Media

I would like to say that as a cop's daughter, all the police officers think that video games are a huge problem, and Dad said that every domestic violence case he went to, there was a video game being played.

And since you know _"all"_ the police officers, you can confirm this.

She might be right, you know. I'm sure video games were being used in excess by the people in those cases, though. Paul said "all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." I can't believe I didn't think of that verse before!

I would like to say that as a cop's daughter, all the police officers think that video games are a huge problem, and Dad said that every domestic violence case he went to, there was a video game being played.

And since you know _"all"_ the police officers, you can confirm this.

Dude, start readin' what she's writin'.

I would like to say that as a cop's daughter, all the police officers think that video games are a huge problem, and Dad said that every domestic violence case he went to, there was a video game being played.

And since you know _"all"_ the police officers, you can confirm this.

Dude, start readin' what she's writin'.

How 'bout you try doing that.

I quote her exactly, "all the police officers think that video games are a huge problem"

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I quote her exactly, "all the police officers think that video games are a huge problem"</blockquote>

See my edit; that was a typographical error.

Here's an essay I had to write on such a subject:

The Influence of the Media

Movies. Television. Computers. Smartphones. Video games. Media is all around us. It infiltrates our thoughts, our actions, our lives. Hollywood often determines what we do in our spare time. What is the response that we as Christians should have to the media?
First off, let’s discuss the content of media. Violence, romance, pornography, swearing, immodesty, immorality; is it acceptable? Is it a good way to spend our time? In what context? In what amount?
Let’s see what the Bible says about violence:
“The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth.” –Psalm 11:5
“…And He said unto them, Do violence to no man…” –Luke 3:14
“For thy violence…shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. –Obadiah 10
“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt…for the earth is filled with violence through them, and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” –Genesis 6:11-13
“Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.” –Psalm 140:11
From these verses we can gather that God hates violence. But we also have to deal with the other side of the story. What about when God commanded His people to destroy the other nations? To kill men, women, and children, without mercy? The Bible itself is a violent book. We know that we can’t just be pacifists and let the world go to ruin.
Let’s take a look at some other verses:
“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works…” –Titus 2:4-7
“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;” –1 Timothy 2:9
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” –1 Corinthians 6:18
“…it is good for a man not to touch a woman.” –1 Corinthians 7:1
“…be thou an example of the believers: in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. –1 Timothy 4:12
“…keep thyself pure.” –1 Timothy 5:22
You’ll notice, if you look, that when God was giving Moses the instructions for building the tabernacle, and also Solomon those for building the temple, how often He uses the word “pure”. Three oft-used Hebrew words all translated ‘pure’ are: zak – pure, clear; flawless, innocent, upright. Tahor – clean, pure, flawless, free from impurity, moral or ceremonial as a figurative extension of an object being free from defect or filth. Sagar – to shut, close. To be shut. To be confined, shut up, imprisoned. To be shut up, be barred, be closed, to surrender, give over, deliver up, put in isolation. (As a practical application, we could consider this to mean that purity means to be separate. To give God our lusts and desires and to be barred shut to temptation.) A Greek word translated ‘pure’ is katharos – clean, pure, clear of responsibility, innocent. (We also need to give God control/responsibility, though we are still responsible.)
Through these verses and word studies, we can pretty much cross out pornography and immorality as acceptable options. But what about romance? What about immodesty? There are still the questions of how much is too much? What is modesty? What is attractive, without going too far and being defrauding?
Let’s see what the Bible has to say on swearing:
“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.” –Exodus 20:7
“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth, for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” –Matthew 5:34-37
“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” –James 5:12
So swearing is unacceptable. But what about in a movie? A video game? TV? If there is one bad word in there, does that mean the whole thing is bad? How much is too much?
There is another very important issue with the media. If you’re just watching the sin, if you’re not doing it, is it still bad? If you’re fighting the sin that you’re watching, is it still bad? Will it still have an effect on you, even if it is portrayed in a bad way? And is it bad to pretend to do evil things, or it is okay?
One thing we haven’t touched on yet is the time involved in media. The average American child/teen spends over 1000 hours a year on some type of media. Though a lot of Christians wouldn’t go so far as that, time is still a big problem. Is media a good way to be spending our time? Will it help us mature spiritually? Is it wrong to do something just for the fun of it? How much time is too much time? And since media isn’t the only waste of time in today’s society, should we even be worrying about it?
Every person has to make his or her choice. Each Christian will have different standards and make different choices. I’m not going to try to tell you what you should do or not do, or if you should change anything at all. I’d just like to close off with these verses, which seem to me very appropriate.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” –Psalm 90:12
“Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?” –Proverbs 6:27-28
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” –Proverbs 3:7
“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble…Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life…Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee…Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” –Proverbs 4:14-19, 23, 25, 27
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” –Philippians 4:8
Please just try to be open to the Holy Spirit and ask God for wisdom in making the right choices with respect to the media.

