Do you think media causes violence?

Media personally doesn't have an effect on me. However, I have read studies where the games people play, greatly impact their actions. I guess it's all a matter of who you are.

But I am a stern believer that only "people" can commit crimes, not the games they play!
 
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Erm, I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you're saying that video games cause violence, then I definitely disagree. I feel like it actually helps release some of the rage you have in a safe and virtual environment. All those terrible people who take part in shootings just happen to play video games.

However, if you're talking about news media, then I definitely do think they have a role in violence. They frequently show the name of the perpetrators of heinous crimes, detail their process, and this results in giving potential perpetrators a motive, process, and name they can worship.
 
People always blame whatever is new for a problem in the world. Sometimes it's right, sometimes it's wrong. But right now, people are jumping on the band wagon of "Video games cause violence," when it's not true. I honestly find it repulsive when people make assumptions like that, just because of a couple of special needs kids who happened to play video games shot up a school. It isn't that. I don't see why people don't get that people who are considered outcasts happen to play video games a lot, and also being an outcast happens to get you a lot of hate and bullying within schools. It's complete stupidity that anybody wouldn't consider the fact that these kids were bullied and harassed for what they were, and that drove them to violence when their screwed up school administration wouldn't take care of the problem. Why is it that anything new and trending is to blame for problems that it doesn't cause?

I see your point. Is it possible the combination of bullying, violent games, violent thoughts of retaliation, and an underlying mental illness or trauma contributes to violence? I believe most thoughts and actions stem from more than one source.
 
People are always looking for something or someone to blame so that they do not take responsibility for an action. Video games increase the thinking capacity of the one playing the game. They come highly recommended for the elderly who need to keep their minds active. A number of teens living in a hostile environment would be very miserable if there could not play that video game. I do not believe that video games cause violence. That said I think that it is necessary to ensure that kids watch games that are age appropriate.
 
I love it when I come to these forums and they're people that ACTUALLY talk sense. I despise talking to those that refuse to see the facts that humans are, by their very nature, violent.

Think about it: We commit acts of violence on those that are different from us, in whatever regard. (I.e. race, sexual orientation, gender or religion.)

We fight for reasons of peace by killing others via bombs when innocents also die from those occurrences.

We kill and push back others because we desire more land and power, even if we're not in any shape or form entitled to it.

But yet, when convenience came into play and new things were invented to entertain us, it's considered an evil that will harm more rather than safe. (It was drinking, it was movies, it was card games, it was gambling and now it's video games.)

People like to blame whatever problem they have on others because they refuse to admit the fault in themselves. That's throughly upsets me.
 
Media personally doesn't have an effect on me. However, I have read studies where the games people play, greatly impact their actions. I guess it's all a matter of who you are.

But I am a stern believer that only "people" can commit crimes, not the games they play!
This is very true. I think people who blame video games are the same people who would blame guns and knives for many people causing crimes. These are all just tools and they are able to do both good and bad depending on who uses them.
 
I think It depends on what kind of messages the media tries to show and you wish to receive. Some people think media causes violence because media is a good way to express different messages. For sure, violence is one of those messages that media can express, but media can also express the message of love. It just depends on what kind of messages you would like to receive.
 
Saying things like media or video games causes violence is like saying forks make people fat, or Guns make people kill others. It is just not true in any way, shape, form or rationalization. What do video games do, they give people a place to vent, to have the ability to release some of that bottled up anger, but most important video games make a lot of people rich every by year. Billionaires have been made literally overnight in the video game entertainment business. I have been playing video games my whole life, I was programming them when i was 8 years old, and never have I ever had the urge to go out and rob anyone, kill anyone, steal a car, beat a cat because I saw these things done in a video game. Stupidity makes people do stupid things, making someone mad pushes them to punch you in the face, greed makes people violently hurt people. Not video games.
 
I don't think that media causes violence, and I do believe that parents like to blame their child's violence on video games and tv as opposed to just admitting that their child is a little weird, lol.
I do believe that violent video games and tv can have an effect on young children, however that is the reason why we have rating systems and parental controls. A 10 year old cannot waltz into an R-rated movie, so if a child is being exposed to violent video games and tv, then that is the parent's fault for not monitoring what exactly their child is playing or watching. You cannot buy your child an M-rated video game and then blame the game on his violent behavior.
 
Media helps promote people looking for attention. If they already have violent tendencies, then they will use the media to inflate their ego.
 
I am not an expert on the topic, but I do believe that pretty much anything can cause violence if the particular individual already has an unhealthy mind. That's no reason to ban media though. It'd be much more helpful to help said individuals.
 
Violent media doesn't encourage school shootings, theft, or Copy cats! People who enact things they have seen on the media are already fairly psychologically damaged. If anything media helps reduce violence, what happens to the murderer at the end of most shows or games? They are arrested or killed, that doesn't encourage people to re-enact - it warns them not to attempt it!
 
As much as we gamers like to say´no way´.. the facts are out there that a lot of these young people doing some of this crazy stuff were influenced by games. There was one case where a guy wrote a letter, and quoted a villan from a video game.
 
People always blame whatever is new for a problem in the world. Sometimes it's right, sometimes it's wrong. But right now, people are jumping on the band wagon of "Video games cause violence," when it's not true. I honestly find it repulsive when people make assumptions like that, just because of a couple of special needs kids who happened to play video games shot up a school. It isn't that. I don't see why people don't get that people who are considered outcasts happen to play video games a lot, and also being an outcast happens to get you a lot of hate and bullying within schools. It's complete stupidity that anybody wouldn't consider the fact that these kids were bullied and harassed for what they were, and that drove them to violence when their screwed up school administration wouldn't take care of the problem. Why is it that anything new and trending is to blame for problems that it doesn't cause?
Video games do not cause violence but they sure do introduce you to what violence is, especially if the parents do not safe guard the content that comes into the house. (the best they can).
 
I agree that outcasts have a hard time at school/college. Some people don't even treat you as a person if you're an outcast or an introvert. I can't say if media could cause violence, but some news headlines are too provocative. I believe that video games do not cause violence. I've played games all my life and I do not want to kill or hurt people for no reason.
 
I think the media can sensationalize violence in many different ways. They tend to focus on a lot of the bad things going on in the world, and only show the positives in little spurts. Unfortunately, a lot of the negatives are related to violence, and unfortunately it may also be the cause a lot of violence. I still wouldn't say the media is directly responsible for that though.
 
No, because a violent person doesn't need media to do violent things. If they're already committed to doing it then they will do it. Japan has some of the lowest crime rates in the world, but has produced some of the most violent and depraved media out there. The thing about violence in media is that it acts as a mental release for a lot of people.
 
Video games definitely don't make people violent. Well, it can make young kids act up more but they're mostly imitating not trying to be violent. In the long run it definitely doesn't.

It can make a person more immune to seeing violence though. People who are used to seeing crimes usually think less of it when it really happens, but that doesn't make them act more violent.
 
Violence is not a thing issue, it is a people issue. People are in control of their own actions. The media is there to inform and entertain. We are all given brains. These wonderful brains give us the ability to make decisions whether they be right or wrong. I am tired of the blame going to the media.
 
I don't really think media is the main root of violence. In those who have a firm grasp of the difference between reality and fiction that is. In people who are mentally ill (certain types of mental illness that is) or younger children, could violence in media affect them a bit? Yes, it probably could. Because the line between reality and the non-realities in media are far blurrier. No I don't think media will make someone go out and shoot people, but when multiple factors come into play, media can be one of the portents. You can't blame media for everything though.