The Politics of Mass Media

[open mind]

it seems like every few months there's a big case or a big controversy about something in the mass media.....censorship, piracy, search engine companies selling reports on you and your search history and spending habits to whoever is willing to pay, net neutrality, writers strikes.......the list could go on for quite awhile.

if you find any interesting articles on this mostly diversionary and worthless topic (though serious issues do come up) please post them in here for discussion.

for my bit i'll post something on the case that the supreme court is about to address concerning videogame violence, and our shitty parents who have the time to complain about violent videogames, but no time to parent (i'm a biased former child who played violent videogames that didn't turn into a a complete psychopath).

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/04/26/2010-04-26_supreme_court_video_game_case_co urt_to_decide_if_state_can_ban_sale _of_violent_g.html

[bridgeofeldin]

I don't see how banning the sale of violent video games to minors is different from banning minors' viewing of R rated films. If the Supreme Court agrees with the federal court, then the movie industry may have a case as well.

Edit: Nevermind. From Wikipedia,

Contrary to popular belief, MPAA ratings carry no force of local, state, or federal law anywhere in the United States.

[<*)))><]

Looks like you did turn out to be a complete psychopath
(http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1958312)

[Perkins]

pretty sure if violent games had any correlation to violence in real life i would be behind bars. I fail to see how any intelligient person can agree with the argument that grand theft auto is to blame for a persons stupid decision or insanity.

[Kozzy333]

I'm pretty sure minors can't buy Mature rated games anyways?

[caveBEAR]

Looks like you did turn out to be a complete psychopath
(http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1958312)

You're just such a shithead, it's almost unbelievable.

[Scrandon]

You're just such a shithead, it's almost unbelievable.
Agreed. Fuck that kid.

[loveisdead]

Looks like you did turn out to be a complete psychopath
(http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1958312)

Fuck you.

[open mind]

Looks like you did turn out to be a complete psychopath
(http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1958312)

sigh........i guess this is the point in which i, as a "complete psychopath" should insult your mother with suggestions that she's overweight, of sub-par intelligence, and riddled with a complete catalog of std's as a direct result of her incredible promiscuity, make various homophobic remarks about your sexuality, and inform you that you are a mistake that is a result of over indulgence in alcohol and methamphetamines.......but i'm clearly to good for that ; )

[loveisdead]

sigh........i guess this is the point in which i, as a "complete psychopath" should insult your mother with suggestions that she's overweight, of sub-par intelligence, and riddled with a complete catalog of std's as a direct result of her incredible promiscuity, make various homophobic remarks about your sexuality, and inform you that you are a mistake that is a result of over indulgence in alcohol and methamphetamines.......but i'm clearly to good for that ; )

You're killing me, man.

[KingsCrossing]

pretty sure if violent games had any correlation to violence in real life i would be behind bars. I fail to see how any intelligient person can agree with the argument that grand theft auto is to blame for a persons stupid decision or insanity.

I did a literature review on this specific topic and from the sum of the studies I found there is a strong suggestion for a causal link between violent video games and real life aggression. There's only one researcher who believes it's due to moral panic, but his argument has since been debunked. I'll post some of those articles when I get home or if you'd like I can send you my review which more or less wraps it all up.

edit: here's a few...

Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life - http://web.clark.edu/mjackson/anderson.and.dill.html

The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJB-4KF1J03-1&_user=10&_coverDate=05/31/2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1521236054&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1164b2044bc283306fa8934e92d2874 2&searchtype=a

Violent video games and hostile expectations: A test of the General Aggression Model - http://psp.sagepub.com/content/28/12/1679.abstract

Violent video games and anger as predictors of aggression - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WM0-4N6FFHB-3&_user=10&_coverDate=12/31/2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1521232998&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=63bde2435db237975ce8cdf309b869a 5&searchtype=a

Hostile and Hardened? An Experimental Study on (De-)Sensitization to Violence and Suffering Through Playing Video Games - http://www.psycontent.com/content/8532khw0ju813443/

[Perkins]

I did a literature review on this specific topic and from the sum of the studies I found there is a strong suggestion for a causal link between violent video games and real life aggression. There's only one researcher who believes it's due to moral panic, but his argument has since been debunked. I'll post some of those articles when I get home or if you'd like I can send you my review which more or less wraps it all up.

edit: here's a few...

Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life - http://web.clark.edu/mjackson/anderson.and.dill.html

The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJB-4KF1J03-1&_user=10&_coverDate=05/31/2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1521236054&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1164b2044bc283306fa8934e92d2874 2&searchtype=a

Violent video games and hostile expectations: A test of the General Aggression Model - http://psp.sagepub.com/content/28/12/1679.abstract

Violent video games and anger as predictors of aggression - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WM0-4N6FFHB-3&_user=10&_coverDate=12/31/2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1521232998&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=63bde2435db237975ce8cdf309b869a 5&searchtype=a

Hostile and Hardened? An Experimental Study on (De-)Sensitization to Violence and Suffering Through Playing Video Games - http://www.psycontent.com/content/8532khw0ju813443/

just saw this for the first time now, and its too late for me to look through it all but ill get to it tomorrow. Basically one thing i should mention is i dont doubt that games can desensitize people to violence, that makes alot of sense, but i disagree with anyone saying they could be what causes one to "snap". I believe if that happens then you had something wrong with you in the first place.

[open mind]

You're killing me, man.

as a complete psychopath i hope i'm doing it literally.

[open mind]

just saw this for the first time now, and its too late for me to look through it all but ill get to it tomorrow. Basically one thing i should mention is i dont doubt that games can desensitize people to violence, that makes alot of sense, but i disagree with anyone saying they could be what causes one to "snap". I believe if that happens then you had something wrong with you in the first place.

say whaaaaaa? you mean to say that perfectly sane people aren't driven to commit massacres because of what they have seen and dealt with through the media and that actual life experiences have nothing to do with aggression?................i and every organization that includes family in it's name loudly say fuck you buddy.

............just in case you don't know me or are currently unsure about my sanity, i'm making a bad joke.

[KingsCrossing]

just saw this for the first time now, and its too late for me to look through it all but ill get to it tomorrow. Basically one thing i should mention is i dont doubt that games can desensitize people to violence, that makes alot of sense, but i disagree with anyone saying they could be what causes one to "snap". I believe if that happens then you had something wrong with you in the first place.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact cause of why, for example, the shooters at Columbine "snapped", but the research conducted provides ample evidence that exposure to violent video games not only desensitizes individuals to real world violence, but it also acts as a strong primer for aggression which can activate cognitive scripts, and reinforce previously aggressive cognitive schemas that a person may have. The implications of this research suggest that all of these components can act as a strong catalyst for an individual to commit a violent act, with little remorse, in a real life setting.

[Perkins]

say whaaaaaa? you mean to say that perfectly sane people aren't driven to commit massacres because of what they have seen and dealt with through the media and that actual life experiences have nothing to do with aggression?................i and every organization that includes family in it's name loudly say fuck you buddy.

............just in case you don't know me or are currently unsure about my sanity, i'm making a bad joke.

Sorry if its flying right over my head but im not following what youre saying. And i totally dont know you at all which could add to my confusion here.

What i was trying to say is that i dont doubt that endless simulated killing (violent games ) could make people less shocked at the sight or idea of death. I wouldnt doubt if our soldiers today have an easier time pulling the trigger than guys in europe did 67 years ago. But regardless of how desensitized someone is to death it shouldnt change their morals or push them from normal kid to mass murderer. that i dont think any study can convince me of.

[open mind]

Sorry if its flying right over my head but im not following what youre saying. And i totally dont know you at all which could add to my confusion here.

What i was trying to say is that i dont doubt that endless simulated killing (violent games ) could make people less shocked at the sight or idea of death. I wouldnt doubt if our soldiers today have an easier time pulling the trigger than guys in europe did 67 years ago. But regardless of how desensitized someone is to death it shouldnt change their morals or push them from normal kid to mass murderer. that i dont think any study can convince me of.

no worries. i was more or less agreeing with you.

bad jokes are kind of hard to decipher on a message board.....i was being totally facetious.......i suppose i need to brush up on the mechanics of satire of something.