" Violence, romance, pornography, swearing, immodesty, immorality; is it acceptable?"

First of all, I would not place violence and romance in the same category as swearing, immorality, etc. God doesn't want us to be immoral, immodest, or swearers.

Many times in the Bible God commanded violence…AND

GUESS WHAT?~GOD CREATED ROMANCE!

Surprise, surprise!

Why do I have the feeling that a lot of people on memverse consider romance to be some kind of evil?

Because we read posts that imply that.

When your parents got married, I think there was at least a little bit of romance. They might feel rather surprised to think that a large contributor to their engagement and covenant is to be compared with pornography and violence!

Okay. Maybe you're right. The reason I placed them in the same category is because they are all largely used in media. And the way they are used in media is often quite questionable.

I included that God often commanded violence in my essay.

And I agree with you that God created romance. I also didn't say that it was necessarily wrong. What I do think is that romance in media is often inappropriate. Romance is not evil.

I agree with you. Romance is a good thing. BUT, I also think that it needs to be largely confined within the realm of marriage. I don't want to marry someone just because my feelings are on a high in regard to them, or that it was romantic. That's why I want my dad to be so involved in giving me away, SO my mind can control my heart, and I won't be deceived by some romance.

I didn't mean to be actually comparing romance with the other stuff. The reason I placed them in the same category, is because they are all largely, and questionably, used in media.

So……can we all "go out for tacos" now?

No! BC that's not your line! xP

So can we all go out for tacos now?

That's not your line either! :P

I know. I was just being a copycat to everyone else who says that (actually just you and Noah, really), because I don't really know why you say it.

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true.

TACO TUESDAY!

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

FREEDOM FRIDAY!

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch…

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch...

I have to make them first. :( :( Abigail doesnt like cooking. :P
When my mom is gone (like today), i make deliciousness food! :) cuz my mom is always like "NO! DONT EAT THAT! GO MAKE YOSELF A SANDWITCH!"

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch...

I have to make them first. :( :( Abigail doesnt like cooking. :P When my mom is gone (like today), i make deliciousness food! :) cuz my mom is always like "NO! DONT EAT THAT! GO MAKE YOSELF A SANDWITCH!"

Heh. I don't eat sammiches often. Mostly real food.

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch...

I have to make them first. :( :( Abigail doesnt like cooking. :P When my mom is gone (like today), i make deliciousness food! :) cuz my mom is always like "NO! DONT EAT THAT! GO MAKE YOSELF A SANDWITCH!"

Heh. I don't eat sammiches often. Mostly real food.

cuz there nasty!
I used to call Samm, Ham Samwitch. because her last name starts with "ham" :P

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch...

I have to make them first. :( :( Abigail doesnt like cooking. :P When my mom is gone (like today), i make deliciousness food! :) cuz my mom is always like "NO! DONT EAT THAT! GO MAKE YOSELF A SANDWITCH!"

Heh. I don't eat sammiches often. Mostly real food.

cuz there nasty! I used to call Samm, Ham Samwitch. because her last name starts with "ham" :P

Lawl. What'd she call you?

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch...

I have to make them first. :( :( Abigail doesnt like cooking. :P When my mom is gone (like today), i make deliciousness food! :) cuz my mom is always like "NO! DONT EAT THAT! GO MAKE YOSELF A SANDWITCH!"

Heh. I don't eat sammiches often. Mostly real food.

cuz there nasty! I used to call Samm, Ham Samwitch. because her last name starts with "ham" :P

Lawl. What'd she call you?

Uh…Abby. :P
She calls us both Ber-Ham :P

So can we all go out for tacos now?

Los Tres Deadpools. :)

Los Cuatro Deadpools. :) Baby Deadpool!

Very true. *TACO TUESDAY!*

*FREEDOM FRIDAY!*

*BUT STILL ON A TUESDAY!*

*AYE! IM GONNA EAT TACOS FOR LUNCH!*

Wish I was having tacos for lunch. I actually dunno what I'm having for lunch...

