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GTA Violence, the Media, and the Gamers
jvm writes "The Video Game Ombudsman and Curmudgeon Gamer currently have posts with opposing views on the recent and oft-criticized NY Post article about the violence in the Grand Theft Auto series of games. The Ombudsman discourages gamers from getting upset over the 'false and irresponsible' writing in the NY Post, equating it with a 'National Enquirer story saying that video games cause AIDS'. In response, this Curmudgeon says that's plain wrong, that gamers should 'stop dodging the issue' of game violence and 'start talking realistically about degrees of harm, freedoms, and responsibility'. So what's a gamer to do? Ignore the obviously clueless mainstream press or start the soul searching? Oh, and Penny Arcade has its own angle on the perils of dealing with the mainstream press, in response to how the noble Child's Play was represented."
The second world war was about gun control? I'm rather happy that "Really out of control guns" stopped a bloodthirsty genocidal dictator, combined with the sacrifice of millions of lives. World War 2 was not about guns. How about you go and drink a nice tall glass of shut the fuck up?
There are more guns per capita in Canada than the USA, yet there are only a small fraction of the gun crimes here. Gun crime is almost nonexistant. Unlike
..don't panic
If graphical portrayal of the killing of masses of people without any responsibility or consequences for the action isn't terrorism, then I'm afraid I don't know what it is
America is a nation -full- of terrorists. So many thrive on it, all in the name of 'entertainment', which we all know of course, never hurt anyone
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
Games can be used to teach someone how to kill.
You know those terrorist training kamps which the U.S. is so eager to blow up? Those are all 'gaming areas' to the people that run them.
A drill designed to show someone how to properly insert a bayonet into someones spleen isn't much different than a drill (cleverly disguised as a video game) which teaches someone how to select weaponry for different environment/terrain scenarios in order to effect the highest kill ratio.
Every time you play a 3ps, you get better and better at the mechanics of that 3ps. It is the same effect which training kamp drills are designed to exploit, in fact
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
Your whole argument is predicated by the assumption that the media, the government, or the game makers FORCE, one way or another, a child to play a video game.
...
No it isn't. I never once said that.
There is a very big difference between 'forcing someone to do something', and 'making something available for someone to do something with'.
Having said that, I will note that there seems to be no really good reason for all the violence in video games other than it seems to really, really grab peoples attention. And, well, we know that Madison Avenue crack-whore just loves attention, don't we
I've -never- said that children shouldn't be responsible for what they do. What I've said is that Madison Avenue, and certain Government-related groups, would like very much for people to take less responsibility (what do you think a law is for: people who take less and less responsibility) for the things that they do in life.
You're falling back into a dialectic mode of argument. Just because I offer two views, does not mean I'm a hypocrite.
You so gleefully point out your example of some people playing a game for 18 hours a day and the executives being happy. Pardon my speech, but no shit.
Yeah, well I happen to think that anyone who makes money from graphic portrayal of violence in any form - no matter how it is 'couched', as 'entertainment' or otherwise - is a scumbag who deserves neither my hard earned cash, nor my attention.
As you seem to have missed the point, let me restate it. The parents are the ones that give the child the knowledge they will use to build everything else on.
Ooooh... rreeeaa---aaallly? Well then, I guess The Television God only gets worship then, eh?
Is it really too much to expect that they'll also be the ones to instruct the child what is morally acceptable and what is not?
Yes, especially if there is a Television in the household, and it is actively being used without any consideration for the consequences...
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
Madison Avenue == Metaphor for all that is wrong with Modern American Consumerism.
Madison Avenue is where all your dreams come true, even the ones you didn't know you had.
Madison Avenue == MiniTrue.
There, maybe now you understand what I mean... assuming you have a literate braincell in your body.
Let me ask you... if you take out all the violence in all the video games, tv shows, movies, and books, what do you have left? Boring crap
Its people like you, with such cheap viewpoints as this, who make the world such a degrading place to live in. War is Peace, Love is Hate, Violence is Fun, etc.
Violence is not fun. Violence is violence.
Anything can be fun, if you do it often enough to notice an improvement in the way you do it.
Television thrives on one thing, and one thing only: attention. So do video games.
Not having the attention for ones parents, one won't get the parenting one needs
{MadAve loves its Attention Slaves. To death.}
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
The original post I replied to said that there shouldn't be any guns in the household if a child is present. You state that a child is not equipped to deal with a gun or GTA. I claim that it is much easier to explain to a child and prepare that child for handling a gun than GTA. Whereas GTA has missions where you are encouraged to behave immorally, when the parent or a certification course are presenting a gun to a child, the only options presented are ones that are moral and the child is told about the dangers of using the gun.
Ultimately it comes down to parents being responsible. A responsible parent can help a child and teach a child about gun safety and use. The post to which I replied said that a gun simply shouldn't be in the house with a child. Anyway, I've wasted enough time on you.
I hate liberals. If you are a liberal, do not reply.