If inanimate objects aren't to blame for mass shootings, why is the government meeting with the video game industry?

SPC David Willis — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:05:05 -0500

People kill people, that has been established. We all understand that guns don't leap up from the kitchen table and take 17 lives. If this much is understood why are the cross hairs on video games? Ive played video games for 15-20 years now and not once has my gaming system or the games themselves killed anyone!

Response by SSG Jessica Bautista made Mar 7 at 2018 9:06 AM

SSG Jessica Bautista — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:06:28 -0500

Because "don't take my guns"...?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 9:08 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:08:18 -0500

That’s a very good question. my 2 cents is that it’s a cultural problem and a mental health problem. I may even argue it’s a technology problem. too many people can “go live” on Facebook or “go viral.” I think it’s often a cry for attention

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 9:08 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:08:48 -0500

That doesn’t even make sense SSG Jessica Bautista

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 9:12 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:12:30 -0500

First off, don't look to the government to make sense all the time. I don't blame guns or video games or movies. I blame people. But, are there factors that need to be addressed other than the criminals? Of course. Guns are already controlled right? Felons can't own them. Background checks are done. Fully automatic weapons are illegal. Etc. So is that far of a leap to look at other areas that may influence crime (influence, not commit)?

Response by SPC Joseph Wojcik made Mar 7 at 2018 9:14 AM

SPC Joseph Wojcik — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:14:31 -0500

Governments have killed hundreds of millions in just over a century, maybe it's time we had government controll.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 7 at 2018 9:33 AM

Maj John Bell — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:33:02 -0500

Because elected officials are flailing around trying to give the appearance of "doing something" until they can come up with a viable solution, or the more likely event; we the American public get our attention drawn away by some other "shiny object."

Response by SPC James Harsh made Mar 7 at 2018 9:33 AM

SPC James Harsh — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:33:25 -0500

People want to make video games not have violence because the games have guns in them even though there are ratings on games such as |M for mature, should we ban rated R movies too since kids can watch them

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 9:39 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 09:39:12 -0500

We've traded thoughts on this subject before SPC Willis, and I appreciated your well-thought out points. However, I suggest it's as simple as this; No-neither the firearm or the game is "responsible" for the acts of an individual in and of themselves. If you or I can own a semi-automatic rifle styled after "military" small arms and play games designed to emulate fictional combat...neither speaks to an intrinsic desire to commit violent crimes. Still, people do, and society is being asked to determine what, if anything, can be done to curtail them. Some suggest making it more difficult, if not impossible to obtain the weapons...if that path is followed, the inevitable consequences are increased restrictions and possibly "bans" on certain weapons that serve a practical purpose in the hands of responsible owners ( a point equally debated). Others, suggest restricting the promotion of entertainment that provides escapism in the form of simulated "combat"; particularly when this entertainment is so far removed from the realities and responsibilities of the "real thing". If we follow that path, then yes...other "rights" may be "infringed". There is no way to combat this issue without running the risk of limiting some activity....the question is which action will be the most effective with the least impact on Constitutional and reasonable rights.

In another, unrelated post, a member asked about using games as a form of stress relief. I commented that my own experiences with the "First Person Shooter" variety ultimately left me feeling unfulfilled...since there's no way I could have repeated the physical feats permitted by the game platform. This ultimately motivated me to seek increased physical fitness, test myself on the range, and seek to improve the skill sets I first developed in the Military. Why? Because there's something personally damning about hollow achievements. In my case, I had, in a very limited capacity, previously experienced a "combat environment", had received a minimal level of "combat training"...and therefore knew "enough" to have no illusions about the gravity thereof. To go even further down that rabbit hole, I had in some way, however small, already been "tested" at the emotional level by those experiences. The game did not present me with fears I had not experienced in real life, or any sense that the scenarios being played out were "real", let alone a subsitiute. It merely cast a light on weaknesses that former experience compelled me to address.

It is not unreasonable to imagine then that someone without those experiences and training; someone who had never been "tested" at any level, may respond much more differently...possibly negatively. If someone is an "outcast"; someone berated, rejected and humiliated...and they turn to these games for release, it seems reasonable to infer there comes a point when they recognize the lack of reality too. If they turn to martial arts training, physical fitness, marksmanship training, or even the Military to find that "reality", they are then exposed to the responsibilities and ethics that control the application of those real skills. If they don't, then is it not possible that coupled with a variety of other facts...the only "solution" becomes seeking that catharsis at any cost?

