this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
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I understand the frustration, but I can’t help but feel that their anger is misdirected. Do we really think video games are promoting violence?
I’m getting a sense that there are other steps that could have been taken to prevent this tragedy aside from this video game that features guns.
They voted back in all the same leadership at an election not long after. Having made that decision, I find this to be less surprising than it might have been.
I remember reading about that. All I could conclude is that the voters must approve in some sense of those actions. In which case, I’m afraid your peers have spoken and clearly indicate that it’s not a priority. It’s a shame.
What about all the movies with guns? It's much more normal to see a movie about someone getting shot or otherwise killed than see even a titty, much less any genitalia. I'd argue that many more people watch media than play games, if that's the logic they're going for.
Their frustration is completely misdirected also because it's friggin' Texas! What do you need to get a gun in that state? A pulse?
Edit: the dude was 18, how did he even get a gun? You need to be at least 21 to have one. How did he even get an semi-automatic weapon? The fuck?
Anti Commercial-AI license
I hear what you're saying, but how many hours are logged by some swimming in images of fps games? I'd argue, from my interaction with teens, that there are far more hours logged than passively watching any media. But that's not the point anyway.
Our American society is swimming with a gun obsession. Whether it's via video games, movies, social media, politicians, the NRA, "2nd ammendment cities" (wtf), and too many more avenues to think of. Games are just one vector of marketing guns to a maleable population. The core of this suit is that a manufacturer was pushing their models within the game in collusion with Activision. I believe advertising guns to a kids demographic is prohibited. I'd search it, but I'm lazy and the AI results would be wrong anyway.
You need to be 21 to purchase a handgun from a dealer.
This was not a handgun.
Question still stands: how the fuck did he get a semi-automatic gun if he wasn't even able to get a handgun?
Anti Commercial-AI license
Where are you from, exactly?
There's no classes of licenses like that in the US. If you are 18 and meet the minimal legal requirements, you can buy a long gun of any type in most states. (Some states are trying to move that age to 21.) That means a single shot, break action, lever action, bolt action, pump, or yes, semi-automatic. Once you hit 21, you can buy handguns. Again: that includes break action, revolvers, and normal semi-automatics.
The only real restriction in all of this is machine guns; to get those, you need to come up with the $20,000+ that a legal one will cost, and file a transfer application with the BATF, pay a $250 fee, and wait to see if your application is approved or denied. There are some states that prevent individual ownership of machine guns entirely.
No, that's not their argument. They are saying the gun manufacturer advertised their real life gun in the video game. They don't have an issue with video game violence, they have an issue with advertising weapons to children.
It's just a lawyer using the families to try some money and prestigious.
Certainly. Hence, steps. Although, video games is probably not where I would begin if we wish to take this problem seriously. It should be part of a complete plan to address violence involving guns.
People have always blamed video games for violence, even all the way back to Columbine. This isn't a new argument.
Those arguments were weak then and they are no better now after years of research trying to test whether video games cause violent behavior. I don’t think there’s a need to revisit the same argument — unless of course new information or context that changes things has been found.
Oh, I'm not disagreeing at all. Even with all the evidence that video games aren't the problem, it's a convenient scapegoat to point a finger at while ignoring those who actually need to be held accountable.
Replace "videogames" with "guns" to understand the 2A argument.
I’m not sure I understand. When was the last time a video game was used to go on a killing spree?
The same argument can be used in one context and be wrong, yet used in another context and be right.
The object in the argument matters. For example, the argument that punishment reduces undesirable behavior. This could be true in criminal justice, but it’s absolutely not true when applied to early child development. It just teaches them to be scared of you if the child isn’t old enough to understand.
There might be an association between guns and violence. Is that even true for video games?
That's not the argument though. The argument is "videogames don't cause this problem" which is true in both cases.
Guns may not cause the mental health issues that make people turn violent, but they do allow violent people to become mass murderers. Video games do neither.
That's like saying, replace "video games" with "cars and alcohol" to understand the MADD argument.
How so?
Sorry, you can't propose an analogy and expect others to think about it for themselves, but then when presented with a nearly identical analogy, expect others to spend time explaining it to you.
Oh I can't ask how it's identical?
"Drinking and driving doesn't kill people, people kill people" oh wait, that's senseless and they're not identical... Maybe you responded with this instead of answering my question because you know that.
"Cars and alcohol don't kill people people kill people" yeah that's why it's drinking and driving that's illegal, not cars and/or alcohol. But you thought of that already and realized your mistake, which is why you're dodging.
Try harder, it'll do you some good.
No no, keep going, you're so right. It sounds like you agree that demonstrating competency before being granted a driver's license is useful? And you agree that revoking these licenses when they have demonstrated that they are a risk to public safety is also working out for us?