I have to make them first. :( :( Abigail doesnt like cooking. :P When my mom is gone (like today), i make deliciousness food! :) cuz my mom is always like "NO! DONT EAT THAT! GO MAKE YOSELF A SANDWITCH!"

Heh. I don't eat sammiches often. Mostly real food.

cuz there nasty! I used to call Samm, Ham Samwitch. because her last name starts with "ham" :P

Lawl. What'd she call you?

Uh...Abby. :P She calls us both Ber-Ham :P

Lawl.

In accordance with popular requests, I post my essay on the topic of video games and violence. My essay grew to be a bit more than just that, though. It's a rough draft, so even though it's got pretty much everything I'd turn in, there might be a grammatical error here or there, and I may or may not add to it. Let me know your thoughts. :)

Video Games and Culture
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What do plumbers, hedgehogs, and international spies have in common? Hint: The answer is not “the ravings of a madman”. Rather, they are all personas that can be assumed through the lens of a video game. Ever since the creation of Pong in 1972, video games have been a growing part of modern society. Games offer a different experience from other forms of media because they allow for a freedom of choice and interaction that is unique to the medium. One reads about a character in a book, while one is a character in a video game, for the duration of the playtime at least. Games are an interesting medium, one that blurs the lines between cinema, art, and story in a unique amalgam of interactivity that can be accessed by anyone. The appeal of games comes from the openness of the medium: games can be picked up at any time and played, and regardless of the amount of experience, anyone can have fun. This openness is not limited to gameplay; however, critics have taken to blaming the existence of video games for many of the wrongs encountered in the modern world. Claims range from causing children to become antisocial and detached to claiming that games influence the players into becoming aggressive, violence seeking machines. While these accusations are false in nature, the casual consumer is often at a loss as to how to answer these claims, often choosing the easy path of ignoring the assertions of those against video games. This is the wrong response, however, as games have evolved far beyond being merely entertainment, but have become a part of society as a whole; gamers have a responsibility to answer the questions leveled at them with intelligence and respect. Since the topic of video games is so vast and varied, a wide view of the impact that games have as a whole will be required to demonstrate that video games do not, in fact, cause violent acts in people, but bring individuals together, and are an integral part of modern culture.
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Before proceeding into the article, a point must be made: video games do not cause people to commit violent acts. Video games do not control the minds of those who attack and maim other people; the choice to hurt another human being is made entirely by the individual responsible. The majority of studies done to link video games to violent acts are tantamount to attempting to link automobile deaths to streets. Crossing the street does not mean that one will be hit by a car; playing video games does not mean that one will become aggressive and violent. In fact, the majority of the studies conducted to prove the link between video games and violence are subject to publication bias, rather than actual research; this was proven in a study done in 2011 by Christopher Ferguson. Ferguson created guidelines for future research in the subject, and following them he conducted a new study, testing 103 young adults who were randomized to play either no video game, a nonviolent video game, a violent video game where they played as the “good guy”, and a violent video game where they played as the “bad guy”, following which they were assigned “frustration task”, a task designed to cause frustration in the subjects. The result: the study showed that those who played violent video games were less prone to frustration and aggressive behavior than those did not. The criticism that video games receive because of violence seems contradictory in light of the fact that society glorifies the violent acts of athletes in sports such as boxing, hockey, or football. That being said, there are video games that use violence as the main focus of the experience. One of the most recent examples of this would be the game Hatred. The game earned a lot of attention upon its release due to the nature of the game: the only goal is indiscriminate, senseless, brutal murder. The game revels in the graphic nature of the violence it depicts, the fear of the victims killed, and the power the protagonist exerts over them. There is no explanation for the actions of the protagonist (or rather, main antagonist) of the game other than that he is “sick and tired of humanity’s existence” and that he will “clear the New York outskirts of all humans with cold blood”. Clearly, this is a game that has no other goal than the advancement of a criminal agenda. Or does it? The game, while taking the violence that is so hated by video game critics to an extreme, brought with it an important question: why is this so unacceptable when there are many other video games that have violence that is similarly graphic? What makes Hatred so different? Context of the actions is a large part of why Hatred is so controversial; there are no innocent women begging for their lives in games such as Call of Duty. But as repulsive as the game is, it raises important questions, forcing those in the gamer community to examine the reasons they enjoy video games that showcase violence. This issue has been evident in games such as Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and Call of Duty: Ghosts, where the game uses the societal structure of the enemies or a closer view of the opponent’s terror to ask the player to consider why they are committing violent acts in-game. Games such as Team Fortress 2 and Far Cry 3 take this a step further, using the game to satirize the genre of violent video games, by either blowing the violence ridiculously out of proportion, or by awarding the player with dire consequences for their violent actions. Overall, while there are video games that use violence as a selling point, video games are learning to use the violence as a storytelling tool, and are not only evolving as a medium, but are causing the players to ask serious questions about the world they live in, and the effect that the choices they make have on their world.
