I have been looking at media and its representations of this ‘real’ life. Audiences interact with this through different methods although the outcome is mostly the same, whether it be the internet, video games or the silver screen the viewer is unintentionally transformed into a physical character of the ‘story’ / ‘scene’.
“Within academia, this perspective has become known as ‘media effects’ and is associated with ‘hypodermic’ models of audience in which the meanings of media messages are transmitted to audiences in a relatively uncomplicated way offering little or no opportunity for interpretation or resistance. The media, therefore, are credited with an enormous power over society to influence behaviour and thought”. Teaching Videogames (page 48).
In some instances this can warp the mind of some people, stereotypically and ironically americans are mostly involved in these media evoked massacres. Huge blame and outrage has been put onto the video game industry, with many heated parents holding it personally responsible for these 'happenings' it has been treated as if it where an instructional tool for devastation.
Personally i think with the video games out today its both the manufacturers and the participants liability, the games themselves are hyperreal to a point you can confuse the boundaries between imagination and reality. They allow there 'audience' to carry out behavior and actions that are completely alien, that they wouldn't have thought of in the first place. Games like this give the impression to people that are not all there in the head that its ok to go around and commit these vicious and unthinkable acts.
