Originally Posted by
dutchraptor
No, violent video games will always have negative effects to some extent. The community that surrounds these games is what can truly make them potent. People act worst when around others, the games can amplify certain negative emotions in a person but can really be brought out when being taunted by others. It's not the answer to all games, it's just a key cause to the behavior changes that some people notice in friends who get immersed in violent games.
It's not a separate issue though if it plays a key role, everyone targets the violence in the games but what if it's the people surrounding these games.
You are totally right referencing those other situations, they all suffer from the same problems. There is a major difference though. Games are played online or with friends. Being online presents a hack for the brain, the easy access to feeling superior. Promoting bad behavior is much easier with no authority or consequences.
The examples you gave a far more likely to cause problems in a child, but if we look solely at gaming it's highly probable that what might make people who game a lot more agitated and angry in life is the community surrounding games.
Edit: sorry or long posts. Essentially what I'm saying is that people have enough conscious inhibition to stop themselves from acting out violent games on their own. However when you include friends who encourage you to talk about kill streaks, people online shouting obscenities and death threats, that's when it gets bad. People may seem like they understand that the person on the other end of the internet is just a random person, their subconscious doesn't. The whole industry is based on that fact, that people feel like they are connecting. Everything that goes on reaches much further than anyone thinks it does.