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."

Comments

Re:Not for kids... get a grip

[torpor]

They don't want to take responsibilty for their actions and their lack of parenting.

On the one hand, you've got Media and Government colluding together to remove the rights of parents to educate and raise their children, in order that there may be future 'markets', 'consumers', 'citizens' well-trained to do as those in power say, that society may prolong itself in a way which keeps vested interests happy.

On the other hand, you've got idiots in the middle complaining that 'its all the parents fault', freely ignoring the radical social programs of the 60's, 70's and 80's which were carefully calculated to reduce the rights of parents to raise their children properly. By properly, I mean that the parents right to control and help the childs growth is removed, directly or indirectly, by social pressure, 'trend', or 'market plasticity'.

The fact of the matter is, there is no black and white issue here. Dialectic discourse has failed and always will fail, completely, on this subject.

You think Madison Avenue respects the rights of parents? Fuck no, especially if it means one less consumer to plug product into.

Video game violence is a reality. Kids growing up with the notion that there are 7 different ways to kill someone (all available at a hotkey) are not the same sort of kids who grow up knowing that death and mayhem are not something to value, and should not be 'respected'.

Yeah, sorry, but kids getting all goo-gah over "the cool graphics in GTA" are demonstrating a form of 'respect' for the subject matter.

Blaming parents for not raising their kids properly is one thing. But also, putting responsibility on those who produce content which -intentionally- makes it difficult for a parent to govern is another thing entirely. Video Games are -designed- to destract people from other lifestyles. If a gamer isn't paying full attention to a videogame, the game producer isn't happy. While that's happening, nothing else can impinge on a persons consciousness ... including parental guidance.

"Tommy, stop playing video games and go outside and climb a tree" == anathema to the gaming industry, who hate the notion that there should be any other influence on a person than the products they are producing.

I once worked for a video game company whose sole product line consists of war and combat simulation software. When their first networked-player server went online, and it was discovered that some players had been playing for 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the first 4 weeks of the launch, all of the executives were ecstatic. To them, there is no better way to dominate their market ... at the cost of countless hours of life wasted by young minds, all over the world ...

If you do something, take responsibility for having done it. If you -dont- do something, take responsibility for not having done it. Video games detract from this simple parental mantra, quite extensively ... "I killed 15 people with all sorts of wonderful weaponry ... no, not really ... its just a video game" == training to take no responsibility for the morality behind the actions one takes in the universe we all live in.