Videogames Don't Kill People, Idiots Do: Why Games Are a Scapegoat

The recent story about the kids supposedly using Mortal Kombat moves to kill a girl has got the fine people at Ripten thinking: How do people go about linking videogames to real-world violence?

[Relcom]

....

[Lightning Mr Bubbles]

it's a fanboy flame site. Yet fanboys can take your bubbles. So it's like you get punished for doing exactly what the site is meant for.

That's kinda how real life is, so much battle going on, how can you be an angel and not want to kill? Life is a battlefield. Just seeking happiness has a price.

Like pretend there's this girl you like and someone else also likes her. That's conflict already. It's the very meaning of life. Yet you're suppose to play nice?

But if you kill someone, you go to prison. Seems like life punishes you for doing exactly what life is about.

This is what influences violence. And we turn to violence in games, movies, music because we can relate. We're seeking to get a load off. We create the violent art, it doesn't create us.

And that's why they are wrong by attacking games. You want evil, look no further than yourself. And stop blaming sh*t. As long as there is people there will always be violence.

[Twizlex]

Not exactly poetry, but I pretty much agree with what you're saying.

[RudeSole Devil]

Videogames are to blame here, if you can't see why your the idiot.

[Twizlex]

I hope that's a joke. Videogames don't CAUSE violence. If you honestly think a 16-year-old and 17 year-old can't make a conscious decision whether or not to beat a little girl to death, then you have some serious issues, my friend. Believe it or not, people are in control of their own actions, and if they're not, then it's called a mental disorder. Anyone who says they don't have control over themselves needs to be locked up, one way or another.

[Timesplitter14]

oh my god can you be more brainwashed than that? Social problems, wars, exclusion, divorces, violence in the family, bad parents or other real life issues CAN make people become killers. Not videogames. Or at least their influence is way too minimal to be considered.

Your mind is rotten. And I suppose you are more religious than the average, am I right?

[Twizlex]

No, he's probably right, Timesplitter14. Real-world issues don't affect the real world - that's just dumb. It's makes a lot more sense that shooting purple aliens with lasers in Halo makes me cut off real people's heads and eat their brains. Can't you see the connection!?!?!

[Lowlife]

The two guys that actually killed the girl should go free. Ban Mortal Kombat instead?

[Nevers]

Your video games "wake up" one night and prove your point by strangling you in your sleep.

Merry Christmas... I'm asking Santa for more natural selection this year.

[beoulve]

this is very tough question.
Well we do know guns wont kill people, those who use it do. That's why you have gun control, you need to apply first before you buy. It's the same for games. Games teaches and bring idea on how to kill, but most people are smart enough to realize that is wrong, which bring us to the question. How do we prevent this type of "educational" games to the wrong hand. obviously ESRB Rating doesn't work quite well. Mature games still sold to immature people. but you can't really blame on games too. There are people who physically mature but mentally not quite there. They still will follow the games.

What's the fix, if you can find an immediate fix, you will solve alot of problem in this world. Guns problems still haven't fix yet. I think Video Games should be the last thing to worry about.

PS: It's very easy to point finger, and Politician seem to be master of it

[TwissT]

This is soo true.

[joemomma]

but 360s are the first console to kill themselves. ;p

On another note this article is right in every way. Only idiots kill.

[Relientk77]

true

anyone who says video games kill people ... U ARE AN IDIOT!

[pswi60]

what seperates Mortal Kombat moves from Street Fighter moves or Tekken moves or Virtua Fighter moves?

its the sensationalism of the media and the name "Mortal Kombat", thats what. Just because i can play football and basketball and hockey in a video game does not mean i can play those sports well/at all in real life.

the same goes for fighting....people have been killing each other for thousands of years, thats why we are good at it. not because we learned it from a game....

[Cutter20]

It's sad that we have to lower the debate to this level, but frankly as a gaming community we need to completely deny that games could possibly cause the level of violence seen in recent incidents. Lawyers like Jack T are just out for a buck and they will do or say anything to get on TV.

[jonboi24]

how can ppl blame video games for such a horrible crime. seriously why are video games used as scapegoat when u see just as much violece on tv and in movies. u don't here ppl say that they used moves they saw in movies like in 300 or in the matrix. what if someone got shot in the head are you gonna blame it on counter-strike or halo? if someone got slashed into pieces by two huge blades on chains are you gonna blame god of war or heavenly sword? seriously games don't kill people, idiots do and morons blame it on games.

[Nervsys]

I read on a news story that the two had been drinking heavily and said they started hitting their victim because they were drunk.

I guess the people who blame videogames, don't play games, but enjoy a beer in the evening.

[jinn]

videogames don;t kill people, only if you have the wii, you killed yourself