Video Games and Censorship

[That Middle Aged Guy]

Most likely many of you are gamers.

I am a life long gamer.
If you were with me you might remember some of the different levels of censorship they used to employ.
The long fought battle to get more blood and gore into video games.
Everything from simple blood particles to dismemberment to pornographic content.
All these things have been unleashed in our games, our media and our music.

And for many of us it's probably safe to enjoy.

But just look at some of the monsters out there today.
After seeing some of these creatures myself.
I'm actually willing to side with caution here.

Yea the government wants our guns, they want our freedoms.
It's silly we know, we know what they are up to.

But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be cautious about these kinds of things.
If you think about it even such a simple thing as this is relatable to any issue we face.

I enjoy my gore my porn my whatever I want.

But at some point is it pollutive ?
Thoughts ?

 

[shiv]

With the increased realism of modern video games, VR porn, AI that can generate anything imaginable, the things people and therefore children are going to be exposed to is going to get more realistic

Generally, I am of the stance of zero censorship. I think the parents need to be responsible for what their kids are exposed to. There are many controls available today that can be used to limit what a kid can be exposed to

Outside of that, there are worse things that can happen to kids other than what kind of media they consume. Sexual abuse, alcoholic/drug addicted parents and being subjected to physical violence are examples

 

[That Middle Aged Guy]

With the increased realism of modern video games, VR porn, AI that can generate anything imaginable, the things people and therefore children are going to be exposed to is going to get more realistic

Generally, I am of the stance of zero censorship. I think the parents need to be responsible for what their kids are exposed to. There are many controls available today that can be used to limit what a kid can be exposed to

Outside of that, there are worse things that can happen to kids other than what kind of media they consume. Sexual abuse, alcoholic/drug addicted parents and being subjected to physical violence are examples

Hey good to hear it.

If you want to discuss more lets pry. If not great response...

You said there are worse things such as drug addicted parents and being sujected to physical violence are worse things. True.

So if these are bad things. Is it responsible to include these kinds of things in video games ?

 

[TheFiend]

Hey good to hear it.

If you want to discuss more lets pry. If not great response...

You said there are worse things such as drug addicted parents and being sujected to physical violence are worse things. True.

So if these are bad things. Is it responsible to include these kinds of things in video games ?

...yeah, ya know, that is a rather observant query.
At first glance one may not immediately notice the glaring relevance of what you've highlighted here...or at least I hadn't noticed it until reading your words.
I'm actually surprised too. Considering how obvious it is and already should've been, yet somehow it was not-obvious, tbh I'm unsure of the appropriate term for such a thing.
Maybe paradoxical perhaps(¿...?)

Regardless, with respect to the query itself, that is definitely a tricky one to answer aye.

While I do agree with @shiv , that parents need to be responsible, or rather more parents ought to be moreso thereof subject matter which ultimately they either allow or deny exposure to their children—*for whom the parents are fundamentally responsible unto.

