Thinking of modding your school into Oblivion?

[Goodfortitude]

I don't think it's so much a matter of people mistaking games for reality as it is people "mistaking reality for a game". In other words, in some cases not all, I think they know the difference. Consider this: Pretty much the majority of, we'll say, American society (for the sake of argument), atleast 55% or greater have some sort of vice or "outlet" that they feel compelled to engage in for the "high". For instance, video games. Some are more hardcore and seek after drugs or whatever. For some it's something like cigarettes. Or even running. But, no matter what it is that they engage in, after a certain amount of time, diminishing returns kicks in and invariably they need a greater "high". For a lot of people the thing that gives them the most release is video games. But for a select few, I believe that what they really like to do the most is simply shoot guns. Now that "fix" in and of itself is no big deal. It's like archery or any other thing of skill. But, when combined with the shooter games where you are blasting one person away and then the other again and again, pretty soon that game needs to be even more realistic to satisfy that urge. And let's face it video games are all just that, games. And, after a while NO game is realistic enough to satisfy that itch. Soon enough they feel compelled to act it out for real. Much in the same way that people who use hard drugs for their fix sometimes end up overdosing and dying, or runners end up running for their high until they have a heart attack.

 

This, ofcourse, does not take into account those who are just plain looney tunes. Nor does is take into account those who may simply be bitter to the core about one thing or another. I do believe that some just place the blame on video games as an excuse. But, it's one theory as to why some (probably a small percentage of "video game 'shooters'." And an even smaller percentage of "teen shooters".) may seek to bring their game to life. The interesting thing is that if I am correct...video games being even more realistic may actually help to keep these people inside their homes and off the streets!

[ninja_lord666]

I'd imagine it's basically lowlifes, but who knows?

I must wonder, does the fact that games are increasingly realistic mean that more people will mistake them for reality?

Umm...no. The only way more people will mistake games for reality is if more people are idiots. The more idiots in the world, the more idiots who believe games are real; it's not a very big leap in logic.

[Vagrant0]

I don't think you could actually find someone who actually believes that can't really tell the difference between life and videogames. It's usually an excuse they make to themselves so that they don't totally take responsibility for their actions. If someone were actually as disconnected from reality as they claim, they should certainly be spending their lives in psychiatric care as that is no different from other forms of *whateverthehellitscalled* (sorry, didn't feel like looking up the term).

 

I would imagine the greatest threat videogames can pose would be that posed by MMOs. In addition to the scenerio's that entertain people, they provide a social outlet that many (quite possibly you) would otherwise be lacking. There are many people who get married in MMO's with people they've only been having contact with online. It allows those who are outcasts in the real world a chance to have the admiration of others. It is because of this that there are occasionally people who decide to give up their real life, and try doing one primarily online. They can't keep a job, they distance themselves from those not online, and they spend rediculous amounts of time online, sitting in a chair, eating garbage, and rarely sleeping. It's that behavior that is worse than any sort of school rampage since it is a slower process, and targets people who could have otherwise done something with their life without any lessons learned in the process.

[Darkh Templar]

The Virginia Tech shooter had a recorded mental illness, yet the firearms vendor that sold him the guns didn't have to check whether his customer was sane or not.

 

A couple of hours after the shooting, Jack Thompson comes out and says that video games were most certainly the motivator for the shooting. He said this BEFORE the police performed a search of the shooters apartment and if I recall correctly, haven't found a single game.

 

Video games are just a good thing for society to shift blame towards for its own failures.

[Marcus Wolfe]

You know, with some tweaking*, Grand Theft Auto might discourage crime.

 

 

* If cops are more numerous and harder to kill, like they are in reality, and they pursue you for longer times requiring you to were disguises, it'll show what trouble can come to law breakers

[swedishmeatball]

That's hilarious. xD

 

A kid just wants to have his school on a game, and ends up putting the both sword-bearing and Chinese communities in shame? I've never heard of a more innocent thing being blown out of proportion, honestly. Well, actually, that's a lie. I heard once in a news article of an Muslim talking to his Muslim friend in their native tongue and ended up getting sent off a plane to be searched.. Poor guys.

 

I honestly can't believe that this country can be THAT anal retentive.

[Marcus Wolfe]

We live in paranoid times, my friend.