Following the horrific Washington Navy Yard shooting, where the gunman was said to be \u201cobsessed\u201d with violent video games, US news show MSNBC Morning Joe had a discussion around violent video games, but a refreshing perspective was given when one of the participants fought back against the implication of violent video games.<\/p>\n
Yahoo news columnist Jeff Greenfield was among the panel, who argued that all \u201cnew mediums\u201d from comic books to rock and roll always get blamed for violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cSixty years ago under the instruction of a psychologist named Dr. Frederick Wertham, who wrote a book called\u00a0\u2018Seduction of the Innocents\u2019, you know what was considered the threat from the part of young people? Comic books,\u201d Greenfield said. \u201cThey were censored out of existence by the New York Comics Code Authority. Every time there\u2019s a new medium, it is pointed to as the source of horrible behaviour. It\u2019s comic books, it\u2019s rock and roll, it\u2019s video games. Back in the days of\u00a0Pac-Man, even! I guess it was supposed to desensitize people\u2019s brains.\u201d<\/p>\n
Greenfield was rudely interrupted by MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, but Greenfield did manage to make a fair point about the way in which the media easily pins blame on specific elements instead of approaching the psychology of the problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember\u00a0\u2018Tales from the Crypt\u2019, back in 1950?\u201d Greenfield said. \u201cWith chopped off heads? It wasn\u2019t that far. I\u2019m only saying that the notion that here\u2019s the magic bullet\u2014if you\u2019ll pardon the expression bullet\u2014that is the cause of it, is something we do, but it may not be the answer we think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s good to hear an opposing side of the argument for once, however, the anchors manage to silence anyone who has an opposing point to the agenda they\u2019re pushing.<\/p>\n
What do you think of the violent video game debate? The whole discussion seems to re-emerge every time an act of violence happens.<\/p>\n
Check out the video for yourself:<\/p>\n