Is it responsible allowing, insofar as is within an adult individuals capacities to independently determine, whether so intentionally or instead another consequence of parental dereliction, the exposure to a dependant developing individual by traumatic real world experiences...of course which I'm sure most people will generally agree that "no", it would indeed be blatantly irresponsible, yet obviously not so easy to answer when instead the same/or relatively similar objective context has become integrated within the widely available and now variably "normalized" artificial representations of such. Like, some people might argue from positions whereby asserting video games aren't real, thus resulting in no real world consequence for real world participants/witnesses from these artificial representations, so therefore no biggie.
Whereas alternatively others may argue from positions drawing attention upon video games requisite psycho-cognitive induction inter/re-activity aspects, &/or simply upon the fact video games are specifically designed to basically function as powerful psycho-cognitive immersion stimuli.
Admittedly I currently lean more towards the latter, although I still enjoy gaming, yet I, ahhh...dunno really....I guess I just no longer consider video games as being like inconsequential toys, or just something we fuck around with for fun or to kill time aye.
Right now, if I were one responsible for dependant developing individuals....by the gotts I would be like a hawk with respect to any potential exposure points with digital content. In hindsight, video games back in the day, eg: the late '90s-early '00s, probably weren't that bad since they usually existed on cartridges or disks, so the software & the content pretty much never changed, we got exactly what we got the day we bought a game, no less & no more. Whereas nowadays it's common for video game software to either require some degree of part/or full-time connection via the internet or even exist anywhere from partially to fully online as well.
I bought/& downloaded a few digital versions of games for my PS3 a good while ago which I still haven't bothered jammin' yet.
@shiv might actually recall this too, coz it was his excitement for one particular game (can't remember the title) which influenced my decision to purchase it. Tbh the only game title I can recall buying, was Dying Light 2, though I haven't jammed it either.
No doubt during the time since each game was released, purchased and downloaded, numerous updates and whatnot would have occurred, so then I wonder, how different might those games that I bought well over a year/possibly closer to two years ago, be compared to their current states(...?). Generally I'd anticipate the more overtly presented stimuli, eg: the audio/video, top most psycho-cognitive layers like the primary narratives, characters, etc...would likely appear unchanged overall, butt underneath all that, for all I know there may have been all sorts of changes made through updates, bug fixes & patches, to add-ons, extensions or whatever else. I wouldn't even know if, for example, let's say Dying Light 2 had some sort of disastrous core bug eventually discovered that required a major overhaul, resulting with it pretty much being a largely different non-physical product than what I'd originally purchased. I just wouldn't be aware. On the other hand, I'd probably be aware if a software developer climbed in through a window to switch the physical copy of a product I bought from their brand~with an altered version, or at least they'd first have to run it by me. Which, in a somewhat figurative sense by contrast, essentially amounts as being like a layer of defense from what we now have to deal with as "normal", which is (imo) simply remote intrusion.
Like, my PS3, if it weren't completely disconnected from net, it would not only be just an entertainment device or basically a toy that I can't be bothered playing with anymore. That PS3, when connected , would provide a means for any mother fucker with the necessary techno wizardry skills, to gain remote access via a digital portal into my real world property, which could potentially be exploited to my detriment without my ever even becoming aware of it occurring.
Although this hypothetical scenario is probably overly paranoid and unlikely in most cases, which would instead merely be automated system, software or perhaps spyware updates & that sort of shit, but still, I just ain't keen on the idea that some unknown cunts from some far away place are freely able to access my property, whether it's the operating system within the console, or a games software, both of which I legitimately own, and regardless if the software is either stored on a device I own on my real world property or stored somewhere else. To me, I consider there really being no fundamental difference beyond the physical vs the non-physical with respect to tangible property and intangible digital property. I ain't lettin' no cunt fuck with my shit without my express approval.

Now, if I also had parental responsibilities, I'd quite likely be several orders of magnitude more paranoid than this too... I'd potentially be seen as "the mean parent" or whateverthefuck because "it's not fair", "all the other kids have mobiles/computers/gaming consoles/etc"...they may perceive this as "punishment " or if they're retarded kids they might simply believe it to be "child abuse". Eventually—hopefully, they may possibly begin to comprehend the harsh realities of the real world that could easily at any moment be projected directly to anyone, which is what I would be doing everything in my capacity to shield the kids from until they are no longer fully dependant upon me, adequately equipped and able to face the unpredictable realities of our transient physicality experience....hmmm, I may have strayed a little too far off topic.

 

[That Middle Aged Guy]

>Whereas alternatively others may argue from positions drawing attention upon video games requisite psycho-cognitive induction inter/re-activity aspects, &/or simply upon the fact video games are specifically designed to basically function as powerful psycho-cognitive immersion stimuli.

Holy Cow man, your a beast, crazy response.

Late 70s early 80s people were killing themselves when their character died in D&D. Back then the immediate response was. "what a bunch of low life pussies" I guess my point is the game doesn't necessarily have to be so graphically intesnse to have a life changing effect.

So if people were influenced that much by D&D then how much more can they be influenced by games like GTA V. Obviously that is the one that stands out the most in terms of warping society. It's influence is far beyond what most of you will probably consider. How it is changing the world isn't within the scope of so many important people because they are caught up in old wars.

