Which would be worse for a kid?

[Qazox]

Saw this discussion on a On-line comic diccussion thread http://www.duelinganalogs.com/comic/2011/02/07/ironic-situation/(Scroll to the bottom of the comic). So which is worse for "kids" (meaning under 13 years old)?

Excessive violence in video games?

or

Sexual situations/nudity in video games?


Pesonally, If kids are old enough to learn abou sex in school or from their parents, Sexual situations/Nudity in Video games probably isn't that big a deal. Violent games, I think should be withheld until 15-16 years old.

[Potarius]

Who cares?

I've been playing violent games since I can remember, and I first flipped through a porn magazine when I was 12. No problems here thus far.

[Maurepas]

Neither, I don't believe in those sorts of things being an influence. I played Mortal Kombat when I was 8 and Grand Theft Auto when I was 13. Neither have been a particularly negative influence upon me.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Everything in excess is bad.

[Grainne Ni Malley]

Kids not knowing the difference between a video game and real life is bad. parent's not teaching kids the difference is worse.

[Hellsgrind]

None of the above. But if I had to pick a specific one, I would have to say a sexual situation. Only because most kids wouldn't understand how it works and would either seek answers to the detriment of their immediate society or become sexually confused as a result of that depending on what sexual situation it was and what the content of the sexual situation would be.

[The Rich Port]

Hmm...

Do I want my kid to be pervert?

Or a serial killer?

Tough choice...

[Hindopia]

Neither. I was exposed to both from a young age and I'm not some sexual deviant who runs around stabbing people and then raping their corpses. No, that sort of behavior is reserved for people with mental problems or who've been seriously abused. Its not video games and sexy movies.

[Bosiu]

Hmm...

Do I want my kid to be pervert?

Or a serial killer?

Tough choice...

Pervert goes on Facebook. Serial killer goes on death row. Did I make it simple enough?

[Hindopia]

Hmm...

Do I want my kid to be pervert?

Or a serial killer?

Tough choice...

Doesn't being a pervert evetually morph into a serial killer, given enough time?

[Der Teutoniker]

Neither, I don't believe in those sorts of things being an influence. I played Mortal Kombat when I was 8 and Grand Theft Auto when I was 13. Neither have been a particularly negative influence upon me.

Easy. You've simply been evil the whole time. Duh.

Seriously though... I tend to agree with this. At the very least, I disagree with taboo-ization of sexuality in America to the extent it is, when considering how prevalent violence is. I don't oppose violence, or sexuality.

[Maurepas]

Neither. I was exposed to both from a young age and I'm not some sexual deviant who runs around stabbing people and then raping their corpses. No, that sort of behavior is reserved for people with mental problems or who've been seriously abused. Its not video games and sexy movies.

What? You think parents should take responsibility for their actions rather than blaming media? Why do you hate Parents?!

[Izarius]

There's nothing inherently wrong about sex. There is something inherently wrong about violence.

Yet I have to say that of the two, I'd rather have sex stay out of video games than violence. I mean, it's natural for kids to play "war". On the other hand, if I see my under 13 kids playing "sex" then something is wrong...

[Hindopia]

Hmm...

Do I want my kid to be pervert?

Or a serial killer?

Tough choice...

Pervert goes on Facebook. Serial killer goes on death row. Did I make it simple enough?

Pervert stalks then kills people he meets on facebook. Yep, that's simple enough!

[The Rich Port]

Hmm...

Do I want my kid to be pervert?

Or a serial killer?

Tough choice...

Pervert goes on Facebook. Serial killer goes on death row. Did I make it simple enough?

Guh... No, you didn't.

At least sex is healthy to express. Violence is rarely a good answer towards anything.

At the very least, TRY to keep your kids away from it. If you can't and they're begging to know, at least present it to them classily and responsibly. I wouldn't pop in a hardcore porn to teach them.

But I'd certainly pop in Mass Effect. That was a great sex scene, if you ask me...

[Hindopia]

Neither. I was exposed to both from a young age and I'm not some sexual deviant who runs around stabbing people and then raping their corpses. No, that sort of behavior is reserved for people with mental problems or who've been seriously abused. Its not video games and sexy movies.

What? You think parents should take responsibility for their actions rather than blaming media? Why do you hate Parents?!

SSSHH!! You'll let the conservatives know, and then I'll be in for it!

[Izarius]

Hmm...

Do I want my kid to be pervert?

