Greetings from Massachusetts.

[kibakiba]

So over 10 years of violent video games and I'm supposed to be desensitized? That isn't true at all, at least not for all people. I hate violence, every form of it. I don't like hearing about it, I don't like seeing it (video games are fine.. it's a game) and I would never, ever become violent unless it was out of self defense. Even then, I can't hit someone back when I get punched in the face, it's happened. I'd rather be the one who wont face violence. Perhaps it's quite different for you. I have had a lot of real violence in my life, perhaps for some, it would cause them to become violent also, but for me, I run from it.
News reports here always say video games make people violent, kids steal cars and run people over because of the games or kids go and kill school mates because of games. IMO, there is something wrong with the person, mentally if they think that's fun.

Abuse in any form, whether to animals or to children or other people should be a crime that is punished to the highest extent. I don't care if it's a "stupid animal", if it's not doing anything to you, leave it alone.

[GaiusIuliusTabernarius]

I'm desensitized to all kinds of things... but I don't see violent video games as any sort of culprit. I'd say it has a lot more to do with where I live, my level of awareness of current events, and my ability to face unpleasant conclusions. However, animals are innocent and causing them harm for no reason feels wrong to me. I'm mean I'm not a vegan, my diet by definition implies harm to animals, but that's an evolutionary adaptation we picked up on the savanna, its also what allowed us to grow big brains capable of feeling ashamed for eating it in the first place. besides most of the things we eat would eat us if they could and evolved to do so.

But just abusing animals for no reason is sick, and I frankly don't see a distinction between that and abusing people, after all we are animals too. We just happen to be a particularly self important noisy species of hairless ape with a tendency to do way more harm to ourselves than our nearest relatives. Not that I would trust fire arms and nukes to chimps as we are very closely related and they would be just as likely to use them.

[Spankenstyne]

Welcome aboard!

[Mommy2many]

Nice to have you on the forum. The flooding State of Iowa welcomes you.

the New land of a thousand lakes...

(Couldn't resist!)