 

[shiv]

Look at violence in Middle Eastern countries where they’ve never touched video games in their lives.

What about the extreme levels of drug violence in Mexico? While video games and other media are proliferating to some of these third world countries now, this media had little to no influence on what led to the situations that exist in these countries now

Then you have the situations in Ukraine and Palestine.

You also have the extreme level of sexual assault in places like India.

Look at violence throughout history. Were they influenced by books that contain depictions of violence? Even the Bible is full of violence.

•••
When you compare crime in the US or other developed countries compared to many other places across the world, you might be able to argue the volume, but it’s a stretch to dispute the difference in magnitude.

There are many, many more and complex factors that drive violence in a society than the media it consumes. It can also be argued that this kind of media can reduce crime in the real world by providing an outlet that doesn’t harm an actual human being

I’m not trying to make the argument that sex and violence in media is moral or ethical, but there has always been crime and violence as long as humans have existed

 

[That Middle Aged Guy]

It is a difficult subject to nail down. Since the target "censorship" is far reaching beyond video games.

We enjoy our freedoms. But at some point, maybe there should be a line that defines who we are and what we will not tolerate.

To be on target with you response >shiv

I'm not saying that because someone mass murders people in a game then they are thinking about doing it in real life. I'm just comming to terms with the fact that we usually aren't as in control as we think we are. The sub consious mind is a real thing. I'm sure most of you have a firm grip on that. I'm not so sure about the rest of the world.

Shooters were shooters back in the day. But now everything comes with a plot and a scenario that is no exactly just kill the enemy. At some point it becomes just as dangerous as the bible in the wrong hands.

So the argument becomes quickly... Guns don't kill people, People kill people.
And a toaster doesn't toast toast toast toast toast. (sorry can't resist throwing that joke in)

Whats my point ?

I guess my point is that we should think about the bigger pictures sometimes and not just ourselves. We have the gore we have the nudity we have drugs and violence. And whats next ?
Torture, rape, humiliation, degredation. All of the twisted humor of the dark.

I just feel like we need more lines that define who we are or else we loose ourself. You be you, but don't be that. Kind of thing.

 

[shiv]

It is a difficult subject to nail down. Since the target "censorship" is far reaching beyond video games.

We enjoy our freedoms. But at some point, maybe there should be a line that defines who we are and what we will not tolerate.

To be on target with you response >shiv

I'm not saying that because someone mass murders people in a game then they are thinking about doing it in real life. I'm just comming to terms with the fact that we usually aren't as in control as we think we are. The sub consious mind is a real thing. I'm sure most of you have a firm grip on that. I'm not so sure about the rest of the world.

Shooters were shooters back in the day. But now everything comes with a plot and a scenario that is no exactly just kill the enemy. At some point it becomes just as dangerous as the bible in the wrong hands.

So the argument becomes quickly... Guns don't kill people, People kill people.
And a toaster doesn't toast toast toast toast toast. (sorry can't resist throwing that joke in)

Whats my point ?

I guess my point is that we should think about the bigger pictures sometimes and not just ourselves. We have the gore we have the nudity we have drugs and violence. And whats next ?
Torture, rape, humiliation, degredation. All of the twisted humor of the dark.

I just feel like we need more lines that define who we are or else we loose ourself. You be you, but don't be that. Kind of thing.

Let’s say some bounding lines were established. How do you see them being defined and enforced?

 

[That Middle Aged Guy]

Let’s say some bounding lines were established. How do you see them being defined and enforced?

Yea thats a big can of worms to open.
If I had the reigns I don't see any problem with it.
But then again I am not as sypythetical as most of the population appears to be.

I'm thinking the bigger question is. What happened to the censorship ?
We used to have it in the 90s. Late 80s you couldn't even use profanity in music.
Musicians would litteraly be arrested on stage for using them.

Now look where we are.
Again it's a tough subject to reason with. Since most of us are responsible with our freedoms.