Alan Titchmarsh

[M.I.K.]

A totally unbiased piece of television on the subject of violence in videogames...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryH2WemACIM

[pauljholden]

Not sure if video games promote violence, but watching that certainly made me want to punch someone out...

-pj

[radiator]

Lazy, typical, knee-jerk, smug, self-righteous, ill-informed, reactionary nonsense. I liked how the CVG guy had to stifle a laugh when McKenzie used the term "war-game-video".

The fact remains that even the most lifelike, realistic videogame is still such a crude approximation of real life that the violence is completely abstract and entirely detached from reality.

In my experience, I have found violence in films, especially in a cinema environment, to be far more psychologically affecting than anything in games (not that I'm saying violent movies should be banned!).

I believe in a certain level of supervision when it comes to kids and games, but ultimately that is down to the parents.

[Christov]

Krfgk. I think something at the back of my brain just popped.

As a lifetime gamer and a student of Film, I can certainly say that there is, and has always been, far more violence in movies. Not only is there more of it on the screen, it also has a tendency to be far more gruesome too. I can only think of a few examples of games that get even near the level of gore that most films do.

Utter bollocks fluff piece. Whoever thought about bringing that opinionated blonde windbag on to put across her ignorant opinion needs to be shot. (HURRRR DURRRR VIDYAGAMES MADE ME SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY MAKE ME SO VIOLENT)

Cannot wait for Charlie Brooker to eventually tear into this.

[radiator]

When games reach a Matrix-style level, where they are total sensory experiences that are indistinguishable from reality - then we can think about banning things, but I don't see that happening in the next 50 years at least.

[Peter Wolf]

God that Julie Peasegood is annoying !!

Even her face is annoying and her self righteous indignation.She strikes me as another Mary Whitehouse type who makes baseless arguments and feels that she is an arbiter of morality.Sickening.

Can anyone name any games that promote Racism and Hate etc ?

I cant.

Kelvin McKenzie wasnt as annoying as expected.Its also rather stupid to base an argument on violence in videogames on a What If premise .That being we should censor now in case they get worse.Clueless.

Alan Titchmarsh should go back to his compost heap and flowerbeds and weeding and just seemed clueless.

What is even more stupid is the fact that they give the debate only 8 minutes so Fluff Piece is exactly right.

[nev]

At least the first chap had some reasonable ideas, Julia and Titchmarsh on the other hand didn't seem like she knew enough about video games to even have a valid opinion.

I've played video games all my life, and I don't go round stabbing folk like many other youths.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

so Fluff Piece is exactly right.

Does that mean Titchmarsh is a Fluffer

Seriously thought, they don't care about the constant crap that is shown at prime time every evening in the soaps. Murders, rapes, fights, heavy drinking, drugs, adultery, etc... Oh! that's right, it's okay because Titchmarsh and Peasegood watch those and have decided that these topics are okay to watch in the family viewing time

[nev]

CF, you forget that such soaps are okay because they aren't interactive

[Gavin_Leahy_Block]

Appalling and very under researched. There are basically spouting out the same arguments that have been used time and time again and have gotten an audience who were in total agreement with them, the CVG guy was never given a chance or properly heard out.

[Professor Bear]

The Columbine massacre was caused by Doom, remember - and that's a pretty basic-looking war video game.  Less intelligent people - that is to say, the working classes - can't distinguish between games and reality because their brains aren't wired for complex tasks like that, otherwise they'd be doing complex jobs like doctoring or sciencing rockets, so they need protecting from their own shortcomings.  Which is where tv shows like this provide an invaluable public service.

[Roger Godpleton]

I played video games my whole life and it never did me no harm.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I played video games my whole life and it never did me no harm.

Just the people you've met 

[Satanist]

Can anyone name any games that promote Racism and Hate etc ?

I cant.

Custers Revenge 30 years ago...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY2AqKCpGkk

Made me the man I am today.

[Tweak72]

I have always thought lack of activities, well run youth/youth sports clubs and other such ways of focusing the energies of young people especially in low income areas contributed more to violence and crime from young people then any amount of the old Ultra violence in media. But then that kind of thing cost money and is harder to do then blame films and games. That kind of investment in the future also undercuts the validity of any future politician who wants to get elected on the being tough on young crime ticket. Better the voters have their own kids to be scared of rather than investing in keeping the kids occupied after school with things that may even help them become better people.

Bah!