China's state news channel has said that online games are to blame for drugs, murder and even teen pregnancy. We are not making this up.
In a program titled "Confession of a Murderer -- Focus on Pornography and Violence in Online Games (Part Two)," China Central Television (CCTV) reported on a Beijing juvenile prison where one man was serving a life sentence for murders he committed to obtain virtual equipment in an online game, reports Yahoo News.
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Apparently the report said that up to 80 percent of the violent criminals in the prison turned to crime because of online games. We're not sure how they came to that conclusion but you can read more by hitting the line above.
They forgot to mention that videogames are also responsible for: Cancer, global warming, AIDS, baldness, road accidents, unemployment, sexual diseases, blindness, fatal animal bites, the extinction of the dinosaurs, the recession... the list is endless. Those damn videogames probably even caused the creation of the universe itself.
I think there's only two solutions: get rid of all entertainment and wipe everyone's mind of such evil, or we all agree to kill ourselves. Perhaps we should all go to China, and their Government can do it for us! Problem is I'm now too frightened to go out so I may just starve to death... and that'll be the fault of videogames! When I die I'm suing the whole gaming industry.
And while we're on the subject of the evil of games... didn't Atari start World War 2? Or were they responsible for the fall of the Roman Empire??? I'm pretty sure Genghis Kahn used to arrange flowers 'til he put his hands on a joypad.
First the ill advised, terrible execution of our british citizen.
Then this absolute poor excuse of blaming a media type for the action of a small handleful of people who most likely cant afford or dont play online games.
When you think at times there are up to 14 million people playing WOW, up to 8 million people playing mw2. and there are plenty of other online games including ultima online etc. How many of those people are going around killing people and getting pregnant? Not many i can tell you that now. Firstly, a lot of the online gamers (please forgive me, are single blokes) and if there are STILL that many people playing online games, when do they have time going around killing??? lol its just stupid.
Sometimes people just don't think about what they are saying. and when they cant explain something fully, they blamie something thats easy to attack with no backlash. Theres no backlash because the people they are attacking are too busy playing games lol!
I'm going to ignore the execution issue (because if you know the risks then you don't really deserve sympathy) and move straight to the gaming part.
Actually, I was going to ask where free will came into the idea, but then realised it was China we were talking about, where daring to have your own opinions tends to get you killed.
That article makes lots of bold and wild claims but doesn't back them up with any of the purported "evidence". The people are saying "this game made them do this in-game stuff" (which is what games do, the option is to switch off), but connecting that to crime is a leap even for the Chinese government. Unless they're concerned that their people see each other as monsters and must therefore hunt them down. Takes a special kind of mindset to do something like that.
And becoming addicted to cough medicine to keep energy levels up? What kind of crazy drugs do they have over there that instead of making you drowsy help keep you up all night? Total fabrication.
To be honest, I've argued this case too many times now to really care. Gaming is simply the new scapegoat like TV and rock music once were. Lots of people enjoy it so the odds are younger people who do bad sh*t have played a game at some point in their lives. Anything else is coincidence.
online games causing teenage pregnancy? unlikely unless there's some sort of demon seed scenario going on.
but we all know they're just trying to take the blame off the government. the citizens of china have few human or civil rights and almost every part of their lives are dictated by the government that allows no opposition. with that kind of system crime is inevitable. china is supposed to be a communist country, but i believe the founders of communism would be appalled by what china has become, it's now a fascist state.
I'm going to ignore the execution issue (because if you know the risks then you don't really deserve sympathy) and move straight to the gaming part.
Actually, I was going to ask where free will came into the idea, but then realised it was China we were talking about, where daring to have your own opinions tends to get you killed.
That article makes lots of bold and wild claims but doesn't back them up with any of the purported "evidence". The people are saying "this game made them do this in-game stuff" (which is what games do, the option is to switch off), but connecting that to crime is a leap even for the Chinese government. Unless they're concerned that their people see each other as monsters and must therefore hunt them down. Takes a special kind of mindset to do something like that.
And becoming addicted to cough medicine to keep energy levels up? What kind of crazy drugs do they have over there that instead of making you drowsy help keep you up all night? Total fabrication.
To be honest, I've argued this case too many times now to really care. Gaming is simply the new scapegoat like TV and rock music once were. Lots of people enjoy it so the odds are younger people who do bad sh*t have played a game at some point in their lives. Anything else is coincidence.
after all reading all these comments there is still isnt a civilized constructive intelligent comment made. Goes to show how what "western" gamers are really like.
Fascinating. I can understand violence being blamed on games to a degree...but drug use and teenage pregnancy? Where on earth is there a correlation between those two and gaming? Would be nice if an article was sited or a paper...it would be interesting to see if there was a correlation, though i find it highly spurious.
I'm going to ignore the execution issue (because if you know the risks then you don't really deserve sympathy) and move straight to the gaming part.
