i disagree 100% with you guys who are saying those violent video games are no big deal-- they are SICK. at least, much of what i have seen is really sick. it's all about shooting and killing, and shooting to kill as many people as you possibly can. and you're going to tell me that's not going to do something negative, on some level, to a kid's mind? if they spend HOURS doing this every day?? sorry, i do not buy it. just because it's so common now, and your kids do it, their kids do it, everyone else's kids do it.. does NOT make it OK or healthy. we as a nation are in serious denial about this and one of these days we are going to have to WAKE UP. NO.. video games do not "make you a killer" (duh, and double-duh). i never said that and if you think i'm saying that then you are missing the point entirely. i am saying there is a definite correlation to these psycho young people who go on shooting rampages and the violent video games. for those who are already mentally unstable, and anti-social, it's just going to exacerbate their problems, their disassociation with reality, their violent tendencies, their distorted sense of reality, 'good vs. evil' mentality.. AND it significantly reduces their time spent gaining important REAL-LIFE SOCIAL SKILLS.. which is so crucial especially at a young age. so.. no, there's nothing you can say to convince me that letting your kids play hours upon hours of these violent games is a good thing. parents just let their kids do it because we are such a permissive society, and 'all the kids do it'.. so nobodfy wants to be the 'bad uncool parent' who says NO to these games.
anyway.. we don't know yet is there was a correlation with this guy and obsessive gaming.. but just wait, i'm sure it will come out... once they review his computer. he fits the typical profile exactly.
I have read that Cho's 'high school friends' have said that he did in fact spend most of his free time playing Counterstrike. Hopefully, the computer he used in high school is still available for testing its hard drive.
Dateline or 60 Minutes or 20/20 did a show about gaming and discussed how similar games as Counterstrike and WOW are used in military training. These games were obviously something, as a parent, with which I did NOT want my own son to be obcessed, but he already was. Indeed, he was totally obcessed and addicted to them.
My son spent every spare minute in his own room playing Counterstrike in highschool and then he progressed to WOW, (World of Warcraft).
During this same timeframe, I spent countless hours reading, viewing and messageboarding on the subject of crime......
It was very difficult to justify my concerns to my son over his computer gaming practices, when he constantly came back to me and suggested that my obcession and addictive interest in crime investigation was equally as disturbing and possibly equally as desensitizing as were his gaming practices. My son also brought up the negative physical damage that I was doing to myself by smoking cigarettes, as I practiced my own 'hobbies'.
After taking a close look at ourselves, we both decided to greatly altered our free time exposure to negative hobbies and addictions.
My son lost 50 pounds, is very active socially, enjoys fishing, basketball, weightlifting, golf and baseball. He has gotten his 'act together' so to speak.
I, myself on the otherhand, started back smoking, came back to the internet, the library, and the television...and rarely involve myself with social activities outside the home...
In my home, it is my 50 year old bootey that needs to get a grip and reconsider my options of how best to spend my free time...
Thanks reb, for making me see the light, once again!
I just got off the phone with my son, mentioned above, and told him how very proud I am of him. I read him a quote from the other thread about Cho's violent actions which stated that classmates had their pictures taken by him and that they and his teachers FEARED Cho. I reminded my, now college age, son to always TRUST his own GOOD, SOUND, GOD GIVEN inner voice when it comes to WEIRD people in his own college classes and in life in general. I thanked my son for being a better role model for me today than I, myself, have recently been for him.
I told him that I am now getting up from this computer and taking our dog, Katie outside for a LONG, Healthy walk! I promised to try very, very hard to once again turn the tables and to once again become the more positive role model for him that I should have always been...
Later, Folks... See You on the Flip Side...............
