Video Game Characters to Get Out the Vote

Thanks to Gamasutra for the heads up about a political music video starring video game characters that is to start airing on MTV today. The newest "Choose or Lose" video will feature characters from popular video games such as The Sims and BloodRayne and is intended to encourage youth voters to show up at the polls. The video will air for the first time on MTV today on TRL, and afterwards can be seen on the MTV Choose or Lose site. This follows closely on the heels of MTV2's Video Mods series, which uses video game footage for the visuals in music videos.

Comments

If it takes video game characters

[hsmith]

to get people to vote, obviously they don't need to be voting.

An informed public is far better than one that just votes to vote

Re:If it takes video game characters

[BillyZ]

So you are then implying that gamers are uninformed? Simply because someone needs motivation to vote, does not necessarily mean they are also uninformed.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[mcmonkey]

What is the standard? How informed is informed enough? When is an opinion enough of an opinion? So voting based on the last yard sign I saw isn't enough. Is listening to talk radio? Reading one newspaper a day? Reading slashdot?

I respond to every time someone presumes to have some standard on who should vote and who is better off staying home. None of the big shots who presume to tell other people they shouldn't vote ever steps up with some specifics.

What is the standard for "an informed public"?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[GoofyBoy]

They are uninformed how important their vote is.

If they lack this basic knowledge, how would they know about the real, deep, political issues are?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[JaredOfEuropa]

I respond to every time someone presumes to have some standard on who should vote and who is better off staying home.

Oh, I have a standard on who should vote and who shouldn't... though it's just my opinion, and I am not proposing to impose it or any other standard on voters. Voting should be open to all.

However, I agree with the guy who says that it's a bit silly to ask people to go vote for the sake of voting, i.e. "go and mark any old box on the ballot with the red pencil". I think uninformed people shouldn't vote, but I do not propose to bar them from voting. Rather, I propose we encourage them to inform themselves, rather than just 'go vote'

Re:If it takes video game characters

[gfxguy]

So you have someone who is not motivated by current events, not motivated by friends, family, and teachers...

But they are motivated by a fictional video game character... I agree with the grandparent post.

I think people ought to be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of how our election process works, and who their politicians are (senators and representatives). I'm not talking about 100 question test, I'm asking: who are your senators and congressman? Who is your governer? Who is the vice president and speaker of the house? How is a representative elected? How is that different from how the president is elected?

Also explain to me how a picture ID shouldn't be required for first time voters... we are all concerned about voting machine fraud, what about rampant voter fraud?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[BillyZ]

"I think people ought to be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of how our election process works, "
I thinking going to vote is a pretty good demonstration that they understand how the process works!

So you have someone who is not motivated by current events, not motivated by friends, family, and teachers...

But they are motivated by a fictional video game character... I agree with the grandparent post.
So then what about someone who's not motivated by games, nor family, nor current events, but is motivated by a friend. Is that any better? Do you know who their friend is? What if their friend is an ex-con? What if their friend is a priest? Does it matter who the friend is? What about someone who's not motivated by any of the above but is motivated by some other factor? What does it matter where the motivation comes from? Motivation and Knowledge have absolutely NOTHING to do with each other. Motivating someone to vote is a respectable goal no matter what the means.

Are you saying that someone who lacks motivation has no right to vote? That because they don't have motivation means their opinions have to be wrong or are simply less important?

The basis of the voting process in this country is that EVERYONE HAS A VOICE! When this country was founded do you have ANY idea what the illiteracy rate was? Should those people not have been allowed to vote?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[gfxguy]

Are you being facetious? You're talking about the difference between being motivated by a real person or a fictional character?

Are you going to vote against George Bush because your favorite cartoon character is gay? How about one of your friends or a sibling? Do you really not see the difference?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[Chris Carollo]

Motivating someone to vote is a respectable goal no matter what the means.

Well that's a bit of a ridiculous statement -- I doubt you'd support my motivating someone to vote via the use of a shotgun.

I think one of the points that are trying to be made is that voting, in and of itself, isn't a worthy goal. Being informed enough to want to voice your political opinion is the goal that we should be shooting for. If you're voting simply because you feel obligated to or because it's "cool" without taking the time to actually educate yourself on the issues and form a coherent, defensible position...you're doing no favors to your country.

I've always found the "rock the vote"-type efforts to be somewhat putting the cart ahead of the horse -- voting isn't what we should be encouraging -- developing a political opinion that citizens want to voice is.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[Xaroth]

Sounds good to me! Just so long as those that are not allowed to participate in the creation of laws due to failing the test are also not bound by those laws that they have no voice in shaping.

Failing test scores, here I come!

Re:If it takes video game characters

[SilentChris]

"They are uninformed how important their vote is."

Yes, and we all know gamers are the only classification of people this applies to. *rolls eyes*.

From my perspective, 9 out of 10 of my gamer friends know how to build their own machines, have good-paying jobs, and know their vote is important.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[goon america]

Who says that non-gamers that vote know anything about real, deep political issues?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[The-Bus]

I'll bite.

First off, using video game characters to promote voting is not different than any Toby Keith video, warmed over Good Morning America "news piece", Ann Coulter radio "interview", or misinformed blog rehashing other people's opinions before forming their own.

