Aug 8 2008, 10:53 AM, updated 18y ago
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyN...lBrandChannel=0
Someone is threatening our pasttime
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...29371&sec=focus
It's always like this, the moment someone mentions that video games made them did it everyone forgets that it's an 18 year old, with a sound state of mind (as quoted by the police) that decided it was OK to stab someone, and just point the finger at video games!
I sent this response to the Editor.. wonder if it'll get published.
QUOTE
In response to the letter by the President of Consumers Association Of Penang, Mr S.M. Mohamed Idris.
I was reading The Star this morning and was shocked to find such comments being made by such a knowledgeable person.
First of all the crime was committed by an 18 year old, that makes him pretty much an adult in some societies. His reasoning for committing the crime was that he wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game. Also according to the Reuter’s news report, police said the person showed no sign of mental problems during questioning.
My question is this, what kind of person with no mental problems thinks that it’s OK to rob someone, and then proceeded to stab the person while he was retaliating?
Why is it then when something bad happens and the criminal just makes a comment that video games made them do it that everyone points the finger at video games? There are so many other reasons for someone to commit such a terrible act such as this.
Why doesn’t anyone blame other possible reasons? Stress? Peer pressure? Maybe they aren’t that sound of mind after all? Rock And Roll?
Again let me remind the readers that the crime was commited by an 18 year old, not a 7 year old with a knife. If we believe that an 18 year old can still be influenced by a game that he’s playing to commit such terrible acts, when then can a person be considered an adult, when then can we make a person TRULY RESPONSIBLE for their actions and not point to finger to whatever the reason the person mention?
A voice in my head asked me to do it, rock and roll made me do it, movies made me do it, tv made me do it, reading the news made me do it, drugs made me do it, video games made me do it.
At what age then should all these reasons be swept aside and the blame solely placed on the person who actually DID IT?
To the statement that Violent video games and programmes have been linked to expression of violence and aggression, there are also reports that show that both are NOT LINKED to expression of violence and aggression. And most importantly all these external influences do not affect someone with a stable mind.
Video games are a great way of winding down after a day of work, or just hanging out with my friends by going into a match with an opposing team online. I’ve been playing games for most of my life and Yes there are violent video games, and I play them all the time. But I know perfectly well that it’s just a game, and would never even think that it’s ok to do what I do in games to anyone.
So don’t blame the video games, or the movies, or the tv, or the internet. Blame the perfectly sane 18 year old who decided that it’s OK to try and rob someone of their livelihood, and their life.
Signed.
CHAN WEI MIN
30 year old, father of a 1.5 year old son,
Violent Video Game Player.
Hope I didn't sound too aggressive.. I was reading The Star this morning and was shocked to find such comments being made by such a knowledgeable person.
First of all the crime was committed by an 18 year old, that makes him pretty much an adult in some societies. His reasoning for committing the crime was that he wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game. Also according to the Reuter’s news report, police said the person showed no sign of mental problems during questioning.
My question is this, what kind of person with no mental problems thinks that it’s OK to rob someone, and then proceeded to stab the person while he was retaliating?
Why is it then when something bad happens and the criminal just makes a comment that video games made them do it that everyone points the finger at video games? There are so many other reasons for someone to commit such a terrible act such as this.
Why doesn’t anyone blame other possible reasons? Stress? Peer pressure? Maybe they aren’t that sound of mind after all? Rock And Roll?
Again let me remind the readers that the crime was commited by an 18 year old, not a 7 year old with a knife. If we believe that an 18 year old can still be influenced by a game that he’s playing to commit such terrible acts, when then can a person be considered an adult, when then can we make a person TRULY RESPONSIBLE for their actions and not point to finger to whatever the reason the person mention?
A voice in my head asked me to do it, rock and roll made me do it, movies made me do it, tv made me do it, reading the news made me do it, drugs made me do it, video games made me do it.
At what age then should all these reasons be swept aside and the blame solely placed on the person who actually DID IT?
To the statement that Violent video games and programmes have been linked to expression of violence and aggression, there are also reports that show that both are NOT LINKED to expression of violence and aggression. And most importantly all these external influences do not affect someone with a stable mind.
Video games are a great way of winding down after a day of work, or just hanging out with my friends by going into a match with an opposing team online. I’ve been playing games for most of my life and Yes there are violent video games, and I play them all the time. But I know perfectly well that it’s just a game, and would never even think that it’s ok to do what I do in games to anyone.
So don’t blame the video games, or the movies, or the tv, or the internet. Blame the perfectly sane 18 year old who decided that it’s OK to try and rob someone of their livelihood, and their life.
Signed.
CHAN WEI MIN
30 year old, father of a 1.5 year old son,
Violent Video Game Player.
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