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While video games do not cause violence, they do open the door to creating communities and bringing together individuals who would not otherwise interact. There has always been a stigma about gaming, a stereotype that implies that gamers are closeted antisocial nerds who rarely venture beyond their comfortable shells. The same was thought about those who enjoyed comic books, computers, and most extracurricular pursuits that require studious focus and attention. While untrue, this did not come about without a fair amount of legitimacy. When video games came onto the scene, not many people played them, and those who did formed small, tightly-knit communities in order to share their experiences with others. The onset of the Internet began the process of expanding these small communities, as gamers did not need to live close to one another to interact and discuss their latest adventures. Chat rooms and message boards grew the community, allowing players to swap tips, tricks, and secrets with others, and blogs offered reviews and opinions on the latest developments of various games. When online multiplayer games came onto the scene, they immediately gained immense popularity, for now gamers of all ages and demographics, gamers from all nations, could share the experiences of a virtual world together in real-time. As the communities grew, so did the sense of camaraderie and fellowship that accompanied them. But as with all communities, there are always those who wish to upset or harass others, and the gaming community is no different. Online gaming, while being a blessing to many, can also be a curse when the community is represented by toxic and abusive gamers. Harassment, insults, and bullying are fairly common in online games, and it turns experiences that would otherwise be beautiful and memorable into nightmares for the players. However, just as the gaming community loves its own, it cares for its own, and gamers find ways to discourage hurtful behavior, and encourage friendly and helpful behavior. Riot Games, the creator of the wildly popular multiplayer battle arena League of Legends, uses a system that allows players to rate others based on positivity and friendliness, and limits the amount of interaction available to players who are known to be hostile. These simple solutions were shown to reduce hostile interactions with other players by 7%, and the community is taking notice. The massively popular game Minecraft allows players to develop their own rules of interaction and communication, allowing for varying styles of cooperative play from server to server. The benefits of multiplayer games are not limited to play with online acquaintances, however; games have been shown to being families together as well. The University of Arizona conducted a study in 2013 about the effects of intergenerational gaming, and the results showed that parents who took an active role in playing games and participating in gaming communities with their children found myriads of new ways to bond and cultivate relationships. Clearly, gaming can be a relationship-building experience, and it does not stop at gameplay. When a fan of the game Skyrim expressed on the social network Reddit how the game helped him to cope with the death of his sister, not only did he receive comfort from the other gamers, he was encouraged by the developers of the game itself, who sent him a book of game art signed by each member of the development team wishing him well. The gaming community is not perfect; it has its flaws just as any other community might have. But it is a community, and one that offers help and friendship to all who ask.
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Far from fostering only self-contained communities, video games are a growing influence on culture as a whole. The growth of gaming communities has brought gaming into the public eye like it never has before, and it will only continue to grow as games evolve as a medium. Indeed, games are starting to transcend their original limitations as pure entertainment and are starting to become much more. In 2011, the U.S National Endowment for the Arts recognized video games as an art form; an unprecedented move that helped to change the way critics define art. The definition of art was also questioned upon the release of the game Journey, a game without a clear goal or story other than that of pure exploration. There are no enemies to fight, no quests to fulfill, merely the player moving their avatar across vast expanses and beautiful landscapes. The appeal of Journey was that those who played it could interpret it the way it felt to them, which is a mark of true art. Other games use art to tell a story, which is the case of the Dark Souls series, and the most recent addition to the franchise, Bloodborne. The Dark Souls games are known for environmental storytelling. They deliver narrative through the game world itself, rather than by spoon-feeding it to the player via long conversations with non-player characters or lengthy introductory boxes of text. Players discover the intricacies of the story by exploring, collecting, and looking at the game world around them. These principles were further developed in Bloodborne; the director of the game made environmental storytelling a priority even with the design of enemies that the player faces. Games have the ability to convey story in a way that is completely unique to them, in that games allow the player to make the choices. The player does not learn about the choices made by the main character but makes the choices with the main character. This creates a deeper emotional bond with the protagonist, and the story of the game as a whole, than most other media. Video games have not perfected their style of storytelling, the recent influx of AAA titles can attest to that. But games are growing and learning from their mistakes, and are rapidly making their mark on the culture they thrive in.
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After considering the influence that video games have on modern society, it is clear that while games do have their dark side, they are much more than murder simulations; games can offer meaningful experiences that can overcome boundaries, unite people, and affect culture as a whole. While violence is often depicted in video games, the games themselves cannot cause anyone to commit acts of violence; even the most violent games cause the players to ask deep questions about their own choices and beliefs. Community is a large part of gaming, bringing together people of all nationalities and ages, both near and far, to join together and have fun. Video games have always been a medium that was in a state of flux, not sure what they wanted to be or offer. Developers of video games were, and still are, pioneering and exploring the boundaries of the experiences that games can offer, and they are using games to bridge the gap between entertainment, art, and story, bringing those together in a way that has not been seen before; games are so integral to modern society that they are beginning to influence the culture around them. Video games are here to stay, and while the path to their current state has been paved with both successes and losses, there is a promising future ahead, waiting to be enjoyed by everyone.

