Video games, DVDs and the like

[Dabbit]

Following a case in our own town of a boy shooting his cousin in the face because he was playing on a video game.

I wonder whether you think this type of behavior is related to things such as the game this boy was playing (forgotten the name of it), and the horrific films they are free to watch. I realise that the films and game sin this country (and presumably elsewhere) have age certificates on them, but these are rarely adhered to.

[sandy]

I think it's a result of children being indulged.We don't discipline the way we should. Let them vent their tempers without any retribution on our parts. When a child I watched the cowboys shoot the Indians, the army kill the Germans, Bonnie and Clyde run wild and get shot multiple times, the Godfather, and on and on. I don't ever remember even thinking about going out and shooting someone. Unless I was pretending to play cops and robbers, cowboys and Indian, etc. My grandson made a remark to me the other day. I saw red. He said if he stole something he would only get a short time in juvvie if he was caught. Well he got a good lecture on what else he would get and lose. My respect, my trust, the respect of others and their trust. Now people kill and claim insanity whether temporary or chronic and walk away. Maybe we need the Bible back in school. Maybe people need to learn respect for themselves and others. Maybe they need to live in the real world. I don't know.I just know that blaming a game is a cop out.

[Mark]

There is, however, one major difference - today's video games and movies are terribly realistic, with the accent on 'terribly'. All the gratuitous gore and violence are something to which most of us were not exposed. Most times, I had little wooden guns and any explosive sounds were made with our mouths and there was no blood. We'd take turns being the 'bad' guys, whoever they were at the time - and, as Sandy says, we didn't go out and kill people. Well, fewer of us did then than do now, it seems. I for one deplore there being so much violence that children are exposed to for the simple reason that they become inured to it in a way - they see people being 'blown away' all the time - life seems cheap and often, the people take several hits and keep on going, or just had a 'flesh wound'. Well, let me clarify one point, a 'flesh wound' really, really hurts and one can die from it. And, a child, doesn't have a really clear grasp of mortality. I don't think that we can point fingers at a game per se, or a movie, per se, but the gestalt, the whole milieu within which children grow up these days must have a bearing. That, plus the fact that we have somewhat lost our moral compass tends to send us off in wrong directions. It's a complicated question and unfortunately there are no simple answers, but something which society must address or lose the new generations to a greater and greater extent. Thus went the Roman Empire, and there also could we go without being more cautionary.

[Dabbit]

I agree with sandy and mark...The worst I can ever recall doing are things such as scrumping (pinching apples from a tree), knock down ginger (knock on a door and run away). We simply didn't have the entertainment available today, computers, DVDs, video games etc. The games we did have plugged into the TV and a little ball went from side to side with you controlling a bat to ensure it returned to the other side, the most violent game I recall was space invaders - which I am sure you probably remember.

Things have progressed considerably and maybe not always for the better. I am sure that watching the horrendous violence at an early age would have an effect (where else does a five year old know how to kill?). which brings us to discipline! Parents and teachers in this country have had their rights to discipline stripped. For example a school had to ring a parent recently to see if they could put a plaster on a child who had cut themselves: Simply because they were scared of being sued!!!

We need to reintroduce discipline, and probably educate parents. I know if several parents who let their under age children watch and play on older rated games. As sandy said her grandson realised that he would get only a short term inside. 'Prison terms' need to be a punishment, and not an inconvenience.

[Mark]

You're absolutely right Dave, being too lax on children these days does them no good at all because their expectations of instant gratification are raised and fostered without the work ethic and maturity required to earn their way through life and behave as contributing members of society.

[twiggs]

I agree that kids watch too many video games and violent films--all without parental supervision. However, if one looks at Japan, the children there watch gory cartoon, video games and films. Yet their violent crime rate is not as high as ours. I believe it, once again, comes down to family values and morales. The customs of that country is much more respectful than ours.
I am deeply religious and attend church regularly and teach Sunday school. While I think religion should be taught at home and in churches, I don't believe it belongs in schools. I want my kids, grandchildren now, to learn our traditions of faith from our family and church members.

[twiggs]

I agree that kids watch too many video games and violent films--all without parental supervision. However, if one looks at Japan, the children there watch gory cartoon, video games and films. Yet their violent crime rate is not as high as ours. I believe it, once again, comes down to family values and morales. The customs of that country is much more respectful than ours.
I am deeply religious and attend church regularly and teach Sunday school. While I think religion should be taught at home and in churches, I don't believe it belongs in schools. I want my kids, grandchildren now, to learn our traditions of faith from our family and church members. [glow=red,2,300][/glow]

[Dabbit]

twiggs said:

While I think religion should be taught at home and in churches, I don't believe it belongs in schools.