The whole problem is that it is claimed that he had no idea what he was doing and suffered from severe bi-polar disorder. He had no translator, had half an hour trial and was refused psychological evaluation..that breaks at least 3 sections of the human rights act 1998, which..'shockingly'..China is not a party too. Thus China have in their eyes done nothing wrong, as a sovereign nation they can decide their own laws, while in the west it is a SERIOUS breach of human rights. Trying to balance the two without exasperating the situation is a difficulty to say the least.
Oh and cough medicine, like some aspirin has caffeine in it.
To be honest, I've argued this case too many times now to really care. Gaming is simply the new scapegoat like TV and rock music once were. Lots of people enjoy it so the odds are younger people who do bad sh*t have played a game at some point in their lives. Anything else is coincidence.
Personally I agree with this, but look at it from an outsiders perspective: Which came first the game or the violence? Did one lead to the other? Would columbine have happened if they hadn't been playing games with guns in them? I think thats where the problems come in. One has increased with the other, so naturally they create a link.
However it takes reasoned arguments to enlighten people to the falsity of the claim, something which the majority of gamers seem completely unable to do.
oh and Lordirongut, nice avatar...funny how Lt Quattro looks a lot like Char huh?
The whole problem is that it is claimed that he had no idea what he was doing and suffered from severe bi-polar disorder. He had no translator, had half an hour trial and was refused psychological evaluation..that breaks at least 3 sections of the human rights act 1998, which..'shockingly'..China is not a party too.
Everyone knows China's rep for the treatment of foreigners at the best of times though, so it's not like he went in innocently and was punished. He was trafficking drugs. He took a risk and was caught. So sure, in another country he might have only ended up in jail, but he still knew what he was doing.
Which came first the game or the violence? Did one lead to the other? Would columbine have happened if they hadn't been playing games with guns in them? I think thats where the problems come in. One has increased with the other, so naturally they create a link.
Well there's been gun crime since there's been gunpowder, video games have only been around in the mainstream for about 15-20 years. And due to the accessibility of media, we're hearing about more. But I don't think the rate will have increased that much. It should of course work the other way. Releasing tension by shooting someone on-screen should stop these nutbars wanting to kill, but then again I guess you do need some sort of mental problem if you want to murder people at all - games or not.
However it takes reasoned arguments to enlighten people to the falsity of the claim, something which the majority of gamers seem completely unable to do.
I think that's because the passion takes over. Thankfully I can just about stifle it, but sometimes you do just want to smack some heads! Either that or it's because people are getting dumber, and I hope that's not the case
BBC News interviewed their Chinese editor I believe? on the matter of the execution, and he felt that potentially it is because China have a grudge against our treatment of them and our imperialistic rule...interesting thought.
Never has the term .."dont throw stones in glass houses" been more applicable, there abandonment of babies in streets is deplorable and against all notions of human rights.
Everyone knows China's rep for the treatment of foreigners at the best of times though, so it's not like he went in innocently and was punished. He was trafficking drugs. He took a risk and was caught. So sure, in another country he might have only ended up in jail, but he still knew what he was doing.
I understand your point, but you are assuming he knew anything about what he was doing or even understood it. The mental illness of the sort he is reported to have had, would make it very difficult to say whether or not he knew what he was doing. You'd be surprised how many people I've interviewed in the cells who don't entirely understand what they have done.
Criminal actions are formed of Actus Reus, the act itself, and Mens Rea, having the intention to do the criminal act. You need both to be able to convict in english law. While the act was present, it is increasingly obvious that the mental state was not. Add that to the breach of human rights and its full understandable why the UK is angry about this.
I'm not cognisant of Chinese law beyond the death penalty for drug trafficking, and i only discovered that due to the press. How on earth would a mentally unstable man who certainly would not have had legal training know any of this?
Well there's been gun crime since there's been gunpowder, video games have only been around in the mainstream for about 15-20 years. And due to the accessibility of media, we're hearing about more. But I don't think the rate will have increased that much. It should of course work the other way. Releasing tension by shooting someone on-screen should stop these nutbars wanting to kill, but then again I guess you do need some sort of mental problem if you want to murder people at all - games or not.
Indeed, but you have to see it from an outsiders perspective who doesn't play videogames, has a teenager addicted to MW2 and gets wound up by Sky News or the Daily Mail every day. Its an understandable reaction.
after all reading all these comments there is still isnt a civilized constructive intelligent comment made. Goes to show how what "western" gamers are really like.
Are you for real? China doesn't deserve a civilized constructive intelligent comment, the Chinese government don't know what civilized means! You're talking about a nation that has the worst human rights record ever (apart from Nazi Germany but that goes without saying), add to that their shocking treatment of animals (ever been to a Chinese meat and food market?) and to top it all off their carbon emissions are going through the roof. You could argue thats because of the Wests needs for Chinese manufactured goods but thats a hollow argument. Every country in the West is doing their most to bring emissions down but China simply doesn't care. China is probably one of if not the most disgraceful countries in the world, how dare they dictate that games are to blame for the worlds problems.
after all reading all these comments there is still isnt a civilized constructive intelligent comment made. Goes to show how what "western" gamers are really like.
