Seriously? People still think like this?

[MadCat]

There was a freaky homicide in my general area lately... someone had their head almost chopped off with some kind of bladed weapon, and the investigation is still ongoing. Then I see this stupid article about "oh no, violent video games caused it!" ><

Seriously? I thought this mentality finally died out. Video games don't make people kill people. Being mentally f'd-up makes people kill people. >< Don't blame the games, don't blame the movies, blame the moron with the sword. Seriously.

Police Consider Violent Game Connection In Grubb Case

(11/30/11) Police are asking to speak with anyone who may have played video games with David Grubbs, the man brutally murdered on the bike path behind Hunter Park. The video game connection has authorities looking into David Grubbs' gaming interests. Police are trying to track down anyone who might know about possible enemies Grubb might have made through violent video games. Ashland Police Chief Terry Holderness says that one particular game, called “Assassins Creed” has participants chopping people's heads off and is one of the objects of the game." Twenty-three year-old David Grubbs' was nearly decapitated two weekends ago on the Greenway walking and biking path in Ashland. The chief says the video connection has happened in other places and he has first hand experience. In California, Holderness says he worked on a case where gamers became violent and retaliated against other gamers. Currently David Grubbs' gaming console is with the Southern Oregon High Tech Crime Task Force. Tonight they're sifting through all the information trying to find any clues that might help their investigation. Police say Grubbs didn't appear to have any enemies in his daily life.

[Zephyr190]

Yet another burden we must bear. Condolences to friends and family.

The weird thing is that it seems to be a different game they're blaming this time, I don't think I've ever seen screed in the firing line before.

It's a stupid mentality, it really is. Physics makes me feel more violent in an hour than the entire God of War marathon over a weekend. Eventually they'll listen to psychology and realise that some people are predisposed to psychotic behaviour regardless of outside stimulus. Not always the case in general, but in attacking someone with a sword I'd be willing to put money on it.

Still, I imagine they'll move off games onto something new fairly soon. Probably onto James Cameron.

[MadCat]

Yeah... I'm tired of people blaming games, movies, comics, etc. for the fact that some people are messed up psychos. It's just like you said -- these people are going to commit crimes because they're predisposed to psychotic behavior. Nothing "made" them do it, no particular thing influenced them to do it. If they didn't play games, it would have been movies, or books, or... et cetera, et cetera. ><

[Mike]

I've found that my 8th graders who play Modern Warfare/Black Ops/whatever tend to be less douchey than those who don't have an xbox.