FOX News reports that GTA 5 trains millions of people to become the killers of tomorrow

[TopWargamer]

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/09/19/grand-theft-auto-v-sales-set-record-why-are-surprised-when-virtual-violence/

 

 

 

What do the mass shooters from the Navy Yard, Sandy Hook Elementary, the Aurora, Colorado movie theater and Columbine all have in common? They're all target demographic buyers for the world’s best-selling videogame. A game that released the day after the Navy Yard shooting and made $800 million in its first 24 hours on the market. Like other best-selling games today, Grand Theft Auto V trains millions of young Americans to walk into public places and shoot innocent people. It is now reported that, like the Sandy Hook shooter, Aaron Alexis immersed himself for hours at a time in this lifelike virtual reality of violence.

 

So, personally, I disagree with this, and imagine that all of you do as well. Me and my dad (who also plays games) just had a little discussion on this article. Now first off, we both agree that GTA and games like it are well, bad, as in the content that are in them, and we both (kind of) agree that these kind of games don't cause people to become killers. 

 

Now, here's where we first disagreed. He says that these types of games can cause people to lower their moral standards, and personally I disagree. Just because I'm doing drugs, killing people, hiring prostitutes, etc. in a video game does not mean that it will lower my moral standards. If you disagree, sue me. If anything, these types of games definitely don't help you raise your moral standards, but they do help you get out any kind of frustration and whatnot. How so? By taking it out in the game. How I see it, if you take it out on the game, then you're more likely to calm yourself down and act more well, normal. 

 

Another thing we disagreed about was what the article was interpreting. I mean, to me, it's pretty clear that FOX is saying that people who play GTA 5 will become killers. I mean, it just does sound this way, and if that's not what they meant, then find better writers. So my dad thought that, that was the question being brought up (aka, "Do these kinds of games make you a killer?"). Again, it's pretty clear that's not what the article is interpreting. I think he's just trying to justify it because he does actually watch FOX. So whatever. 

 

What are your thoughts on the matter?

[dlf]

BULL crap . . . I don't play the games because I don't like the thought of committing even virtual crimes - grand theft auto, killing police, what ever else you do in the games. Even in other games (such as the Elder Scrolls) I STILL  won't lockpick closed shops or go around killing needless citizens.

[EChondo]

Time and time again this has been proven false by multiple studies. Oh, one guy who shot up a school played a video game? VIDEO GAMES CAUSED IT! It wasn't his mental health issue or the fact that he is a sociopath, it was the video games!

 

Media has always blamed these problems on different entertainment industries. First it was movies, then music and now it's video games.

 

We are in a decline in violence, I don't know about you guys but I don't remember there being video games back in WW1 and WW2.

[iAsuno]

bunch of idiots. i say they teach people to become criminals by showing reports of murder.

[TheSLSAMG]

I'm with you on this. I am a bright, young guy. 15 years old, knows about technology, maintains good grades in school. But, because I play Grand Theft Auto, I am a killer-in-progress. You know what? Screw the news and media outlets. All they're trying to do is be heard, and to put up bullshit like this is brainwashing people into thinking that video games are what caused the Navy Yard and Aurora and Columbine shootings. You know what actually caused them? The killers being mentally unstable. They can blame this on video games all they want, but it's the negligence of the parents and the mental instability of the crazy killers.

 

I become disappointed as I drink water from my Google sports bottle.

[The Razor]

Why are we all making a fuss about Fox News? They do this on purpose so people like us pay attention to it and their view count spikes. They're laughing all the way to the bank right now. 

[Yoinkerman]

I'm pretty sure pinball machines and Led Zeppelin are the downfall of society, not these virtual reality killing programs.

[threadysparrow]

this is true. they are murder simulators and they need to be forcibly removed from televisions across our great country.

[IdeaStormer]

In these uncertain times (as advertised in the media) we actually need trained warriors for modern warfare, sure BF3 and BF4 helps for the official war but the real war is out on the street as has been seen in the media (no need to go into specific stories). So that's where GTA 5 comes in, if you play it you will have a better chance to make it in the real world! I mean as far as defending yourself, we don't play to attack but to simulate the attack to put up the best defense.

 

Well that's my story

[Beskamir]

Copy pasting my comment from Moddb about this exact topic: http://www.moddb.com/groups/society-debates/videos/video-games-are-evil#imagebox

 

I am honestly SO TIRED of this argument. Nobody blames books or movies for creating violence because every living being today is used to them. Video games are getting flak because old morons don't understand them!
Some great videos on the topic:
Youtube.com
Youtube.com
Youtube.com
Youtube.com
Youtube.com

Also when I saw Fox news and CNN I prepared for some comedy:P Don't get me wrong I agree with them that guns are irrelevant, however blaming video games is stupid. No the root of this problem is the freaking media! They make every idiot that kills someone sound like some super villain from Batman, Iron Man, Far Cry 3, etc.

