Jonathan McIntosh

There’s tremendous pressure in the games industry (and games media) to downplay any potentially negative impacts games may have on culture.

The reality is that the relationship between media and culture is cyclical. Media feeds culture, culture feeds media. It’s a feedback loop.

Because of the cyclical relationship between culture and media, it's critical to investigate the messages flowing from one into the other.

Very, very little. Perhaps Adam Lanza is an example, but he had untreated mental problems & a messed up family.

Plentiful studies have debunked (1 lasting a decade) that games comtribute to violence directly. Normal people wouldn't do it.

Person has to be psychologically abnormal or religiously extreme already to have such a repulsive thought encouraged by outlet

Again, normal people wouldn't find a video game encouraging. & they'd already have to be twisted in the head to want to first.

Despite the mass shooting spikes, gun violence in general has gone down, while violent games have gone up.

I wouldn't blame video games. I think it's more of a broken society problem. Poverty, single parents, poor education, etc.

& for me, I went through six depressing years that video games, most violent, have helped me be more outgoing & friendly

Competition, strategy, teamwork, & laughs with other players helped a lot. Took away a lot of frustrating thoughts.