Video games = porn!

[texace]

Games are just that: games. They're our way of doing things we can't do in real life. I can't drive a fast sports car or fly a fighter jet in real life, but fire up a computer of game system and in minutes I'm taking turns at 120 or shooting AIM-9s at other people.

Parents are the ones responsible for policing video games, not retailers or developers or companies. Though I don't agree with the notion that video games desensitize violence, I think that a parent should have the sense to at least examine what games their kids are playing and tailoring their parenting and tachings around the games and the fact that it's not real and never should be.

In all the cases where kids go wild and shoot people, we blame video games. We blame them because we think they teach our children how to become killers and do it remorselessly. If that was the case, the Army would be buying cases of GTA: Vice City to train soldiers. The "games cause violence" call is utter crap. Most of the time the kids that go wild have mental dysfunctions. It's the parents' responsability to handle situations like that. If a kid cannot distinguish reality from a video game, they shouldn't be playing it. That's what causes problems. It's not the games that are being made that causeing this, it's the lazy bellybutton parents who don't take the time to learn about what their kid is actualy doing.

After a hard day's work, I come home and I crack virtual skulls in GTA3 or Soldier of Fortune 2. Why? Because I can't do it in real life and I find it relaxing. I am mature and intelligent enough to understand the difference between a game and reality, much like everyone else here. We all understand it, so we play the games. I've played games like this for years and not once have I ever gone out and shot someone or stolen a car. It doesn't happen. There should not be a law requiring IDing someone buying a game that is M, beause if a minor is able to buy it without parental knowledge, then the parents garner all responsability for the kid and whatever actions MIGHT arise from it.

As unfortunate as it is, no parent will ever say their kid is messed up. If more parents took the time to educate and care for their kids, there would be no need for laws like this...

[DREDIOCK]

Each child like every one of us is different.
Some kids can handle things better then others. And need to be dealt with differently
Ultimately it is the PARENTS responsibility as to what a child may or may not play or play with. Not the government or game manufacturers.
NOTHING, No game, no movie, no TV show has more influence on our children then ourselves the parents.
If these things have influenced our child or children in a negative way then it is simply because WE the parents have allowed it to happen.

 I object to any government agency or company telling me what I can or cant allow my children to see or do. that is my job and my responsibility.
But in the sorry politically correct world we live in adults never assume responsibility for anything they do. Its always someone else's fault They shift the blame from themselves to somewhere else  or some other reason. So what does this teach our kids?
We cant blame ourselves for when a kid is influenced negatively. No not us it CANT be our fault. It must be the gaming/movie/TV industry.


NONSENSE. Watch old reruns of bugs bunny, 3stooges and a host of other old TV shows that were popular with kids.
Violence abounds in the old TV shows. But you didnt see many kids smacking each other in the heads with hammers or blowing each other up with dynamite because of it
Why? because as AL Bundy once said
"sure thats fun to watch on TV.. BUT YOU DONT REALLY DO IT"
Bottom line is back then we had something that we see all to little of now.
REAL PARENTING
Total lack of real discipline and the teaching of self responsibility.
How many of you remember being grounded for a month? Or having your pants warmed?
Might not have liked it but it made you think twice about doing the offense again didnt it? Emotional scarring be damned. some emotional scarring is positive. same type emotional scarring you get after grabbing a hot pot. Kinda makes you think before doing it again. and that..is a good thing.
Also how many of you remember NOT getting what you wanted?
Not because you had done anything but simply because your PARENTS didnt think you should have it?

In this day and age a great many parents are lacking entirely in these qualities. Sometimes even myself.
We get so wrapped up in giving to our kids that we forget that they dont need every new thing thats out there simply because its popular.
We rarely discipline because we remember how much we hated it.
We give our kids every new thing thats out there simply because we didnt get it as a kid for whatever reason not thinking that maybe just maybe it stopped you from doing something worse later.

As for TV/movies/games.
Nobody is pointing a gun at your head making you let your kids have access to his stuff.
Bottom line is simple really.
If you dont think your kid can handle it. DONT let him/her have it.

be a little less of a buddy and a lot more of a parent

[gofaster]

Kids learn through imitation.  They see something, they'll want to imitate it to learn how it works, what it does, how to do it.  In one case it resulted in the death of a 6-year-old playmate.  And yet, pro wrestling is still available without restrictions.

I think video games do influence children's thought processes and actions, but so long as they know it is unrealistic and "fantastic" - i.e. Wiley Coyote running while suspended in mid-air over a canyon - then the risk is minimal.  I guess the real question is, how realistic is the violence in video games?