Minds Corrupted?

[airluigi]

What can videogames do to the minds of young children?

 

[sync]

It all depends on the person but there are some effects. It is ultimately the parents responsibility to regulate what their kids play.

 

[MechanizedDeviousFox]

I've been playing games since I was two years old, and no I'm not lying, I believe my first games were the original Mortal Kombat and some X-Men game. That's about 14 years of gaming, and has it affected me? No. Has it made me suicidal or feeling like going on a shooting spree? No. I take games as fun experiences, I don't apply them to real-life situations. It just depends on the person, like sync said.

 

[Kio Iranez]

Like these members have said, it depends on the person and how much they let the game influence them. Unfortunately, since we can't know who was raised or shaped to be the kind of person who DOES apply games to real life situations (in a negative way), games will face persecution.

 

[Aurashade]

Nothing compared to a pedophile.

 

[S2]

Blaming the games most certainly is a scapegoat for just about anything.

For every kid who does something stupid because they saw something in a game or movie, there are millions of kids who are not affected.

Its really kind of a failure in our science based society... our culture values facts and proof so much, yet we are so quick to scapegoat things in the media without any.

Some kids can be negatively effected by games and movies, but who knows if that's really the problem. Bad parenting, simple biological differences, etc. These things all could be potential factors.

If you ask me, the biggest risk factor for playing games is simply becoming too addicted to them. Although its honestly possible to become addicted to anything.

 

[vull45]

I think it can put a damper on imagination

 

[sync]

Au contraire, games have given me a bigger one. As a kid I always wanted to write a fantasy novel, but I didn't know what I should do. Through the playing of RPGs and the like, I got started and now I'm in the middle of writing chapter 15.

 

[Yoshistar64]

Your parents just tell you that because they want you to crack open those books. Hm, but it could affect the younger children... but not corrupt them. That's what ESRB ratings are for, no matter how whacked up they are.

 

[sync]

Plus I like to look at games like big, interactive books.

 

[Kio Iranez]

Plus I like to look at games like big, interactive books.

Same here. What separates them from movies or TV programs is that you can control what happens. The better the game is, the more control you have, imo.

 

[Aaryk]

The most common argument I hear about this is influencing kids toward violence.
While violent games like GTA and GoW can desensitize, they in no way influence.
The game doesn't get to the kid, it's the troubled child that gets to the game.

 

[OnyxVulpine]

Heh Resident Evil and Mass Effect has actually gotten me to want the read the books... So... I don't know.. I mean I have been playing since I was say.. 7.. Lots of action and violence and I'm just some nerd at school.

Besides, I read a lot in the games also :3

-Onyx

 

[pwnzorz]

it can bring them complete and utter happiness.
it can also ruin their chance at a successful career in the future.

 

[S2]

Same here. What separates them from movies or TV programs is that you can control what happens. The better the game is, the more control you have, imo.

Yeah, I always felt that a top-knotch game will lead you down a linear path, but make it feel like you have a lot of choices and control. That's something that's near impossible to do.

I've always enjoyed this more than games that just drop you into a world and tell you to do stuff.

A good example is the God of War games. They are very linear and cinematic, but offer the player control to succeed or fail even during cinematic events (button pressing minigames).
The game on a lot of levels succeeds because the player feels that he is influencing parts that are linear and could have been done via un-interactive cinematic.



Parents worry about games because many don't understand them. Its not like a movie where most parents can watch it first and decide if its right for their kids. Many can't play games well enough to see the content beyond the small ESRB rating. That'll change when our gen gets older probably.

 

[Wiseguy]

Nothing, if said games are age appropriate. But as long as companies like Nintendo continue to make great games for gamers of ALL ages there is no excuse to give a five-year-old a copy of GTA.

 

[S2]

You're right that parents have no excuse to give young children something like GTA.

Its a parent's responsibility to watch what they're kids are playing. This goes for lots of things other than videogames. That's basic good parenting.

Even as a kid I played some pretty violent games (Mortal Kombat was considered violent at the time). I got some games taken away, but most of the time my parents realized I was mature enought to handle it. Not every kid is though. Regulating what your kids can/cannot have is a basic part of parenting. If your not going to do that, you probably shouldn't be responsible for raising a child.

 

[Smash_Gigas]

It all depends on the person but there are some effects. It is ultimately the parents responsibility to regulate what their kids play.

So stinkin' true. It greatly upsets me to hear how everything corrupt children do nowdays videogames are the blame. Specifically as seen on news channels.

btw One of the news programs was talking about children being negatively influenced on XBox live or something... Gimme a break.

EDIT: Couldn't have said it better than the two posts above me.

 

[vull45]

It will be very intersting to see our generation ten to twenty years from now? Will we still be playing video games.... probably

 

[sync]

"Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock and roll."

So many truths in that statement.