Interview with a gamer

I had an interview with a college student about the violence in videogames, and about violence in real life, how they differ and what feeling they induce. The interview was done with Doug Walter.

me:  what violent video games have you recently played?
doug: Halo,Call of Duty, grand theft auto and Uncharted.
me: would you recommend these games to other people?
doug: yea
me: why were you drawn to those particular games?
doug: my friends were playing them
me: did the violence, gore, or blood bother you at all?
doug: no not really
me: what makes you give that response?
doug: because its not real its just a videogame
me: do you find other games with absolutely no violence boring?
doug: not at all
me: do you think that because of all the violence on television, and in the movie theater, you are more accustomed to violence, and consider it a social norm?
doug: yeah, but not all movies need to have violence for us to be entertained.

After this interview, I had him review a clip (below) on YouTube of real violence, in real life, and had another interview about the YouTube clip in comparison with the videogames.

 me: how does this clip make you feel?
doug: happy to not be in egypt
me: is your emotional response to this different from your emotional response to the video games you play?
doug: i see a video of that happening and its sad but its on tv, if it were happening in front of me itd be a stronger response but my response is kind of the same.
me: why do  you think that is?
doug: because it is not actually happening in front of me, the video and call of duty is all happening on a screen so its a loser grip on what is happeing. i have trouble acepting that that is reality.
me: could you put yourself in the shoes of the people from the YouTube clip being harmed?
doug: nope
me: could you put yourself in the shoes of the people getting harmed in your video games?
doug: not at all
me: do you understand the consequences of violence?
doug: yeah, i understand them morally and legally, but its hard to put myself in their place.
me: after having this interview, would you still recommend the video games you play to other people?
doug: yeah because it is not real.