Hundreds die in a soccer match..... Soccer blamed for voilence.
Serial Sniper kills 9........Video Game blamed for voilence
Columbine, kids kill kids.........Again Video games blamed for violence.
Ten die at a rap concert.....Rap music blamed for voilence.
And before Games were around when kids killed kids......Violent Movies blamed for voilence.
There is something wrong with our society when statements like this are made. Where studies after studies do not prove this and will never prove the above statements.
Are we just trying to pass blame on something that we think is the cause? To take the blame away from what REALLY caused those deaths?
Its not the fault of the parents? Where both choose careers instead of raising their kids? And if its not careers its something else that takes the parents away from the kids? Why should a child be brought into this world If its going to be raised by strangers in a day care?
Parents arguing all the time, sometimes violently, parents screaming at the kids, alcoholism, neglect, abuse...all are to blame here, Not the video games.
I was watching the Fox news Channel the other day about the sniper and seen pictures of a video game they were blaming, I think Counter Strike, where sniping is part of the game. I was so angry, that again, the media is blaming something that the sniper probably never seen before for the cause of his latest sniping spree.
And now were blaming EverQuest for addiction and deaths?
IT WAS THE BUTTERFLY!! THE BUTTERFLY!!
Quote: Its not the fault of the parents? Where both choose careers instead of raising their kids? And if its not careers its something else that takes the parents away from the kids? Why should a child be brought into this world If its going to be raised by strangers in a day care?
I couldn't agree with you more on that Drragorr. Parents need to start parenting. And make decisions that are healthy for their children including the removal of online gaming from their lives if they are having a problem. Parents need to become more aware of what is happening in their children's lives. When I was playing EQ and would meet a 14 or 15 year old who had the foulest mouth around, treated others with total disrespect, and would flame anyone for anything, I would always wonder where are their parents? Do they have any idea what their son or daughter is doing and saying? Do they care?
Tosha
/agree Drragorr
Rowenah Leaflett
The "self-proclaimed" MEANEST player on EQ
AMAZON of Vallon Zek
Protector of the Defenseless, Punisher of the Wicked
/agree
Thats so true... Soccer if violent, but without violence... why else would we watch it?
I introduced this game to my little brother. He has muscular distrophy and cannot do what other kids do.
In Everquest HE CAN do what others are doing, but even so My mother kicks him off the computer after a while, she monitors what he watches on TV, what he plays on the computer, and what he does with friends. And I commend her for doing this, and frankly if your a parent and are not monitoring what your kids are doing you are doing them an injustice and yourself for that matter.
But nevertheless its a great escape for him and others like him.
In all reality there is people in society that have addictive personalities. Some moereso than others but really if it wasnt Everquest it would be something else.
One person that comes to mind is the Doctor which the 48 hours show centered on in the beginning. Do you think that if he never seen EQ, he would be addicted to another activity? Maybe golf? Maybe Gambling? Plethora of other addictive activities?
I have a son that was born in January. And my life took a huge change when he came into my world. I still play EQ but in all honesty I truly could give two craps about it now. Its a past time activity and nothing more. Its like sitting infront of the TV nightly watching football or hockey or any other program.
But one thing that I truly hated about the program on 48 hours is how they portrayed the Everquest community as a whole. Just by associating someone like the Doctor to EQ makes us all look bad. And this is just not the case. Why not show the other side of the EQ community?
The ones that play the game as a past time and nothing else.
Is EQ addictive? Sure it is. Its a well designed game in which the rewards, the risk, the community all come to play. But honestly I do nto think that the majority of the EQ fanbase is like the two storys that 48 hours portrayed.
Quote: Gaming blamed for Death?Nope. I think here they recognize that addiction is the problem. Not gaming itself.
Addiction is the problem. Gaming is the focus of the addiction.
so one time i choked on some corn... i blame the farmers!