They make the killer famous and if someone is already thinking wicked thoughts the last thing you want to give them is the sense of live/die and nobody will care, or gun down/stab/mane/etc a bunch of people and the entire media will "praise" them. That is the problem NOT video games. However the media makes money of these killings so they don't want to stop them.

[Drown]

That's exactly the kind of crap you can expect from FOX News, it's just like the kid saying you need a 1200W 80+ Platinum PSU MINIMUM for a single 7770. You can't argue with that stuff, so just ignore and move on ^^

[Henry]

Well if ur going to be tricked into killing because of a game....

 

The game isnt the one with problems..

[DaftBehemoth]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Ignore these news corporation's mindless babble. It's simply fear mongering that is abused for the sake of getting people to pay attention. This is not worth our time.

[IPCharger]

Again another lame try from the media to create controversy and get peoples attention.

[Langdon]

Fox news, moving on.

[nsyedhasan]

Playing surgeon simulator makes you a surgeon of tomorrow!

[Bonsai99]

Playing surgeon simulator makes you a surgeon of tomorrow!

Oh boy....

[kuddlesworth9419]

Yes and only one person will go onto committing mass murder. Perhaps it has nothing to do with games and has everything to do with American psychological treatment and lack of any gun control. Why should anyone be given the right to bare arms. Just because you own a gun doesn't mean you are free and that is your right. If America took on a gun control policy similar to that of the UK then there would be a large reduction in gun deaths. Those that still want to use as a hobby or sporting are still able to it just limits those that are psychologically vulnerable and those that could potentially use a gun to harm another.

[nsyedhasan]

Oh boy....

Point proven.

[whatthe_fuzz]

This reinforces my idea of the whole M-Rated License.

You must pass a mental health test before you may buy some crazy grandma killing game

[Lukiose]

That's about the stupidest thing i've ever read.

If you even consider doing such crimes in real life then it's not the game that is the problem, your mind is probably fucked up in some or another way already

[Slater]

LOL the media really loves to exaggerate things and put games and such in a bad light. They clearly do not do enough research for their reports and just go by old fashioned sayings that gaming is bad for you and stuff. It's as if they don't want games to exist!

 

Also here's a relevant image that i completely agree with, i would've put this in a spoiler if i knew how...so sorry about that.

 

[snowComet]

 

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/09/19/grand-theft-auto-v-sales-set-record-why-are-surprised-when-virtual-violence/

 

 

 

 

So, personally, I disagree with this, and imagine that all of you do as well. Me and my dad (who also plays games) just had a little discussion on this article. Now first off, we both agree that GTA and games like it are well, bad, as in the content that are in them, and we both (kind of) agree that these kind of games don't cause people to become killers. 

 

Now, here's where we first disagreed. He says that these types of games can cause people to lower their moral standards, and personally I disagree. Just because I'm doing drugs, killing people, hiring prostitutes, etc. in a video game does not mean that it will lower my moral standards. If you disagree, sue me. If anything, these types of games definitely don't help you raise your moral standards, but they do help you get out any kind of frustration and whatnot. How so? By taking it out in the game. How I see it, if you take it out on the game, then you're more likely to calm yourself down and act more well, normal. 

 

Another thing we disagreed about was what the article was interpreting. I mean, to me, it's pretty clear that FOX is saying that people who play GTA 5 will become killers. I mean, it just does sound this way, and if that's not what they meant, then find better writers. So my dad thought that, that was the question being brought up (aka, "Do these kinds of games make you a killer?"). Again, it's pretty clear that's not what the article is interpreting. I think he's just trying to justify it because he does actually watch FOX. So whatever. 

 

What are your thoughts on the matter?

 

 

To be fair, this article is published on the "Opinion" section, and it's from a contributor, who may have no affiliation with Fox News. He's just exercising his Freedom of Speech. It doesn't represent Fox New's stand on this matter. I think you should change the title of this post. But I too feed up by people saying violent game is the cause of these shooting. They are not the problem, the root of the matter is their mental status, and the failed basic gun control.

[Bluuz]

I respectfully ask you stop posting "news" regarding Fox. The carefully crafted warmongering propaganda that their network and affiliates spew out, to the determent of the general public, has no place on this forum. 

[afa7336]

I respectfully ask you stop posting "news" regarding Fox. The carefully crafted warmongering propaganda that their network and affiliates spew out, to the determent of the general public, has no place on this forum.

Stop right there. When you try to censor someone's point of view, you have crossed a line in my book. We could go into things, but that isn't for here. Who made you God and King to decide what someone believes in. Yes I watch Fox News, but I also watch other networks as well. So this is personally offensive. You're no better a person than the IRS! Why don't you leave if you don't like the articles people read/use.

As the person right above you stated, this is an opinion article by someone with no ties that I can tell, to Fox News. Instead the original poster tied it to Fox News. Was Putin an employee of The Times when he wrote and published his opinion piece?

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