Or a serial killer?

Tough choice...

Pervert goes on Facebook. Serial killer goes on death row. Did I make it simple enough?

Yea that does make it simple. Death row is preferable to Facebook any day.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Pervert goes on Facebook. Serial killer goes on death row. Did I make it simple enough?

Guh... No, you didn't.

At least sex is healthy to express. Violence is rarely a good answer towards anything.

At the very least, TRY to keep your kids away from it. If you can't and they're begging to know, at least present it to them classily and responsibly. I wouldn't pop in a hardcore porn to teach them.

But I'd certainly pop in Mass Effect. That was a great sex scene, if you ask me...

I think it's just a matter of balance, Richie.

Just let them know that mass violence is not good. Same with pervy sex (and Gods I didn't want to use that term because what is pervy to me may be ok for you). Depraved? No, not good either.

Ok, lets just say that anything in excess and without an explanation is not good. Do you get my meaning?

I'm not doing too good tonight, damn it.

[Der Teutoniker]

There is something inherently wrong about violence.

I've gotta see the reasoning behind this. I'm in for a laugh.

[Hindopia]

Pervert goes on Facebook. Serial killer goes on death row. Did I make it simple enough?

Guh... No, you didn't.

At least sex is healthy to express. Violence is rarely a good answer towards anything.

At the very least, TRY to keep your kids away from it. If you can't and they're begging to know, at least present it to them classily and responsibly. I wouldn't pop in a hardcore porn to teach them.

But I'd certainly pop in Mass Effect. That was a great sex scene, if you ask me...

Well, sex between two consenting (and mature!) people is healthy.

You pretty much took the words out of my mouth. I can see that parents these days are becoming sensitive to the point they themselves are a danger to the child's mental health.

And that scene from Mass Effect caught me completely off guard. I was like "What the hell is going on down there?!"

[The Rich Port]

I think it's just a matter of balance, Richie.

Just let them know that mass violence is not good. Same with pervy sex (and Gods I didn't want to use that term because what is pervy to me may be ok for you). Depraved? No, not good either.

Ok, lets just say that anything in excess and without an explanation is not good. Do you get my meaning?

I'm not doing too good tonight, damn it.

I think teaching kids about sex is harder when they "already know all about it".

By the time I was 7, I put two and two together.

And balance is certainly the answer... Problem is that not everyone will be capable of finding it. Some parents simply don't have time, or just aren't good parents.

Parental licensing programs are a good idea, I suppose.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I think it's just a matter of balance, Richie.

Just let them know that mass violence is not good. Same with pervy sex (and Gods I didn't want to use that term because what is pervy to me may be ok for you). Depraved? No, not good either.

Ok, lets just say that anything in excess and without an explanation is not good. Do you get my meaning?

I'm not doing too good tonight, damn it.

I think teaching kids about sex is harder when they "already know all about it".

By the time I was 7, I put two and two together.

And balance is certainly the answer... Problem is that not everyone will be capable of finding it. Some parents simply don't have time, or just aren't good parents.

Parental licensing programs are a good idea, I suppose.

Parental licensing programs? As in, certified to educate their kids about sex?

And what about violence?

[Sungai Pusat]

What? You think parents should take responsibility for their actions rather than blaming media? Why do you hate Parents?!

SSSHH!! You'll let the conservatives know, and then I'll be in for it!

I say you better stop your shh or they'll really know.

To answer to OP:

Like some have said, both are not negative, it is the mind itself digesting it that kinda makes that shift. If you know the stuff inside ain't true, nothing negative would really happen to you, but if you digest it in and think that it is all real, then things can go wrong.....

In the end, the parents should see and decide what the children can take and what they can't.

[Havaco]

Humans have a natural longing for both violence and lust. Lust grows later, so for kids under 12, they'd probably just get confused. After that, well, I've heard stories from both genders of looking up porn and masturbation from both genders. Most of these people are good or at minimum neutral people. Those who aren't tend to be psychotic (multiple-personality syndrome usually) and have parents who don't care about them.

For violence, there are things like sparring in martial arts and fencing and other outlets that are physical. Yet people don't ever complain about these. Is it because video games train less skills than the aforementioned outlets? Is it because they are real and video games are fantasy? I don't know, and it'd be something interesting to look into.

[Meryuma]

Neither one is actually bad for a kid I'd say, but violence is worse because sex isn't inherently harmful.