I would agree that "banning" a type of game is no more effective, or any less intrusive upon rights than "banning" a weapon. Like any reaction, if it isn't carefully examined and debated responsibly, it has the potential to do more harm than the intended good. However, I personally believe the cancer at the heart of this problem is a society that seeks greater capabilities and experiences...without imbuing the ethics and responsibilities needed to wield them.

Response by SSgt Ray Stone made Mar 7 at 2018 10:20 AM

SSgt Ray Stone — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:20:21 -0500

Dammit the Right and the NRA needs to cut the bullsh%$%t. The gun control debate IS NOT I repeat IS NOT about taking away our guns. GUN CONTROL is commonly used to by those who want restrictions and CONTROL placed on certain guns that are used to commit mass murders

Response by SPC David Willis made Mar 7 at 2018 10:29 AM

SPC David Willis — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:29:44 -0500

I guess what I'm trying to say is they can take my games from my cold dead hands!

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Mar 7 at 2018 10:54 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:54:32 -0500

Right, worked out well in Venezuela.

So it doesn't matter what the statistics are, are you with the government or are you not with the government. Under Hugo Chávez, the "institution" of Venezuela deteriorated, with political instability, impunity and violent government language increasing. ... The Chávez government banned private gun ownership in 2012.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 10:58 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:58:30 -0500

Video games create a mental reality that can alter a persons way of thinking. The game can desensitize the affects of mass killing or killing in general.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Mar 7 at 2018 11:04 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:04:31 -0500

Do they have a problem with this?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/http://www.military.com/undertheradar/2016/05/6-military-video-games-used-to-train-troops-on-the-battlefield/amp

6 Military Video Games Used to Train Troops on the Battlefield

BY BLAKE STILWELL - WEARETHEMIGHTY.COM

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Mar 7 at 2018 11:06 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:06:03 -0500

If we switched this up a little bit, imagine the reaction.

If legislation (which I wouldn't support) was passed to not allow Hollywood to use any of the weapons in the "assault rifle" ban or any of the pistols not allowed for purchase today until the age of 21 in any movie, television show etc. How do you think they would react.

They would be screaming from the rooftops about the first amendment and artistic license and all sorts of things. The left likes to throw around the "we have a gun violence problem" a lot. Well, there is lots of gun violence in TV and movies, video games and the like so why will they not step up and make a commitment not to create gratuitous violence in their product?

It they celebrate Dick's not selling an AR 15 why would they not feel equally compelled not to show people being murdered by them in movies/TV/games etc.

You see, Hollywood loves their armed security and their violent movies and want to act as though there is zero impact from the gun violence they push out every day.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 11:41 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:41:33 -0500

So here's a thought: let's try a little technique for preventing this kind of behavior called PARENTING.
No one knows their kids like a parent *should*. However, many allow their kids to be parented by teachers, taught morals by TV, and how to forge relationships through social media.
How many of these mass shooters come from broken homes?
How many had a father present in their lives?
How many displayed anti-social behavior at school, in their dating lives (or lack thereof), or online?

As unpopular as the idea may be in some circles, I blame absent and morally vacuous parents more than any other factor in this repeated mass shooting phenomenon we are experiencing.
Kid acting out? Maybe FPS games aren't for them.
Kid having trouble making friends? Might want to try and get to the crux of why that is. *Spoiler Alert*: You should already know the answer.
Have guns in the house? Look that s#it up in a gun safe. It isn't hard.
Problem is, you can not legislate good parenting or personal responsibility, and you can't demagogue a society that you are complicit in perpetuating and endorsing.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 11:43 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:43:46 -0500

SPC David Willis I would suggest, if you haven't already, reading LtCol Dave Grossman's boodk 'On Killing'. It draws a pretty good line from the way kids react to increasingly more violent video games & how they view life in general. Perhaps this is where they are getting their impetus to meet with the industry? In order to see if there is something that can be done about the violence contained within. Granted, there is a difference between games like Battlefield and GTA. One places you in a military-type environment with military-type missions. The other is pretty much go around and cause chaos in a criminal manner (highly generalized, but you get the point).

But, lets be real. Even if they were to make selling said games to young kids illegal, that will be as effective at keeping them out of the hands of kids as making drugs illegal, or making guns illegal. Hell, you can go to Chicago & get whatever type gun you want (including automatic weapons that were banned in the 80s). And that city has the strictest gun control in the country.

The real issue is mental health and the overall state of "the human heart" - that is, the decline in the respect of other people.

