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Knife crime Definitely Maybe linked to games, claims Oasis man

Singer blames stabbings on violent videogames

Oasis’ guitarist Noel Gallagher has named violent videogames as one factor behind the spate of knife crimes affecting UK youth.

Gallagher voiced his thoughts on videogame violence and its supposed link to knife crime while collecting a music award last week. According to a report by the BBC, he said: “People say [knife crime arises] through violent videogames, and I guess that's got something to do with it.”

He added: "If kids are sitting up all night smoking super skunk and they become so desensitised to crime because they're playing these videogames, it's really, really scary."

The link between knife crimes and violent videogames has never been proven, but reports studying the effect of violent videogames on young minds have given mixed conclusions.

For example, a $1.5m (£770,000/€970,000) study funded by the US Department of Justice found that violent videogames may prompt the odd harmless scuffle in the playground, but won’t turn children into real-life murders.

Latest Comments

RE: RE: Huh?

@bluesxman

I wasn't saying that it was just being on skunk that was causing it, but you yourself said:

"you tend to empathise more and get engrossed in things; the more feeble minded amongst us might not be able to "switch off""

so in that case it doesn't matter if it's video games or not?

OK I'm not blaming cannabis (strong skunk perhaps, but that's completely different), but arguably drugs (thinking more on the lines of heroine and crack cocaine) are far more likely to cause violence than video games. Surely?

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This article fails to mention...

...that Noel Gallagher is an idiot.

Violent types will always find a way to be violent, if it's not re-enacting GTA IV, it's re-enacting a film, if it's not re-enacting a film...

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It's the Super Skunk,

remember? He even refers to it. Are some of the media getting paid to refer to pot as something that can inspire hallucinations, relax inhibitions, and do other terrible things like alcohol does?

--Glenn

She can't figure it out either.

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RE: Huh?

I presumed what he was trying to say (rather ineloquently) was that when you're stoned, you tend to empathise more and get engrossed in things; the more feeble minded amongst us might not be able to "switch off". At least that's what I *think* he was getting at.

However, I've never, EVER known anyone to become violent when stoned, quite the opposite. More weed = more placid, at least in my not-inconsiderable experience... now if we were talking about alcohol...

But I digress.

My point is: yeah, he's a twat and clearly full of shit. :)

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Thank heavens!

At last, a respected member of the community with a worldwide reputation in the field has made a comment.

Ah, sorry, I think I'm commenting on the wrong story.

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