Or at least someone who didn’t do the research. While the gangrape that occurred in Richmond California is terrible, maybe we should take a look at the real causes, and the real reasons the witnesses didn’t react.
But Drew Canberry of the National Crime Prevention Council sure didn’t think it through.
I’m not sure of the answer, but I think when you think about something as prolific as internet porn, which really distorts what a human sexual relation is about, if you think about a video game-I just heard an ad for a video game, a game called “Left 4 Dead.” That kind of uh, a culture, and that kind of media has to distort what a, what a young person is going through determining what’s right, what’s real, what can I just, what do I have to concern myself with. I, I’ve thought about this, I heard one report where this bystander effect was some folks were coming and going and wandering in and out and being recruited to come see this. I think of it in terms of how I might forward an email. Uh, and I might say something like “You gotta see this”, and I press send. And I wonder if that’s not the same kind of mindset that’s in place when that happens.
Further on, Jeff Gardere, criminal psychologist declares his agreement.
I see it all the time working with young people in my practice…There’s a tolerance effect. A lot of these kids have seen so many things through CG, through the virtual reality, through fantasy, that when it comes to real life, their tolerance level is so high that they now must see something absolutely much more horrific in real life for them to realize that this is the reality.
Fortunately enough, Phil Harris, criminal justice professor, takes the time to downplay the effect of media and puts the issue on the environment kids grow up in. He doesn’t deny that it can feed into it, but wisely suggests the real issue comes from peoples’ real lives.
For those who are unaware-Left 4 Dead is a game where four players cooperate to survive a zombie apocalypse. The game utterly lacks sexual elements or human targets. If you’re shooting, it’s at a zombie. I’m not seeing the connection here to gangrape, myself. Sure there are some pretty awful imports out there, but I have a hard time believing a japanese rape game is being played by everyone around and causing them to ignore reality. I’m pretty sure even most of the players aren’t going to ignore a rape in reality because of it.
But hey, I’ve only been playing video games since I was 2, and I’ve yet to murder or rape anyone. Hell, I haven’t even had an assault or molestation charge.
I’ll try to get some followup, here, if I can get ahold of the talking heads from this interview and comment from Valve.
