One of the quotes I’ve seen passed around is, “I knew your dad, he was a beautiful woman!” Is that not an accurate quote? Because that would definitely be misgendering.

I think video game culture is particularly toxic, but you’re not wrong that internet culture in general is toxic. I’m not saying that it’s the games’ fault that people are awful, but I don’t think it’s some panacea that relieves all aggression and makes people peaceful. That just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. 

Seriously? Is that all you have to say? Your studies are “worthwhile” and mine aren’t simply because you say so? That’s not how science works, my friend. You don’t get to decide which studies are “worthwhile” and ignore the evidence that doesn’t fit your conclusions. I mean, you certainly can do that, but it doesn’t…

An adult calling a toddler their boyfriend isn’t “romance,” you sicko.

What? How is it deflecting to ask you to clarify whether you think that media has no influence on society or whether you think other types of media can influence society and video games somehow don’t? That’s the entire crux or what we’re discussing. The idea that media of all kinds influences human perceptions and…

Thanks for the respectful reply. Nice change from some of the rude ones I’ve been getting on this topic.

You never answered my question. What argument are you even making at this point? Are you trying to argue that media doesn’t affect society or that other media does affect society but video games are somehow exempt? Do you even know?

Nah... Right-wingers all think they’re rugged individualists who hold all of their opinions because they “independently research” and are naturally smarter and less prone to following the crowd than everyone else. Meanwhile, they all parrot the exact same right-wing talking points. All I’m saying is that media of all…

Sorry, Justice Breyer, but the media mirroring and influencing society equates to exactly zero evidence that violent videogames cause violence or even do not make it less likely.

For sure. Though there’s a very real trend of conservatives attempting to use liberal arguments that they don’t actually believe in to “gotcha” liberals and leftists. Like the whole “my body, my choice” response to mask and vaccine mandates. Bigots who’ve never in their lives cared about police violence against black…

Do you think of watching horror movies in the same vein as your view of video games? How about violent novels? Music with violent lyrics?

You said: “Violent video games don’t directly cause violence, but they sure as shit don’t make it less likely.”

Exactly. There are so many beloved classic comedies that aren’t really laugh out loud funny and no one challenges their legitimacy. Also, humor is extremely subjective. Even more so than most opinions about art.

And for that you should be commended.

And there it is, most people are just too fucking stupid to understand the issue

And who decides when something has crossed the line

I’m getting really tired of repeating myself. I’m not arguing that playing violent video games makes individual people more violent. I’m arguing that all positive portrayals of violence, including but not limited to those in video games, can lead to desensitization and other unhealthy attitudes regarding real world…

Yep. I can’t do it on my own, but collectively, I literally do get to say what’s dangerous and what isn’t.

There are obviously calls to remove it from Netflix, which is hard to see as anything but censorship.

I won’t argue against the notion that the media we consume can have an effect on us, especially in the way we think about the world, frame problems, and contemplate solutions. The existence of Fox News is pretty strong evidence that someone’s worldview can be radically warped by consistent exposure to propaganda.