Response by Col Jim Harmon made Mar 7 at 2018 11:53 AM

Col Jim Harmon — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:53:08 -0500

I would suggest you read LtCol Dave Grossman's book, "On Killing'. Grossman does a good job of laying out the process of 'desensitization' involved in grooming someone to accept the act of killing another human being. Only about 2% of the population will actually kill another human being if provoked. The rest may resort to violence, but the active choice to kill another person is never even entertained by most people, unless they are conditioned to this act. Violent video games are just another means to condition young people to accept the act of killing. Boot Camp is also a very polished desensitization process and was invented precisely for this reason. To prepare young men and women to accept the act of killing another human being.

Even if you shoot every day, you typically shoot at targets, cans, maybe deer or two. I personally used to like rolling watermelons down a hill and trying to hit them as they rolled away. But you don't strap a person to a board and practice shooting at them. The act of shooting is therefore disconnected from the act of killing.

Video games make the actual connection between shooting a gun and killing a person. This mental and virtual connector acts to desensitize you over a period of time. There are a number of studies on this issue, and it can link acts of violence and aggression to violent video games.

Every person is unique and while some may play the games for years and never be affected, others will succumb to the conditioning and be prone to accept the act of killing as a valid response to stressful situations.

Should the government be involved? Well that's another discussion entirely.

Response by CPO Glenn Moss made Mar 7 at 2018 1:30 PM

CPO Glenn Moss — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 13:30:02 -0500

What does the government meeting with anybody have to do with whether or not inanimate objects are to blame?

The government, in and of itself, is NOT a qualifying factor in such matters. Not by a long shot.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Mar 7 at 2018 2:32 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 14:32:17 -0500

This actually isn't a bad question. The gun is not to blame but the culture that brings out the kind of violent behavior of people can be a factor in why there are so many mass shootings or whatever violent crime you want to point out. Could it be that because of various forms of media as of the past few decades have made it far more acceptable to experience these kinds of things? Perhaps this is one way to look at them. Could violence in the media and video games play a role? Should there be a way to step in in order to ensure that impressionable people are not overexposed to this kind of content? These could be things to look into. I don't quite know what meeting with video game producers is going to do seeing as how most games already carry with them an M for mature rating and thus cannot be purchased by younger children. I guess we will just have to wait and see. I don't see that it will make any kind of a big deal. It really comes down to parenting and not the game industry's problem if parents would rather allow their children to be absorbed into a fake world where murder is just fine instead of putting it into context and then also raising their children properly.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Mar 7 at 2018 2:36 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 14:36:11 -0500

An interesting question. I'm responding without a firm answer, just musing. Can we agree that guns and video games are hardly comparable. The gun is merely a tool, the game is, well... a game. The gun exists in reality, the game projects a virtual reality, a place where skills can be practiced and mastered, and attitudes developed. The gun can be used to kill, the game can't (unless the victim is really slow witted, slow reacting, and the game is solid and heavy enough). Nope, still no answer. I guess I'll wait for other comments...

Response by TSgt David L. made Mar 7 at 2018 2:37 PM

TSgt David L. — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 14:37:42 -0500

It's called "Feel Good" politics. They are worried about votes.

Response by 1stSgt Nelson Kerr made Mar 7 at 2018 3:46 PM

1stSgt Nelson Kerr — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 15:46:24 -0500

It is called blowing smoke to distract from real problems

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Mar 7 at 2018 3:53 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 15:53:00 -0500

It’s a placebo of sorts. Weapons don’t kill people, but people want something or someone to blame. So this is the low hanging fruit. Now I do see one small point with some games; there is no excuse to have a backdoor code that allows rampant sex or rape and that does need to be addressed. Otherwise again they’re the scapegoat of the day

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Mar 7 at 2018 4:47 PM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:47:28 -0500

Video games ‘normalize’ violence with their violent content. The players become acclimated to a tense, violent, stressful environment.

Question is, where’s Hollyweird?

Response by LTC David Brown made Mar 7 at 2018 5:24 PM

LTC David Brown — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 17:24:06 -0500

There have been studies of rape. Men who watch rape porn have reduced revulsion to rape. There was a study on torture. People who believed authority condoned the initiation of the painful stimulus. So if you have an individual who is unbalanced violent video games may appear condone, reinforce , and desensitize them to extreme violence. Even “ normal” people are affected by movies etc how does it effect unbalanced people? There are studies that show gun restriction laws don’t work.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 7 at 2018 6:12 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 18:12:55 -0500

The legislative process is inherently "anti-science." We don't vote based on the math (hard facts). We vote on opinion. Just look at Climate Change for examples on both sides (this is a topic prone to hyperbolic argumentation).