I disagree with you Twiggs, I think R E (religious eduction) is important in schools - where else would they get to hear it? Even the littlest spark can create the biggest fire; meaning that even if they hear about God in a brief encounter at school, it may spark enough interest to go on to better things.

My own daughter got A in R E but mostly C's in everything else she took in her GCSE's, she simply loves R E!

[sandy]

It really doesn't hurt to expose a child to different religions and what better place than school? If we know more about what the different religions beliefs are we can better decide what our beliefs are and learn tolerance for those who do not believe as we do.Education takes away the fear of the unknown. You can never get too educated.

[Mark]

I think that religious education, per se, can be tolerated and may be a good thing, if what is meant by it is the 'study' of religions, perhaps comparatively. It's only when the 'practice' of a particular religion is forced on children that it might be somewhat deleterious - particularly if the religion being forced on them is one other than is practiced at home. For example, a Christian would probably not send his children to a school where they would be forced to bow to Mecca several times a day. But, if those children studied the practice of Islam, Judaism, or whatever, then they can thus gain thereby more of an understanding of the real practitioners of such religions. If nothing else, in can help teach the children to think for themselves, I believe. But, that is just my opinion.

[Dabbit]

When my daughter was studying R E she was taught about the religions of world (the recognized and approved one - not sect type stuff). I recall going to school (when I did) and every morning we had an assembly where we prayed, and had a little word form the head master. While I'm not sure it did any good - it didn't do any harm.

I do feel we as a society have lost view of all our old values, respect, Religion (the numbers of people going to church here have dropped hugely in past years), elderly people, helping each other etc. I also recall the scout doing 'bob a job' week, where they went round houses asking to do the odd job for a bob or more, alas due to worries about abuse etc this has stopped.


I do agree with you Mark that the worry comes when people are forced to practise something they have no wish to do. But there is a difference between practise and study.

[Mark]

Exactly - that's what I mean. It's a shame that some basics in morals and ethics are not taught in most schools these days. But you're right as well, about the other. When I was a lad I'd mow the neighbor's yards for the equivalent of about 50 pence and be glad for the opportunity. I guess the kids nowadays are not safe doing that. I even had a newspaper route, which I carried on my bicycle - up at 3:30 in the morning to pick up the newspapers, roll them, put rubberbands around them and then go toss them onto lawns. I haven't seen a kid doing that in some time. The times, they are a-changing as the song went.

[Dabbit]

I have just come home from the in laws...And on my way home there was a group of youths (its easter hols here) standing on the path, (I was on my mobility scooter). As I approached (they see me coming) not one moved out the way - not one. I eventually asked them to move to the side which one youth did and then promptly stepped back in front of my scooter and I ran over his heel. I apologised of course, but felt terrible, not to mention thinking 'now is he going to sue me'?

[sandy]

Be hanged if I would have apologized. Just would have said oops your foot must not have moved far enough.

[Mark]

I hope it taught the little Yobbo a painful lesson - that's awful, Dave. Monstrous behaviour!

[twiggs]

Doesn't it once again go back to kids upbrings or lack of? And yet there are so many good kids around today. Many of whom look tuff and mean but when you get to know them a bit, they are so awful.
I had a flat tire a while back. It was dark out and because I had hurt my back, was having trouble changing the tire. Suddenly a group of about 4 or 5 boys came up to me. I though I was going to be in trouble. I was wrong. They gave me a helping hand--well did the whole job. They looked like they could take me down in a New York second. Instead were great guys.

[Mark]

It's so hard to tell, though, isn't it Twiggs? A friend of mine was in a motorized conveyance going down a sidewalk and came upon a bunch of youths who were blocking his way. He asked them to move and one did, but immediately moved back into his path and he accidentally rolled over the kid's heel. He was concerned about having hurt the lad - I wouldn't have been, but perhaps I'm not as nice a guy as he is. At any rate, the point is, you just don't know what you might be going up against, do you? So, you must be cautious. For every good kid, there's any number of bad ones, I suppose. It is a shame indeed.

[Dabbit]

I do appreciate there are some good kids around - just as there are good and bad British people, Americans and even French!! My point is that in previous days those youths blocking my way would have moved whetehr I had asked or not. The youths in question didn't bother at all...

[Mark]

Hmmm...I hadn't identified you, respecting your privacy, but there you go...LOL...yes, louts know no geographical boundaries, I've seen them everywhere.
And, indeed you're correct. More often than not, I'm afraid the youth have lost their manners or probably more correctly have not been taught them in the first place. I don't know the answer, but it is a very sad commentary on the times, I think, and it made me quite mad when I heard about the incident.

[Dabbit]

Again today it happened (although I didn't run over any of them) - a larger group with some younger members...I stayed calmed though