I have been playing EQ since Dec 1999 and have seen and heard people of all types that dont play this game bash it to pieces cause its so called addictiveness. In regards to Mrs Wooley blaming EQ for her sons death i think is just wrong on her part. I am a 32yr old Detention Officer who works at a county jail in the Administrative Segregation Unit of the facility. I have interacted with many Insane, Depressed, Bi-Polar, Schitzoprenics and alot of other types i cant even pronounce. I personally feel her son left clues to his mental status but they didnt pick up on them for whatever reasons. Depression is something not to play with. The feeling of loneliness and nowhere or noone to turn to is very powerful. Ive seen people hang themselves and try to commit suicide cause of Manic Depressions. We as parents have to KNOW our children and be able to detect whether or not they are having problems. BUT the kids also have a responsibility in this. Parents cannot know everything in the childs life. Things are gonna be hidden and they are gonna have to be able to reach out at some point and ask for help. But for the mother to blame a game for a death which her son was clearly having problems socially and mentally and knew he was getting worse is just as much her fault as anyone elses. SO is she gonna file a law suit against herself for not assisting her son when she knew he was sick? I am sorry for her losing her son. i cannot imagine losing either one of my little girls..especially by suicide. But i think she really needs to check herself first before she runs out and blames everyone else why he didnt get any help before it got to that point.
Kranus Pureheart55 Paladin Officer of ESWielder of The Fiery Defender
Hi Kranus, welcome.
Actually Liz tried intervention numerous times, involving doctors, psychiatrists, hospitals and even police. They dismissed her perception of Shawn's problems as just a phase and released him or did nothing at all.
Diggo
eMail - Ron Jaffe AKA Diggo McDiggity
Discussion Board Administrator
Online Gamers Anonymous
Addicted to Everquest from July, 1999 to May, 2002
Over 4,900 Hours Played
Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002
thats odd... my friend was diagnosed with being "addicted to EQ"... They took him to a "crazy house" for a few days and his parents were instructed to keep him away from EQ for the rest of his life. The doctor had said he had seen this many times and I dont live in a very big town. I find it odd that someone has such opposite results when they try numerous sources and my friends rents tried only 1.
Kyle's mom from south park? Maybe? BLAME CANADA!!! Oh yes. ~_~ gg
Hi Diggo,
Thanks for the insight of the steps she took to try and help her son. I know how hard it can be to try and find help when you really need it. Help doesnt come easy and its even harder to ask for it sometimes. I personally think she should turn all her anger to the people who denied Liz assistance to help her son. They are ALOT more at fault than Sony is. I know games have a tendency to pull people into its world to escape reality at some time or another. And it never hurts to get away from reality for a bit to get your state of mind back together. Some people have activities to do this and others have games. But its still hard to sit here and watch people bash EQ as a whole for one persons feelings. Its tragic what happened to him. As an online member of EQ he is called family since he played and will be missed by the ones who knew him and how he played. But there is one point i would love to be explained to me either by Liz or yourself....what is the evidence that it was EQ that drove him to suicide other than that it was on his computer when he was found. Did he leave a note explaining why? Did he talk with someone online? If theres nothing other than EQ being on his computer then how is Sony at fault for this? Not to be intended as a flame..im just very intrigued over all this since its something i play and enjoy very much. Thanks for your insight and hopefully you can give me a little more in this topic. God Bless each and everyone of the family members of Shawn for they will need every bit of love and support for their loss. Ill pray that he is in alot better place and isnt hurting anymore. Thanks again Diggor.
Kranus Pureheart55 Paladin Officer of ESWielder of The Fiery Defender
I'll agree.. a lot of people are addicted to EverQuest.. and other such online games. The Addiction isn't the reason these people who are depressed and play are depressed!
Depression comes from things outside the game normally.. whether it be how someone looks, something people say about you.. ah.. god I could go on all day but eh, I'm not a psychologist.. although I passed the class with flying colors in highschool and in college..
If you look back through history and the major changes.. there are two that appeared when the violence started coming through. 1. Media/Video Games 2. Mothers became full time workers.
More power to the women who want to work.. I was raised by a single parent myself. But what raises your children when your not there? 1. Schools 2. Television 3. Video Games
Sure, the violence from video games and television adds to it, because eh, the games become mom and dad. So sure.. it has something to do with the games.. and the television.. but if you trace it back to the root of the problem.. it's mom and pop all the same.
Needless to say.. this isn't always the case. As with everything.. there are unique people with unique problems.. and I know some parents are left solo to raise children and pay the bills.
In that instance you can blame 1 of 2 "entities" The person that walked out, or if you believe in "God" eh.. blame him.
There ya have it.. my personal theory.. no autographs on this one, thanks
*Edit* doh, forgot to mention something..
Yes.. Soccer is the basis of all evil.. otherwise we wouldn't watch it.. it'd be come.. pro golf..
Edited by: EQGamer at: 10/22/02 4:54:11 am
I think that is great that they took the problem seriously.
What state and city do you live in, so we can use it for a reference....
Liz
Liz Woolley