Whether video games can be associated with violence is HIGHLY contested. Whether firearms cause violence is as well (correlation vs causation arguments).

Our legislators are not scientists. They're Lawyers. If a Lawyer could "revoke the law of gravity" they would.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Mar 7 at 2018 7:15 PM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 19:15:55 -0500

Politicians have to blame something or someone. They won't own up to the mess they've gotten the country into, so actively looking for scapegoats.

Response by SPC Brian Mason made Mar 7 at 2018 8:01 PM

SPC Brian Mason — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 20:01:37 -0500

It's not about the physical thing itself but the content that can be displayed on it.
I've played them for about that time and I've never felt the urge to go attack someone. People can be influenced by almost anything. Again, the PERSON is the problem not the tool.

Response by SPC Kevin Ford made Mar 7 at 2018 11:14 PM

SPC Kevin Ford — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 23:14:45 -0500

In my day it was Dungeons and Dragons and video games have been in the spotlight before.

As far as guns, it’s complicated. Of course guns don’t kill people, they just make it comparatively easy to kill people and in some cases do so quickly for a large number of people. There’s a reason we weren’t all training to run over the enemy in our vehicles as our primary weapon,.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 11:49 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 23:49:51 -0500

The answer lies in the context. Video games are capable of conditioning behaviors and ways of thinking in certain circumstances on a spectrum depending on certain details (i.e. age, gender?, education level, cognitive ability etc.). If you think that you are someone who is capable of distinguishing between behavior being portrayed in video games and societies definition of ethical behavior; you probably won't have any issues.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2018 2:12 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 02:12:46 -0500

Well, there is the current debate of Loot Boxes going on.

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2018 12:15 PM

LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 12:15:28 -0500

Regardless if the government targets the video game industry or not, I firmly believe there is nothing they can or will do. Games have ESRB ratings for a reason. Undeveloped and undeveloped minds exposed to violent video games have been proven to increase violence. That being said, nobody pays any mind to the ESRB ratings. 12 year old children still play video games meant for 17+. It’s the same concept as the sexualization of today’s youth. The restrictions are in place. The industry is well regulated. Parents, on the other hand, are not.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2018 2:49 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 14:49:51 -0500

You can't blame the gun or video games but something needs to be done. Children should be able to attend school without being in fear of someone walking into their school and killing untold numbers of people. I should be able to attend a concert without fear of bullets raining down on me from a hotel room.

Response by Capt Karlos Nordinsifeller made Mar 25 at 2018 4:17 PM

Capt Karlos Nordinsifeller — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 16:17:07 -0400

Video games are animated. That was the point made in “On Killing”. Shooting at a bullseye doesn’t teach you to kill. Shooting on human shaped reactive targets does.

Response by Capt Karlos Nordinsifeller made Mar 25 at 2018 4:21 PM

Capt Karlos Nordinsifeller — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 16:21:47 -0400

But to be clear- video games, films, religion- those are things we should learn at home, then learn to deal with as adults. A bunch of popular folks in office do not parent better than everyone else- they can only use bad examples to try to amass power by getting fools to surrender it.

Response by Cpl Tyler Therrien made Mar 26 at 2018 12:44 PM

Cpl Tyler Therrien — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:44:36 -0400

Just as the vast majority of gun owners don't go out and shoot up a place the majority of video gamers are non violent. But one has to question if there is a correlation between the graphic hyper violent games and a desensitizing of young impressionable minds? I personally do not believe there is any ONE answer. I believe the rise in mass shootings stems from a mixture of things. Children being raised with no discipline, having no respect for anything including human life. Too many single parent homes, boys especially need a strong father figure to emulate. A medical profession that is too quick to prescribe drugs, schools that want classrooms full of "little angels" Boys are rowdy & rambunctious if you keep a cork in a bottle too long something will eventually blow! Sitting on a sofa playing videos is not a natural or good outlet. Go outside, run, jump burn off that extra energy!

Response by MAJ David Atkinson made Apr 8 at 2018 1:52 AM

MAJ David Atkinson — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 01:52:17 -0400

On the violent TV shows during the fifties when someone was shot, they never even bled. There was no blood and gore. Even in 1960 in the scarriest move of the time, Phsyco, the stabbing was not shown.

