Violence is the answer.

[123everton]

Looking at all the trouble with gun and knife crime I wondered.
As a small boy I had a voracious appettite for war comic books like "The Valiant" and "Commando" I'd read them over and over again and then with whichever was my good hand at the time I'd colour them in, I'd spend hours doing it.
I'd play with "Action Man" whose enemy at the time was the Germans, you could acquire points and get a German uniform or a "Colditz guard hut", I'd play with toy tanks firing matchsticks (at Germans), play war with toy guns (against Germans).
By the modern rationale I should be a psychotic lunatic with a pathological hatred of Germans.
Is it fair to suggest that we more we try innure boys from violence the more violent they become, perhaps we should give them the books I loved as a boy, cos "The Bunty" just won't cut it.
Could we at least bring back competitive sports in schools?
The last bit's a bit off question, I know, but I just wanted to get that off my chest!

[jake-the-peg]

Or even a psychotic with an over developed sense of patriotism?

[123everton]

Dunno where you're going with that on JTP, the link between porn and sex offending is quite a weak one, I don't think rape has an awful lot to do with sex and awful lot more to do with power.
etjam, I'm getting nostalgic for them now "hande hoch! Mein Gott in himmel! Aiiiiee!" quality!
I just think that a kid who might'nt be bright or academic may be able to run like the wind and if he's the schol champion at running then he's got something to be proud of.
Academia is competitive grades and so on, so why not sport? I know it's off thread (maybe should post that as a separate question) but perhaps the prohibition on violence (boxing etc.) is adding to the problem...

[123everton]

Aw!! Someone's in a grumpy mood today.
Get some gripe water that might fix it.

[jake-the-peg]

My point is that perhaps they did have an effect on you.

You seem to have a strong sense of patriotism perhaps an early diet of brave British soldiers bashing Johnny foreigner played a part in that.

[123everton]

Erm well no, I used to date a German many years ago, one of my neighbours is German (a more respectable woman you'd struggle to find) in terms of the 2 world wars I'm very proud of the reasons, war aims and successes we achieved. I love my country (it's true) but I don't hate others, I don't know how I've given you that impression, but my future wife is born and bred Chinese and I'm very proud of her.
I do still like a good war film so long as those films are about truth, honour, fraternity, redemption etc. these I'm fully aware are quite jingoistic (escapist?) notions and wholly unrepresentive of real war conditions but they do offer a view of men fighting for goodness, driven by duty to create a better day, if you channel a boys aggression to a positive end he will achieve positive things? I think he will.

[Panic Button]

There is a difference between reading a war comic and waving a soldier doll around, as against playing a violent video game which simulates you mutilating people.

I have no doubt that hours spent on Grand Theft Auto or some streetfighter game numbs the natural resistance to violence in the young, and positively encourages it.

[123everton]

I'm inclined to agree with you, but of course in "Grand Theft Auto" there's no nobility, no cause other than get rich quick or die trying.
Thinking about it maybe what it is, is that boys like to fight?

[Kromovaracun]

'm inclined to agree with you, but of course in "Grand Theft Auto" there's no nobility, no cause other than get rich quick or die trying.

Perhaps. But then try looking at the Medal of Honour Series, or Call of Duty, if you have superior taste. Or perhaps Hearts of Iron and Battlefield

Computer games and media might not ooze with patriotism but I'm really not convinced there's a viable difference - they fundamentally settle the same bloodlust that lies within every little boy that your warbooks/Action-Men did.

I used to play with Action Men, too. Can't remember what exactly I used to play, but it was usually just mindless violence.

Competitive sports are still alive and well in schools. Or at least in my experience. I can still remember heroically refusing to partake as a child and making myself a consistent long-term irritant to my teacher. Who made a habit of deliberately kicking footballs into my face.

[Kromovaracun]

Ooh! Or Metal Gear Solid! That has a sort of duty/patriotic angle to the story (insofar as the story is at all comprehensible) nicely mingled with random brutal stealth murders.

[saxy_jag]

Perhaps because society allowed us to play violent games and read violent comics, they were our outlet for violence and stress (that and just being allowed to run free, so to speak).

I never enjoyed sport at school, particularly the competitive variety, but it's the best thing for those who thrive on it. Tomorrow's leaders are going to be the ones with the competitive edge and we need to nurture that - but we shouldn't be forcing them into it.

[123everton]

I don't actually play computer games (so know little about them) but again "Medal Of Honour and it's ilk do have the ability to reinvent history (did'nt they do a Vietnam version?) I feel there is a diference between reading about a story, play acting a story (with tic you're alive again) and playing a computer game. The computer game is more personal perhaps because it is so impersonal (just like war) it's you versus a machine rather than you versus your mate from next door but one, similarly in war it's the idea and the uniform you're attacking, not a man.
I'm not proposing a manifesto, it just seems to me the more you try dissuade boys from fighting the more they want to.

[terambulan]

When there are too many males together they are apt to fight....in all species. Hence organised sports to work off testerone and aggression.

War is very masculine but also survival for the males dependants. Control of aggression initially is by parents then the wider community, again for our survival. If each family or section of different communities recognised this we could all live in peace. However greed of some, thinking they have an advantage puts us all at risk as we are forced to fight our corner.

Does that make sense?