Hunger games videogame(bad for kids,influence killing kids?)

[Erik_Twice]

I don't find football itself to have any problems but I find Football's culture to be incredibly poor, unsportive and uncompetitive with huge fanboy problems.

[KDub]

I'll uhh add some actual conversation directed towards the op I guess

While I haven't seen the movie yet I've read the entire trilogy and I'm surprised when so many parents let their kids read these books. With that I don't think a video game tied into the concepts of this story should be directed towards kids. Is a video game perfectly fine? Of course, there are plenty of violent video games out there. Should it be made with some odd hopes to sell to kids as a tie in to a movie similar to something done with Harry Potter? No certainly not, it should be made, rated, and marketed appropriately; then let the parents decide.

[Jmustang1968]

I don't find football itself to have any problems but I find Football's culture to be incredibly poor, unsportive and uncompetitive with huge fanboy problems.

Which football are we referring to?

[Erik_Twice]

I don't find football itself to have any problems but I find Football's culture to be incredibly poor, unsportive and uncompetitive with huge fanboy problems.

Which football are we referring to?

I forgot you Americans call it soccer. I do not know the culture surronding American Football and I really hope it isn't as bad as soccer's.

[J T]

I'll uhh add some actual conversation directed towards the op I guess

While I haven't seen the movie yet I've read the entire trilogy and I'm surprised when so many parents let their kids read these books. With that I don't think a video game tied into the concepts of this story should be directed towards kids. Is a video game perfectly fine? Of course, there are plenty of violent video games out there. Should it be made with some odd hopes to sell to kids as a tie in to a movie similar to something done with Harry Potter? No certainly not, it should be made, rated, and marketed appropriately; then let the parents decide.

Then they shouldn't be able to read the books either. Violent books and movies also increase aggression, just like games. The main thing that increases aggression in games (video or sports) though is the competition.

I actually don't think that teens (the target market for Hunger Games) are too fragile to read the books or play the inevitable video game. I just think it is hypocritical to say it's ok for them to read violent literature, but not to play violent games.

[KDub]

As I said I'm surprised that parents let their kids read the books as well, meaning I don't think they should. I wouldn't be surprised if the movie is a little watered down to make it more kid friendly though, but the idea of it all still isn't.

Teens, yes that is right where the demographic for this book starts. Much like Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, Brave New World etc. I don't think young kids can grasp the weight of a lot of the concepts, much less be reading about spears through children's guts and flesh melting off bone. When they don't grasp the books full concept and the weight behind them they are just reading a book for all the violent action, there is no education there.

[Jmustang1968]

As I said I'm surprised that parents let their kids read the books as well, meaning I don't think they should. I wouldn't be surprised if the movie is a little watered down to make it more kid friendly though, but the idea of it all still isn't.

Teens, yes that is right where the demographic for this book starts. Much like Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, Brave New World etc. I don't think young kids can grasp the weight of a lot of the concepts, much less be reading about spears through children's guts and flesh melting off bone. When they don't grasp the books full concept and the weight behind them they are just reading a book for all the violent action, there is no education there.

I think it depends on the kid... I was in ap english courses growing up and we read books like animal farm and lord of the flies much earlier than others. I think I read animal for school in 5th or 6th grade. I could also play violent games and separate reality from fantasy or games/movies. Some can't or struggle to make that distinction.

[KDub]

There are gray areas for everything and 5th/6th grade isn't far from 7th/8th anyway.

I also watched scary some what violent movies and was allowed to play the more adult games at a younger age then some. But my parents still had their own lines drawn based on how they felt was right for me I'm sure.

All comes back to parents needing to actually be parents at the end of it all.

[J T]

I think playing football has a worse effect on a child's personality than any video game ever has.

I disagree with this strongly...

You know how gaming peopl bristle when non gamers make judgments about gaming and game culture? This feels similar to non sports players/fans taking shots at something they don't have interest in...

I phrased things in a somewhat more inflammatory manner, but the main fear about video games is that by pretending to be aggressive, children will become more aggressive in real life. Football is real life aggression (no pretending), it's just socially accepted and given a set of rules. But shouldn't we be more worried about agressive sports making children more aggressive in other areas of their lives than we are about the imaginary aggression of videogames making children more aggressive in other areas of their lives?

I'm not worried either way really because I don't think the evidence suggests that sports or violent media increase levels of real world aggression to unacceptable levels. It just annoys me that sports are revered for teaching kids about teamwork and cooperation while videogames are reviled for teaching kids to shoot stuff. There are pros and cons to both, but society chooses to only see the negative side of gaming and the positive side of sports.

[Jmustang1968]

I phrased things in a somewhat more inflammatory manner, but the main fear about video games is that by pretending to be aggressive, children will become more aggressive in real life. Football is real life aggression (no pretending), it's just socially accepted and given a set of rules. But shouldn't we be more worried about agressive sports making children more aggressive in other areas of their lives than we are about the imaginary aggression of videogames making children more aggressive in other areas of their lives?

I think kids will be kids and people are people. There are kids/people who tend to be more aggressive or mentally instable than others. I think this has always been the case. I just think those same aggressive kids are drawn to the violent games or other media or activities. Their nature makes the violent game appealing to them and it is not necessarily the games causing aggression. Maybe a temporary adrenaline rush or aggressiveness while or directly after playing or competing, but nothing long term. This will exist with or without games/sports/movie/music etc... those are just popular outlets for either aggressive behavior and consequently blame.