Buddhist leader says video games are cathartic

Isn't that why EVERYONE plays videogames?

And Traceur, that's a good point. Flower is a great game and very relaxing.

A real Buddhist would never recommend you compound your life with more illusions. The entire point of Buddhism is to chuck illusions from your life and see the truth, and the illusion of what we perceive to be reality is so extraordinary that to add to your burden and put another layer of abstraction between yourself and the truth is ludicrous.

Playing Halo 3 with 12 year old kids screaming with their prepubescent voices, "YOU SUCK, BITCH" at you can really calm a guy down after a long day of work.

I like Buddists, they don't knock on my door on Sunday mornings, they don't thump me with their literature and they don't strap themselves with explosives.
More religions should look at them as an example to be less obnoxious.

I'm really pleased that this man said that. This is a good day for gamers.

I'm glad this day in age video games are gaining more and more respect. There will always be folks against gaming in general but it is a form of entertainment that can touch any one.

All it takes is for some one to open your mind and try gaming and they will find a game they enjoy and like it.

1) My guess is that a Buddhist leader is not going to be playing violent games.

2) The Karmapa is referring to negative feelings, not specifically aggression and

3) Catharsis - as defined in the research referred I'm assuming they are referring to in this article, is the release of aggression through aggressive acts.

In line with points 1, 2 and 3, what the Karmapa is saying is not in direct opposition to the research on this issue. You very easily could get a release of stress by playing a nonviolent video game. You could even get a release of stress by playing a violent game. In fact, research shows that some people do feel better (in terms of having higher positive affect) after engaging in cathartic aggression.

Based on the available evidence, however, you cannot reduce aggression by engaging in aggression. All research the research that I know on the subjects suggests just the opposite happens - acting with cathartic aggression just leads to more aggression. This does not mean it is not possible, there just isn't any evidence that this type of catharsis works.

I'm a Christian youth minister and agree with the dude. I love my church folks but working with people can sure bring the stress... Us religious dudes like to do fun stuff too.

We pretty much love the video games at my church. Keeps kids out of trouble I'd say. We have big Halo 3 LAN parties 4-6 times a year for the older kids as long as the parents are OK with it. Personally I'm kind of tired of my fellow Christians dogging on people who don't agree with us anyway - that's not what faith is supposed to be about; but unfortunately lots of people twist it that way.

I just looked into it and found a more recent article that I hadn't read that is quite interesting. Apparently, there is a "cathartic" type effect that can reduce aggression. Unfortunately, it still doesn't bode well for video games (or other nonspecific catharsis techniques like hitting a pillow) as a cathartic tool.

Denzler, Forster, & Lieberman (2008) found that fulfilling a goal left unfulfilled by a provoking situation, can lead to a decrease in aggression. But it has to be specific to the unfulfilled goal. So if your boss ticks you off, you have to get catharsis against your boss (on the basis of the study, it seems that imaging getting revenge works just fine). Apparently the goal fulfillment unprimes (reduces the accessibility of) the aggressive thoughts. So video games would only be effective in reducing aggression if they were the cause of the aggression in the first place (e.g. inability to beat a level), and only if you resolved the unfulfilled goal (beating the level).

It might work, however, if you imagine your boss (or whoever provoked you) is the enemy you are killing in the game.

Never mind, study 3 of the paper suggests that imagining your boss to be the enemy might not work.

I feel the same way about masturbation!

This guy is obviously not playing Söldner-X. Anyway, it's nice to see something positive being said about games from a source so unexpected.

Seems like a good dude.

Tonight on the SPIN-ZONE;

Buhddist extremist wages war on your childen.

Yes, you're being SO oppressed by someone knocking on your door. And don't try to lump them in together with suicide bombers.

I am a follower of Buddha and my illusion is that anyone could play the video game well as my brother do but my brother can never beat me in any game what i used to play.anyways i am addicted to internet so why i am here but i don't think about game, horror movies, and war movies because all do have the same strategy and same motives but the life is different for every individuals.you people commented but i doubt is that your real comments?