question....

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Ultimadesires
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 1:55:55 PM
Reply

They dont take porn or film so seriously becuase once again of teh stereotypes of gaming being for children, what i said earlier:

I blame the old stereotype "Games are for children", yes it's sort of dying down now but it's still left its mark. As itâ€™s seen as a typical thing for children to play video games, allot will gain interest. So when we get games like Dead Space, Fallout 3 and GTAIV, which are all getting fantastic reviews and seen as good games they'll naturally be interested.

Maybe the problem is due to many companies trying to interest an adult audience. games with violence tend to get better ratings, looking at my games only 1 does'nt have violence which would be offensive to a child, Star Wars Lego, Little Big Planet also succeeds on being acceptable for children and actually being a good game.

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robinhood2010
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 6:31:51 PM
Reply

I think it comes down to the society we live in now. Violent games are not solely to blame. I have played loads of games, many being violent, for as long as I can remember. As someone has already said, Resident Evil, GTA, GTA2 etc...Anyone my age (20) has probably played those games, when they were too young, and not been affected by it. It is when you take the current situation, where we have a dysfunctional society, where video games are taken to blame. As far as I am concerned, pretty much every gamer has played a violent video game before they were old enough. When some become violent, it is the games' fault. I blame the modern society where so much vice is carried out in front of children every day. All they need is a little push from the games.

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jonny_bolton
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 7:21:17 PM
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These studies are a load of crap and if anyone says otherwise I'll punch them right in the face!

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Joe_III
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 7:34:55 PM

Sadly, I can almost believe you're serious. heh.

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LightShow
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 8:07:09 PM
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"My 12-year old just punched a kid in the face. It can't be that he's feeling stress over *stressful situation*, or that we let him watch violent movies with us, it must be those video games!"

faulty logic from someone who doesn't want to think about the situation.

I only hope society doesn't decline farther...

Last edited by LightShow on 11/4/2008 8:07:54 PM

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Joe_III
Tuesday, November 04, 2008 @ 9:53:45 PM

you know, society is deteriorating so quickly, I'm honestly thinking of learning how to farm and then moving to some island in the middle of the pacific all by myself.

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Wage SLAVES
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 @ 1:14:32 PM
Reply

Joe, if it were that easy...I'd be on one myself.
It is an overall deterioration of morals not only expressed in video games.
My cousin was watching Disney channel and a girl was cheating on some boy with his friend. My cousin (a girl) thought it was hilarious but what they were really teaching her was that was acceptable behavior of young women. Its small tidbits of info that kids pick up which conveys the wrong messages.
My kids are not watching tv until a certain age!

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Arvis
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 @ 1:22:09 PM

"It is an overall deterioration of morals not only expressed in video games..."

It's encouraging to see that some people can still notice this.

-Arvis

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