FSE, I see you refuse to see that violent video games could affect someone’s mental health. To use guns as a comparison is silly. Guns are often used to protect people. What is the benefit of violent video games?
I don’t understand the thinking of anyone who enjoys playing violent video games and am seeking answers. Obviously I won’t get them from you.
Have you ever watched a movie? How about a movie that had actions in it that you would personally never commit? Why? What is the benefit? Action movies are popular, so are action games. Technology has risen to the point where such big budget games are very cinematic in their scope and execution. I liked Schwarzenegger movies, now I like "Call of Duty." Your broad brush says that I have mental problems. Well, all of my actions movies, violent video games, and a 15-month combat tour in Iraq have yet to reduce me to a violent psychopath, so I'd say your statement is absurd.
I enjoy video games. I even enjoy certain violent video games. It’s not the violence that pulls me to a game though, it’s the content of the game itself.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare - I like
Grand Theft Auto - I hated
Both violent games but I really like one and I hate the other. What’s the difference?
To me, a game like Grand Theft Auto was all about running around and hurting/killing random people. There was no real point other than committing random acts of violence.
Modern Warfare on the other hand is all about having an objective and completing that objective while working with and competing against other players from all over the world. You are soldiers and it is a simulation of war. It is not some thug running around car jacking and killing. There’s a huge difference.
One game promotes random violence while the other promotes teamwork and strategy to accomplish directives.
At one point in time I gave up on console games and solely played PC based online games. Some were real time strategy games such as Dark Reign while others were MMORPG’s such as Everquest. It was always the online collaboration and competition that suckered me in.
I’m not crazy nor am I violent. I’m very calm and level headed even while dealing with stressful situations. Labeling all video games as “violent” and saying they impact the mental stability of a person is about the same as labeling certain firearms as “assault weapons” and saying they make normal people commit murder. People label weapons as “assault weapons” without even having a basic understanding of firearms. It is the same thing as when people apply the stigma of “violent” to video games. We might as well start calling them assault video games and get it over with!
If you haven’t tried some of these games, I encourage you to do so. It may provide you with a better understanding of what they are actually like. I recommend Modern Warfare as it is my favorite at the moment!