^I wish MV had a normal text editor…the lack of double-spacing here is killing me. :P^

Wow that was incredible! great job Sam!

Wow that was incredible! great job Sam!

Agreed. =) Very well-researched and thought out. =]

Very well written paper, Sam. Good job. My question below.

"While violence is often depicted in video games, the games themselves cannot cause anyone to commit acts of violence; even the most violent games cause the players to ask deep questions about their own choices and beliefs."

^ This is what you said close to the end of your paper. Maybe I'm making a generalization, in which you could correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't feel like people who play video games (I'm speaking of the world, not you, jsyk) ask the "deep" questions. They play… just to play. Which I think is a dangerous thing…especially if they enjoy playing games filled with violence. Not because I necessarily think that violence produces violence in this case, but of other things I thought of. I haven't thought through this enough as I recently finished reading your paper, but since you wanted to see the question, here it is.

EDIT - facedesk Hopefully, you can "read" my question from my paragraph, since technically, I never asked one. Told you it would be ridiculous.

Very well written paper, Sam. Good job. My question below. "While violence is often depicted in video games, the games themselves cannot cause anyone to commit acts of violence; even the most violent games cause the players to ask deep questions about their own choices and beliefs." ^ This is what you said close to the end of your paper. Maybe I'm making a generalization, in which you could correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't feel like people who play video games (I'm speaking of the world, not you, jsyk) ask the "deep" questions. They play... just to play. Which I think is a dangerous thing...especially if they enjoy playing games filled with violence. Not because I necessarily think that violence produces violence in this case, but of other things I thought of. I haven't thought through this enough as I recently finished reading your paper, but since you wanted to see the question, here it is. EDIT - *facedesk* Hopefully, you can "read" my question from my paragraph, since technically, I never asked one. Told you it would be ridiculous.

I do think that is kind of a generalization, but it would be true of a certain demographic of gamers. Particularly those who play simply because their friends are. I did kind of address this in my first paragraph. But the same could be said for books, television, music, and all other forms of media. There are people who read just to read, or watch just to watch. And there are those who take the time to think about what they do, and I think there are more of them out there than you'd think. Go read the comments section for any video by PBS Game Show, or go read Kill Screen Daily. Yeah, video games can be a source of mindless fun. I mean, that's mostly why we have comedy shows; sometimes people just want to relax. But they can also be a source of good and meaningful entertainment, and a lot of people benefit from them. Even if you are most benefited by the social aspect of games, you are still benefited. And video games have the potential to become one of the most beneficial forms of media out there. :)

Video games are just the new(-ish) thing, therefor they'er seen as strange and different. ^An Intrusion on the utopia!^ and so they suffer the same cold-shoulder play-acting, novels, airplanes, and a host of other things have suffered in various communities.

Although video games certainly don't tern people into crazed serial killers, I would be concerned that some of the more graphic and gory media (including games) could have desensitizing effect on younger children.
I don't think you disagree that consumer discernment is important.

This is great, Sam. What I found most interesting is what you said about violent video games not causing violence. As Roy put it:

"Although video games certainly don't turn people into crazed serial killers, I would be concerned that some of the more graphic and gory media (including games) could have desensitizing effect on younger children."

You cited a study that proves that violent video games don't cause violence in gamers. However, it seemed to me to only prove that was true for short-term gaming. What about gamers who play violent video games long-term?

