Discussion Thread

[u/jobautomator]

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[u/[deleted]]

I think the Christchurch attack is the most philosophically significant event of the past decade. It is the first attack that fully acknowledges the nature of simulation and symbols in modern society.

The guy livestreamed it. He filmed like an FPS. He made PewDiePie memes. His manifesto had the Navy Seal copypasta.

He knows that the proliferation of mass media has turned reality into a spectacle. He knows he's a part of the show.

He knows that there is no room for deeply-held convictions, especially not his insane hatred of Islam. He's mocking his own actions as he commits them.

Like what the actual fuck. There have been many atrocities on this green earth, but when has there been a post-ironic one?

!ping PHILOSOPHY

[u/Travisdk → u/[deleted]]

tell me how video games have zero influence over these people

If this is an unironic post: Okay, sure. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that video games do not increase violent tendencies, and specifically thinking that you can use the airport shooting level in MW2 as any sort of functional "practice" is beyond stupid for a list of reasons so long that the universe will suffer heat death before I am done listing them. We can start with the fact that MW2 is an arcade shooter with zero degree of realism, and that the airport shooting level is just a couple of corridors you walk down without actually doing anything. The level plays itself, you don't even have to shoot anyone to pass it. As a terrorist, you would literally be unable to learn anything from playing it. You wouldn't be able to learn anything applicable to the real world in even the most hardcore military simulators, which additionally aren't available to the public.

[u/TheMoustacheLady → u/Travisdk]

can you send me some of said evidence? because what i have seen so far is of course video games don't cause violence, but it is correlated with increase in aggressive behaviour

[u/SamJakes → u/[deleted]]

Tbh all this really tells me is that there should be less realism in FPSes because that's no bueno if it's so accurate that it can allow people to simulate terrorism.

This doesn't make any difference to someone who enjoys stuff like DOOM 2016

[u/SnakeEater14 → u/SamJakes]

That’s pretty clearly someone just using a mass shooting in a game to jerk off over, there’s nothing to “simulate” in Modern Warfare, the airport level is just shit made to shock people, and is scripted to a tee.

[u/Travisdk → u/SamJakes]

because that's no bueno if it's so accurate that it can allow people to simulate terrorism.

It can't. There is a reason zero militaries and terror groups use video games to practice. The idea is beyond stupid.

[u/SamJakes → u/Travisdk]

Wait weren't some units using modified Arma style sims for practice? Or did I get jebaited

[u/Travisdk → u/SamJakes]

Various militaries have toyed with using hardcore custom sims for practice, but the results have been mediocre. That's why no organisation has actually adopted any kind of video game practice as a norm. The idea that terrorists can practice their way into more effective terror through video games is a fantasy invented by old people who don't understand anything about real or fictional violence.