Does violence in movies and video games desensitize us

[Torvald Von Mansee]

*stops scrubbing gore off his wall*

No.

*resumes scrubbing gore off his wall*

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Torvald Von Mansee

*stops scrubbing gore off his wall*

No.

*resumes scrubbing gore off his wall*

Geeze what did Al do to you?

[JokerOfFate]

No, trust me on this if you watch a lot of movies and play war games nothing will change your reaction.

I did that and when I went into the real thing it hit me, "I'm gona ****ing die!". Thats why I love, and will never forget, are "Mentor" at training the guy who knock every bit of boy out and filled it with concrete

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Geeze what did Al do to you?

*stops sharpening meat cleaver on rotating whetstone*

Whatever are you talking about?

*resumes sharpening meat cleaver*

[Castout]

Umm No imo.

People may find it hard to empathize with a tragic scene on news television depending on the severity of the violence and the viewer sense of closeness or relatedness to the environment culturally, geographically, socially or religiously. But this doesn't mean violent scene on news will desensitize the viewer at all.

Now having said that on the real thing the desensitizing effect is almost nonexistent in fictitious scenes in movies and video games. The viewer of such violent scenes in video games and fictitious movies are WELL AWARE that they are watching a FILM or fictitious scene. Most people would even empathize with such scenes even when they're fictitious if they are made seemingly realistic enough.

The thing is I believe our brain is wired such that empathy is always a sincere response over something bad FELT and IMMEDIATE or familiar or related. This means it cannot be made up. If people are insensitive to real violence shown on news tv or even real life, most probably he is that way not because he's overloaded with violent scenes on games and fictitious movies.

The more worrying effect in my opinion is watching pornography because sex acts in pornography are not simulated but are real. If people are not equipped with self restraint and embedded values he may become a pervert at the very least that is not knowing the difference between fantasy or reality. Not to mention the addiction which is why I don't store them. Watch and erase.

The only thing that will desensitize a person empathy is by subjecting him or her to prolong and repeated abuse, more effectively from close person without help from anybody else.
THAT'S THE METHOD PSYCHOPATHS use to spread their defective traits. Not by genes but with abuses, psychological and physical(verbal insults, insulting behaviors, contempt, hostility, hate, persecution, etc)

[Penguin]

I think real life violence does more in terms of desensitizing than fictional violence.
If I remember correctly most atrocities in the history of mankind were committed before computer games or violent movies existed - and before a liberal education system was there either.

[Ducimus]

Does violence in movies and video games desensitize us?

I don't think so. Seeing pictures and seeing the real thing are two very different things.

On a side note, I think people from ancient times were more desensitized to violence then we in modern times because it was more prevalant and part of life then it is now. I'll bet people in the past could stomach and tolerate much more then we can now. If anything, we have a hard time accepting reality in it's most brutal forms.

Originally Posted by Ducimus

I don't think so. Seeing pictures and seeing the real thing are two very different things.

On a side note, I think people from ancient times were more desensitized to violence then we in modern times because it was more prevalant and part of life then it is now. I'll bet people in the past could stomach and tolerate much more then we can now. If anything, we have a hard time accepting reality in it's most brutal forms.

I think you correct. Today we are so far removed from the life and death struggles which occured, and in some cases continue to occur, before the industrial revolution even our pop culture cannot accurately portray the reality.

In general I think it depends on the individual. But the violence portrayed in cinema and vid games is so mild compaired to the real violence done it is possible and highly likely that most people don't have any idea just how gruesome the after math of violence can be.

You need to ask those who are first responders to motorcycle accidents, aircraft crashes, battlefield firefights, etc. The stories will shock most of the uninitiated. It is a bloody mess.

EG a 7.62x39 mm round can take a man's leg off.

[Gerald]

Generally speaking, it's probably in a certain group of people who are avoidable one second, so the effect of games and movies then plays the role.