Researcher sees no link between videogames and school shootings

11:20 AM on 01.21.2009   |   Jim Sterling

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It's not often that we get to hear about those "experts" not stupid/lazy enough to blame the world's ills on videogames, so it's always nice when we have a story about one. Prof. Christopher Ferguson of Texas A&M International University has found no "significant" link between videogames and those rare school shootings we see hyped on TV, going so far as to call videogames a "strawman" in such cases.

"Moral panics may emerge from 'culture wars' occurring in a society ... politicians, news media and social scientists, arguably [have] motives for promoting hysterical beliefs about media violence, and video games specifically," states Ferguson. "Actual causes of violent crime, such as family environment, genetics, poverty, and inequality, are oftentimes difficult, controversial, and intractable problems. By contrast, video games present something of a 'straw man' by which politicians can create an appearance of taking action against crime ...

"As for the news media, it has long been recognized that negative news ... 'sell' better than do positive news ... As for social scientists, it has been observed that a small group of researchers have been most vocal in promoting the anti-game message ... oftentimes ignoring research from other researchers, or failing to disclose problems with their own research ..."

Man, that felt good to read. Ferguson also makes note of how out of touch most industry critics are, stating that they "betray their unfamiliarity" with such false claims are GTA awarding players "points" for violence. Ultimately, he concludes that if we're to truly understand such atrocities as school shootings, we need to stop being hysterical and blaming things that, in his words, don't even have a "casual relationship" with the problem at hand.

I'd like to buy this man a drink. People like him help remind me that not all of humanity is a panicking mass of stupidity.