Response by MSgt Allen Chandler made Apr 9 at 2018 12:29 PM

MSgt Allen Chandler — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 12:29:01 -0400

well said

Response by SSG Timothy Godwin made Apr 25 at 2018 5:54 AM

SSG Timothy Godwin — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 05:54:48 -0400

This is not an inanimate object. Games or simulations are a way of changing thought processes. Day in and day out of these games can easily teach you how to get better at killing. It can also numb you to injuring or killing. Same thing is to be said of a good upbringing or a bad one. This is all about programming. People are shaped by what they see and feel day in and day out. Gaming could be positive or negative. If you wanted to program a killer it could easily be done through gaming and simulation. All you would really need after this would be some physical conditioning. This is why the government is talking with game manufacturers.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2018 7:46 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 May 2018 07:46:54 -0400

In response to the original question, it would be politicians being politicians acting like they are trying to do something......anything (even blaming inanimate objects) for the media driven hypersensitivity to "gun" violence (even though it has been proven that gun violence and violent crime are down significantly compared to the decades in the past). Tangible objects like guns, video games and movies are easy scapegoats compared to tackling the true issues of mental health.
And mental health becomes a matter of population statistics…….an estimated 1% of the population is estimated to on the psychopathic spectrum (and no……. most of them will never take another human life). But with simple math……… the population in 1970 in the United States was just over 200 million people and in 2010 it was around 310 million people. I think you get the picture.

Response by MSgt Hamish Barrett made May 9 at 2018 9:25 PM

MSgt Hamish Barrett — Wed, 09 May 2018 21:25:58 -0400

Police know violent video games do cause crime. They are just not allowed to say it.

Response by SFC Robert Walton made May 13 at 2018 10:49 AM

SFC Robert Walton — Sun, 13 May 2018 10:49:18 -0400

SPC David Willis, Other than guns and video games what else is going on in America today?

Response by SSG Robert Perrotto made May 13 at 2018 11:07 AM

SSG Robert Perrotto — Sun, 13 May 2018 11:07:26 -0400

reading this thread has given me a loud chuckle - this debate about video games and violence, and the current debate about video games and misogyny has been going on since Jack Thompson - there have been numerous, and I mean numerous studies debunking the myth that video games cause violence, or the inclination to do violence - most of those supporting that it does are using "feelings" over empirical evidence to the contrary - they "feel" that it desensitizes - they "feel" that it feeds toxic masculinity and they use psuedo science of the humanities, which is not empirical, to support their claims. If such a thing was true, then it's not just video games - its every aspect of our entertainment industry - our television shows, our films, our music, our books - this is as bad as the satanic scare about D&D in the '80's - people are stupid and those that support this non sense are stupid. Yes - I said it.

Response by MAJ Von Arney made May 15 at 2018 8:47 PM

MAJ Von Arney — Tue, 15 May 2018 20:47:12 -0400

Nothing makes them do it. It is only a influence to those without a solid moral base.
Video games don't make 2% of people kill. Look at who those people are and you'll find your answer.
The government is more than glad to take liberty from the people and make them ignorant slaves who think they are free.

Response by Amn Wendy Allen made May 16 at 2018 2:44 PM

Amn Wendy Allen — Wed, 16 May 2018 14:44:50 -0400

I will tell you why. Games movies actually talk move and show actual violence happening and making it seem to. Children it is a natural thing to see and do making them feel as though it's normal and okay to do. But a gun it has to be picked up and used and the games and movies show them how to use them to. Kill and do bad things it puts actual ideas into the heads of kids. Guns don't people do make the games show and talk to the kids duh

Response by SN Herman Lee made May 20 at 2018 2:36 PM

SN Herman Lee — Sun, 20 May 2018 14:36:24 -0400

Well, Did Playboy magazine make anybody a pedophile? Not really, Only those with such tendencies are more likely to play the blame game.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 5:10 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 28 May 2018 05:10:32 -0400

There's a major contributing factor that rarely, if ever, gets looked at for mass-casualty crimes not based in terrorism... SSRIs.

People blame guns or the tool used. Video games and media get blamed, and while it can be argued whether it does or doesn't contribute it is still just a cop out.

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are used in treating depression and anxiety and have been linked to increases in suicidal and homicidal tendencies. The Virginia Tech shooter, Columbine, Aurora shooter, were all on SSRIs. The list goes on and on but you never hear anything about it. The amount of people on SSRIs has increased and keeps increasing every year. So have the amount of shootings.

Switzerland-has guns and violent video games, has pretty much banned SSRIs, doesn't have the problems with mass shootings that we have.

China- doesn't have firearms, strictly controls its media, has over the counter SSRIs, and has mass stabbings.

Blame what you want, but I'm thinking that the things that literally control and change how your thought processes work are probably the biggest contributing factor.