I don't neccisarily beleive that the media has a direct influence as such
I just think the entire "oh it's because he played violent videogames" or "Media coverage of violent crimes glamourises them leading to others being encouraged to do the same" treats the audience as something of a passive sponge, and ignores the hundereds of other variables and factors that influence such an occurance. However I do think that it's naive to beleive that something as ubiquitous as "the media" however you want to define it has no influence on how people think and behave whatsoever.

As to the violent videogames/movies/music whatever influencing kids to do bad stuff, the answer is rather simple. Firstly, don't expose childeren who may have an undeveloped sense of morality (I.E one that is external to themselves not internal) to violent media. You're their parents for christ sake, and games/videos ect come with a very handy rating. Don't buy the saw films and show them to your 7 year old kid for fucks sake. Of course the other issue is with already mentaly unstable people accessing such media and somehow being negatively influenced. Of course, we COULD call for violence in media to be censored, due to the potentialy negative effects on a very small minority of individuals, or you know, we could always put some money into developing a decent mental health service that would theoreticaly help those unfortunate individuals. Oh, and while we're at it we could always have a go at combating some of the horrific levels of inner city poverty cos that's a massive fucking cause of loads of violent crimes right there.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 13:53, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

I find it hilarious that the like of Marilyn Manson were mentioned as influencing factors
yet nobody mentioned the video for pearl Jam's Jeremy, which was all over MTV when the Columbine fellas were 11. It won the MTV award for best video when these two were about 12. It was a blueprint for going into school and teaching everyone a lesson. But no, make-up wearing nancypants Manson got all the credit.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:01, Reply)

The video for Strength Through Music
scares the fuck out of me.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:02, Reply)

I like how the film "Elephant" had a gay element between the two shooters
That's a kick in the balls to the Columbine pricks.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:02, Reply)

To be fair
MM does have a song about going into school with a gun and teaching everyone a lesson... I do think blaming him is ridiculous though.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:04, Reply)

Me too
And Jeremy had a handy step-by-step video
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:06, Reply)

Yep. Great song though.

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:07, Reply)

Bloody love it
I think I resent the fact that it's now called 'doing a Columbine' and not 'doing a Jeremy'.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:10, Reply)

Yeah, Columbine was the biggy
Mass-media portrayed, plus it hit all the current fears of evil music and computer games training kids to be killers.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:11, Reply)

pah
there'd have been a lot more widespread carnage if they had been taught by something like GTA. There was no car-jacking going on. Where was the helicopter gunship rampage?
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:27, Reply)

I know, rite?
Couldn't even survive a 2-3 star cop rating.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:28, Reply)

yeah
useless. he should have holed up till the cops showed up and then got into the SWAT truck to get more body armour. A quick dash for the coast, into a speedboat and caned it to his nearest safe house.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 14:30, Reply)

Or built a killdozer?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Heemeyer
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Wed 2 Jun 2010, 15:08, Reply)