People that play computer games are much less likely to kill you =]  That's my theory!

Perhaps videogames can trigger violent behavior but only in someone that has a problem in the first place and would have freaked out in a matter of time anyway...

Nobody out there that has no mental illness and no sociopathic tendencies is going to harm people because of a game.

I go on rampages, killing everyone in my sight in some games.

I'm a pacifist IRL.

Well I look at it this way. If the kids are staying at home playing the violent games....they aren't out doing the violence. Parents who don't want to take proper care and time with their kids are the ones who blame the games. My son plays GTA and the star wars games on the PS2..and he is also in karate.

But he realizes that violent behavior is not acceptable in todays world. I teach him fighting is not the solution to any problem. But I also teach him to defend himself when the need arises.

Personally I think we should blame this whole generation that feels children shouldn't get spanked...just a 'please don't do that' will make kids stop.  The total lack of respect most kids have for adults is what causes the problems. Kids don't fear punishment...cause there is none. They can get away with murder, literally, untill they are 18, and the kids know it.

Blaming games is a lazy parents easy way out...plain and simple.

i can guarentee you that if all those teens actually had someplace or something to do after school to keep them active and happy they wouldnt ever bothre with games. games are just an outlet for suppressed boredom. i think if the country had more things to do and was more.... friendly with each other there would be less violence. besides if there is any other great tradition between human society then killing and war then speak now and tell me a time in history when there havnt been senseless killings or wars. its all about how content the people are.

I am of the opinion that it is MUCH better to live out frustation and aggresion in a game than in real life!

Children having distant parents that don´t have time for them or  that dosn´t care or give positive feedback such as a hug every now and them, will suffer a lack of empathy. Blaming the games for destructive behaviour seems to be much easier than encourage or be there for their children.

Banning children from certain games, how can that teach a child what empathy is?

For me i become not violent bcs of the content.

The game that makes me nost angry is an sports manager game and another thing is when software has annoying bugs.

I will not chop heads off bcs i play a game...

While I do not believe any game or movie can cause someone to perform violent actions it has been proved to desensitize people to different things and thus make them more accepting of it while not performing the acts themselves.  Same as seeing the actions performed in real life before.  If every day you watched movies or played games of people being beaten at first you might be repulsed by it, the same as if it happened in real life before you ever day.  Then gradually you would be less and less repulsed by it till you barely have a feeling either way toward it. 

This was proven way back in WW2 with the creation of a special sniper unit.  Showed them constant movies of sniping people ever day for a few months.  Upon review the ones that watched the movie said while not inclined to shoot people anymore than before they felt less while doing it.

Where I live, you dont need to play video games to be exposed to violence. Simply watching the nightly news or reading the paper is enough. That aside, in my opinion, what video games do is, like Horusra mentioned, desensitize the player from acts of violence. The player will prolly be able to do violent acts without feeling guilty, but whether he/she does a violent act is really up to the persons upbringing. The latter of course depends on a lot of different factors, but most important of which is what the parents do. It is still up to the parents to raise child to realize that what they do in the video games is bad when done in real life.

people are fully capable of knowing right from wrong, and fantasy from reality.. and those who don't shouldn't be playing it.. or atleast thats how i view it..  the News shows and advertise more violence than most video games, and/or movies do.

Penn And Teller have a show called Bullshit and they talk about this very topic and pretty much show beyond a shadow of a doubt that children can tell the difference.