How civilised and "intelligent" are you ? why didn't you come up with something concrete ? Instead of blaming "western" gamers .. are you one of them commie who can't bare the truth ?
Next time the Daily Mail comes out with a slightly racist article I hope China comes up with a "All English people are t**ts!" headline. Or, next time CVG make a spelling mistake the French start talking about how all English people can't spell.
Mind you, we do have a lot of racists in this country. Not enough for a BNP reign to be plausible, but not far off.
Next time the Daily Mail comes out with a slightly racist article I hope China comes up with a "All English people are t**ts!" headline. Or, next time CVG make a spelling mistake the French start talking about how all English people can't spell.
Mind you, we do have a lot of racists in this country. Not enough for a BNP reign to be plausible, but not far off.
Yeah because China's people have the same civil rights and freedom of speech that us Brits have don't they! The UK is probably the least racist country in the West, try living in Italy, Spain, Germany etc and see how far your cries of racism get you. What you fail to realise is that the tv station that ran that news article is state run unlike the Daily Mail and CVG so in a way it is the Chinese government saying this rubbish.
after all reading all these comments there is still isnt a civilized constructive intelligent comment made. Goes to show how what "western" gamers are really like.
Sane intelligent people understand what gamers already know, and that's that there are people who do wrong and it's not down to one single influence, and certainly not down to playing a game. Sadly society isn't made up of shiney, happy, perfect people. And in an ideal world we could pinpoint exactly what makes everyone do bad things, but that's not reality and using scapegoats, like games, or movies is dumb beyond belief. I do however believe giving society access to weapons makes it easier for violent people to commit violence but I'm not stupid enough to entirely blame weapons. After all I pick up a potentially violent instrument when I'm preparing and eating food, but it doesn't make me want to hurt anyone.
The argument that a videogame can lead a person to commit violence is utterly pathetic. Trying to explain that to someone who's convinced themselves would be as futile as trying to convince them that eating eggs makes you violent. After all, I'm sure every murderer has at one point. And that's the issue, it's as a pathetic and unintelligent an argument. We discuss it here because we're always so outraged when we hear these vile lies spread by the media and government.
In truth I think it really angers us because it gives us glimpse of exactly what governments and media actually are about. They spread rumours, tell lies and make up stories for their own personal gain.
The same argument can be applied to those who understand the reality of some illegal drugs. Governments tell you they'll kill you, lead to poverty, bad health or whatever. And strangely there are millions of 'drug users' that lead typical lifestyles; work, pay taxes, have families, exercise and have healthy relationships. Just because a government or the media makes a statement doesn't mean it's actually fact or truthful. In fact if they got their facts right and were more honest they'd both have much more credibility. But every time a gamer, drug user, or any other part of society that's been demonised hears lies about their chosen lifestyle the gap between those who know and those who think they know gets larger and larger. Sadly we've barely moved on from the same attitude people once had about witches!
The day it's possible to change someone's mind about videogames is probably the same day it's possible to convince religious people that their faith is just a bunch of stories and lifestyle rules created in the minds of men. Undeniably clever, creative men, but average human beings all the same. People believe in all sorts of rubbish, but generally over time society becomes better educated. At least that's the theory. But I guess it's comforting to some to have something to blame or look up to.
You say gamers appear incapable of giving an 'intelligent constructive' argument. I'm sure that's true of some, but why should anyone even bother in the first place. These people have already convinced themselves. After all, there is absolutely no evidence or proof that videogames can turn a person to violence, drugs or underage sex. If there were there would have been some very serious action taken across the world.
Videogames are enjoyed by people from all walks of life. It's true, some of them may end up pregnant young, or turn to crime or violence. The same could be said of people who watch TV, go shopping, eat meat or talk to people. Anyone who geniunely believes a videogame can make a good person do bad things deserves no more than to be told to f u c k o f f .
how absurd. We all know that people who play MMOs in china spend most of their time playing games then actually commiting crimes. Consider MMOs a blessing for china to keep most people out of trouble and a way to control the populace.
When will people start taking responsibility for their actions, its not the medias fault be it games music or movies its the parents. If parents can't teach their kids whats right from wrong then they shouldn't have them or at least admit that it is partly their fault for allowing their kids to be exposed to certain environments.
After executing in cold blood a English citizen who was mentally ill, wreaking the global emissions in Copenhagen, The Chinese government now turn's to video games. A government that create murder vans to execute so called criminals says video games breed violence? Look the video games company's should just not publish any over there problem solved. Plus most of the games they play there are not legally bought due to rampant piracy. I also think China may be the upcoming war zone of choice in video games!.
I thought Online games (like WoW) were responsable for people NOT having sex!
The Chinese are mental, just becuase they have an economy thats worth something , they still have a govement thats treats its people like brainless morons.
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