(Mar 11, 2018 07:49 AM)Magical Realist Wrote: [ -> ] (Mar 11, 2018 07:48 AM)Syne Wrote: [ -> ]Leftist nonsense. Guns don't murder people, nor do their manufacturers. Just leftists demonizing inanimate objects.
Follow the money..
This is why it's always a circular argument. It's Ethos vs. Ethics.
Most of the arguments I've seen seem to come down to the same statements that nobody wants to admit responsibility because if someone does they'll get it all dumped on them.
So why not "Split the baby". (
Judgment of Solomon (wikipedia.org))
The reality is there is a problem and the only solution is "compromise", since no singular decision is going to be wanted by anyone. The NRA isn't going to want gun controls tightened, the manufacturers aren't going to want to have to fit the bill, people that play computer games don't want to have to constantly look over their shoulder waiting for some insecure police officer under a presidents sway to want to shoot them for getting a top score.
Where are the real problems... well there's a lot of focus on the Mental health state of those that commit such attacks, however again the problem is that people don't seem to realise that a mental health affliction isn't a cause it's actually a symptom. You'll find in most cases those that suffer a "mental break" only do so because of others. It could be mistreatment by family members, it could be bullying by those at school, it could be racially motivated where they've been victimised because of their skin colour or religion, it could be down to a boss mistreating them. It could be one or many of those things, by everyone, and I mean everyone has a point where they will snap... it's just the question of how they snap and what could have been done to prevent it ever getting to that point.
It's not as simple as saying "some people are just born evil", some are unfortunately forged in the fires of obscurity and being alone dealing with such events is why they can become monsters.
The only things that keep us from going that way however is "nurture". We learn from out parents and siblings, we attempt to learn from our peers. It's not just the basics of human interaction, but the basis for not just knowing what empathy is but actually "feeling" what empathy is.
It's easier for some than others, women are more likely to be empathetic because of the capacity to have children. Women usually spend more time with their offspring than their male counterpart. There are rare cases where a woman might not feel for their child (bond) this can either be done to postnatal depression or anxieties (or maybe the history of how they came to term).
The point I'm making here is that a child when they are brought up learns about the world, not just by themselves but by those that care about them and support them. You'll find in adult life at the most obscure of times we might concern ourselves with how those that we have grown to care about think of us, what they might suggest to or not to do in certain occasions (even though they aren't physically there)
In essence it's the suggestion that we are part a conscience to ourselves and are partially made by attempting to take all the best bits from those that we care to. (they could be family or friends, or we can pull from literature, music, film or games. How many times have you caught yourself quoting a line during so activity or event?)
So how to fix the problem?
I considered this when Donald 'I blame games' Trump had a meeting about blaming games. Computer games aren't the problem, parents allowing certain games (that are meant for an adult audience) and not communicating/interacting with their kids however is more likely. While the games industry isn't at fault in any way, it could still do something (even though it doesn't have to) just to prove that they aren't as cowardly as other people shirking responsibility.
what would need to be done is the creation of "Infomercials" (yeah I know, more crap to interrupt you viewing... go figure.) Creating a bunch of commercials spread across multiple mediums where heroes/anti-hero's of certain games would be visibly doing what they usually do, but then part way through doing what it is they are doing they slow down and stop (say mid throttling a Nazi) and start discussing the fine point of existence, the difference between the world they are trapped in and the one outside. After a little existential enlightenment, they go straight back to garotting that Nazi. The sort of places such advertisement could be put is TV, radio, cinemas, Streaming sites and social media.
The idea is that the existential enlightenment component is the point where the seed of ethical consideration is planted, not through force, not through brain washing, just through the captivation of attention and a moment of thought.
I'd suggest similar Informercials in regards to ethical Gun control (talking about putting in locked cabinets, not leaving them places they shouldn't be left, explaining to parents how to talk to their kids into being sensible with such things since once you've fired a bullet from a gun you can't take it back until it's reached it's destination.
Obviously this is a soft approach, it doesn't force legislation changes, it doesn't put extra rules into force, it doesn't make anyone the villain, it just tries to get people to "smarten up" in regards to how to deal with life in general.