Why do some older people think "role playing" in a video game is bad or even dangerous?

[AnimationFan94]

Back in the 2000s there were many older people who were afraid of or just didn't get video games.
https://ncac.org/news/blog/video-ga...us-brief-supporting-ca-violent-video-game-law

And when they attacked video games they used the term "role playing". Why when some old people use the term "role playing" they mean it as a bad or dangerous thing?

What is so dangerous about a "role playing" video game?

These are role playing games.

 

[BrianL]

This goes back further than that, to the late 70's & early 80's where Dungeons & Dragons was vilified for leading kids down a path to the occult. It wasn't quite "hysteria" but parents groups were concerned.

 

[Southernmiss]

Hotel California was devil worship music.

Elvis's dances were pornography.

Complaints on 'kids these days' is as old as time.

 

[Brett Wyman]

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26328105
Basically bad parents want something to place the blame on for them being bad parents. Also politicians use it to rile up their bases.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

You should listen to the Stuff You Should Know podcast episode on "The Satanic Panic"

https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/the-satanic-panic-of-the-1980s.htm

 

[BrianL]

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26328105

That's exactly what I was talking about. They also got onto some kids cartoon shows for the "occult" imagery, like Skeletor.

 

[morgan98]

I dunno, why are Barbies bad again?

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Hotel California was devil worship music.

I love that song played all the time at the gym

Elvis's dances were pornography.

Complaints on 'kids these days' is as old as time.

I dunno, why are Barbies bad again?

My mom is what dh would call a over protective parent and she encouraged me to play with barbies so color me confused

 

[Erzengel]

Mass Effect was my jam until the 3rd game. However, I felt my character was pretty much me always doing the right thing. I remember a choice where I had to decide whether or not to exterminate a race of aliens a few times, and I always chose a way to save them regardless of the intense 10 minute battle I just had with them.

Except for punching that reporter that got uppity with me. I did that in every game.

 

[BrianL]

Mass Effect was my jam until the 3rd game. However, I felt my character was pretty much me always doing the right thing. I remember a choice where I had to decide whether or not to exterminate a race of aliens a few times, and I always chose a way to save them regardless of the intense 10 minute battle I just had with them.

Except for punching that reporter that got uppity with me. I did that in every game.

Yeah, I always do that too 0 in games where you have a choice of how to act, I can never make the evil choices. Like in Bioshock, I rescued every little sister, no matter the detriment to my EVE powers. I just won't do it. I can't even play games where that is the expectation, like Grand Theft Auto, where success requires criminal behavior. Some people really like that, but I don't.

 

[Erzengel]

Red Dead Redemption 2 puts you more in the villain role. Although, every choice I make is on the benevolent side, when you have missions when you have to steal and people are chasing after you and your only way out of it is to shoot back.

 

[BrianL]

Red Dead Redemption 2 puts you more in the villain role. Although, every choice I make is on the benevolent side, when you have missions when you have to steal and people are chasing after you and your only way out of it is to shoot back.

Yup, which is why I have no interest in playing it.

 

[Nayan]

Because it's easier to blame an inanimate object (Rock music! Video Games! D&D!) than it is to actually find the root cause when something horrid happens.

I grew up watching Looney Tunes and have no desire to drop anvils/pianos/rocks on anyone btw . And I play Fortnite and RDR2, plus other games them old fogies wouldn't approve of (newsflash-I am an old fogey).

 

[DisneyOma]

Some of it has to do with the desensitization of young kids when exposed to a plethora of shooting/killing/war games. Sure, most kids don't turn into mass murderers after hours upon hours of game play, but they do become desensitized to a lot of violence.

 

[Jennasis]

In the 80's we got that about Dungeons and Dragons. I remember my parents forbid us from playing when they overheard me...at 10 years old...telling my cousins during an intense game "I whip out my mace and I kick his ***!!!" Ahhhh good times.

 

[low-key]

I dont think its bad, just stupid

 

[Squirlz]

You tell us. I've haven't heard of such a thing.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Back in the 2000s there were many older people who were afraid of or just didn't get video games.

Please define "older people." Parents? Because I'm older and don't give a rat's patoot. But they're not afraid of video games. Where did you get that idea? Parents who don't want their kids exposed to role-playing video games have their reasons. If your parents are among these, ask them. Maybe they're concerned about your ability to separate fantasy from reality.

And when they attacked video games they used the term "role playing". Why when some old people use the term "role playing" they mean it as a bad or dangerous thing?

What is so dangerous about a "role playing" video game?

Influence. The inability to separate fantasy from reality. That kids aren't interacting in real life with real people.

 

[EMom]

By “older people,” do you mean 35 and up?