Interesting note I wanted to add: Edward Snowden himself learned that "just one person, even the most powerless, can confront great injustice" from various places, including video games. :) ^quoting No Place to Hide by Glenn Greenwald^ From your description of video games (I've never played any, but not because I'm against them), I can definitely see how they can be instrumental in helping gamers shape their beliefs.

Wouldn't that be someone who isn't vary discerning? How is it different from watching or reading an unhealthy amount of movies and books of the same nature?

Just to be clear the deranged individuals who play games and comet mass murder are deranged before they played the 'violent' video games. like I said consumer discernment is advised.

True.

Roy: so I realize I kind of misread the statement of yours that I quoted. For my last post, I was more concerned about violence by gamers, and your statement had to do with desensitization.

(back to my thoughts about the essay) After thinking over this again (I'm still formulating my understanding of and opinion about this topic), I think my concern aligns with Roy's. However, I would argue that desensitization could happen with almost anyone, not only children. I feel like it could happen to me if I'm not careful. As with books and movies, though, it all depends on consumer discernment, like Roy said.

I'm finishing up my final draft of my essay, and it touches on the issue of desensitization; I think you'd find it interesting. When I'm totally finished, I'll open up a new topic for it (along with my reasons beyond bouncing ideas off people) and I'll field your questions there. :)

Okay! Looking forward to reading it.

Okay! Looking forward to reading it!!

Just posted it. :)

So, the recent discussions about Sam's video games essay ended up on the topic of +how to determine good media+. This seemed to fit better under the Media thread, so here it is.

How do you all determine good media from bad media? What standards do your families hold to?

Discuss!

Sorry I haven't gotten to this yet! Finals were this weekend, and I'm still painting my room and getting ready for my new summer class, so this has kinda slipped past me. :)

Welp, the first thing I take into consideration for most media is the story. What is happening, who is doing the things, why is it happening, etc. Once you know what the plot is, you can make an accurate judgement as to how you should approach it, at least for story-driven mediums like literature, cinema, and video games (which I want to start referring to as 'interactive experiences', since TBH, the word "game" is become less and less defined as the medium evolves). For something like music, I look at the lyrics first, then I look at the artist, and see if I like them. I can like a song or some songs without liking the specific artist, but I do like it better when I can agree with both song and artist.

Once I know what's going on, I can determine if I agree with it. Are the motive for the "good" characters actually good? What message is the story or artist trying to convey? And most important: do I want to expose myself to this? You can have a good moral to a story, but if the means to get to the moral is paved with blatant sin and recklessness, it's probably not the best way to learn from it, at least in my opinion. Nevertheless, it's ultimately up to the believer to choose what they want to watch, read, listen to, or interact with.

@Sam- you gave a good summary of how you go about deciding what media you'll interact with. :) What I'm curious about and would enjoy further explanation on is what personal principles do you hold to regarding whether something is acceptable/profitable–what guidelines do you follow as you analize using the process you just explained? When does something get ruled out? In other words, yes, to a certain extent it's up to each believer to decide. I'd like to know what you're personal decision making looks like. :)

Good question! I'm not entirely sure how to explain my thought process, but I'll try my best. If a story that I'm looking into interests me, I'll look through it, trying to get the basic gist of the plot. If it is a game or anime, I'll usually look up reviews, so that I can know what I'm getting myself into. If the story seems to promote ideals that I don't hold to, or if it is laden with bad actions that have no consequences, I'll tend to stay away from it. Happened to me with one book (that I'm forgetting the name of right now), it was a steampunk mystery story set in Japan, and it was really-well written, but the immoral actions of the main character turned me off from exploring the rest of the books. But, even if a book, anime, or whatever manages to pass my personal standards, I still ask myself if I really want to expose myself to it. Even if something isn't "bad", it might not be good for me. And nothing will happen to me if I refuse to read or watch something. So it's kind of a dynamic approach, I guess. I hope that I kind of anapswered your question. :)

"If you believe video games cause violence, pray, tell me what violent video games they played before 1990…?!"
I don't think anyone is saying that video games are the only things that cause violence (correct me if I'm wrong), just that it plays a factor in promoting violence.

I don't think that playing video games is wrong in and of itself; if you're one of those people who can play games without becoming addicted and if you could play it with the Lord Jesus physically sitting beside you without your conscience bothering you, it should be okay. Personally, I don't play video games at all because it is so easy for me to get addicted, but if you aren't like me, I'm not going to say it's wrong.