Secondly, what are the "real" "deep" "political" "issues" you speak of? The economy, of which the president has extremely limited control? Quotas in higher education? Healthcare and social security? Taxes? Iraq? Immigration? National park use? War record? Homeland security? Religion? Elementary education? Tariffs? Outsourcing? Unions? Control over the media? The Patriot Act? DMCA? Broadband for everyone? NASA? Reparations? Bank reform? Abortion? Homosexuality? Your "real" issues are not other people's "real" issues, and vice versa. Some people might vote because Bush is a Republican and they always vote Republican. Or they vote for Kerry because of REAP. Or they vote for X because of BCD, etc.

To somehow believe that your vote is more important because you have a different level of knowledge of certain issues is a bit ignorant. If you have thorough knowledge on every issue, please make a website with that information to inform others.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[operagost]

First off, using video game characters to promote voting is not different than any Toby Keith video, warmed over Good Morning America "news piece", Ann Coulter radio "interview", or misinformed blog rehashing other people's opinions before forming their own.

Yes it is. Those people you mention are real, game characters are not. Any other questions you'd like to beg?

Re:If it takes video game characters

[Felinoid]

They are uninformed how important their vote is.

If they lack this basic knowledge, how would they know about the real, deep, political issues are?

Most people I've known who don't vote do so not out of ignorence of the vote but of knowladge.

"My one vote won't make a diffrence"

It's apathy and what most people don't realise is the wise lead by example. Even when it's a bad example.

One less vote becomes 50, becomes 1,000.
But nobody really seams to understand that.

Your one vote dosen't make for a hill of beans. It's the people who vote folowing your example that make it count.

However one might wonder what example is set by a yellow circle with an eating disorder.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[delus10n0]

Yeah, 'cause "choose or lose" is totally non-partisan!

Just check out their site's sections, and you'll see it's clear who they're nudging you to vote for.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[Anonymous Coward]

Until the Civil Rights movement, Jim Crow laws kept black voters in the South disenfranchised through a series of literacy tests and property requirements.

Requiring citizens of this country to prove that they are worthy to vote seems like a step back.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[gfxguy]

,em>Until the Civil Rights movement, Jim Crow laws kept black voters in the South disenfranchised through a series of literacy tests and property requirements.

Requiring citizens of this country to prove that they are worthy to vote seems like a step back.

No - it's two extremes... neither of which really functions very well. Asking the very basic, simple questions I've mentioned are hardly a literacy test - you don't have to know how to read or write to answer them correctly. In fact, my intent is not to "disenfranchise" (how I'm beginning to hate that word), it's to inform... I'd rather people attend a five minute seminar before voting. Most people spend more time than that on line anyway.

Here's the thing I don't get about MTV.

[Anonymous Coward]

Is it that I got old, or does it actually suck as unrepentantly, and unrelentingly as it appears to?

It's a bit sad...

[smaug195]

I just think it's a sad statement on your country when you have to use every big name rapper, actor, and now video game characters, in order to get people to just register to vote.

Re:It's a bit sad...

[PhrostyMcByte]

Kids in high school don't want to watch political debates, they want to watch MTV. Hell, I dont know of much adults that want to watch the debates.

If this can help us spark a little interest in would-be voters, why not do it.

By all means vote if you have an opinion

[cerebralsugar]

Another get out and vote drive. It's cool they use video game characters. But I can't help but feel these "public service announcments" are politically motivated.

Before I seem like a troll, lets consider:

Anyone who is not a felon, at least 18, and not an african american from florida, can register to vote. *drumroll*! I'm just kidding. That last part was uncalled for. But disenfranchised voters is another discussion, and a more serious one. So lets just say, most people who are 18 and not in jail can vote. They have the right. Politically motivated disenfranchising laws aside.

Why do we care if people vote or not? Why do we try to chide them into it? If you are directly affected by the policies of your elected officials, you will probably vote. If you don't care, why should you be made to vote?

And then they have these voter drives. Why does MTV care if their viewers vote? I'm guessing somewhere somebody has statistics that shows men 18-24 or whatever their demographic is, is "predominatly left" or "predominantly right". So, lets use propaganda to mobilize them. Lets mobilize a flock of voters that carry our view.

Its dumb, if you care vote, if you don't, don't. I certainly don't care if you do or not. The only crime is if you do care and you don't vote.

A much more serious issue is voter disenfranchisement - people who do care, who would vote, who are silenced. That is a huge issue. Why dont we see any commercials with video game charactars that say "voter disenfranchisment is bad"?

I like civic participation but i'm for civic knowledge first, if you don't care, don't go in and blindly pick because MTV tells you too! That doesn't help anyone.

Re:By all means vote if you have an opinion

[Ephemeriis]

Personally, I want people to vote because that makes it more likely we'll have a government that actually represents the people it is governing.

I constantly hear people complain about the current government. They don't like this new law, or that new war, or some guy in office...but when you ask them if they voted they reply with something along the lines of "of course not, it doesn't do any good."

Yes, I would like it if more people who thought like I do went out and voted...then maybe we'd get a government that works the way I think it should. However, even if the folks I want don't get elected, I'd still be happier if it was a government that more accurately represented the vast majority of the nation.

yrs,
Ephemeriis

Do we want to encourage these voters?

[CA_Jim]

If video game or animated characters are needed to get some people out to vote, doesn't this indicate that these people SHOULD NOT vote?

I'm all for democracy and for maximizing voters ability to gain information from governments so that they are informed voters. But if it requires cartoons and animated characters encouragement to get someone out to vote, that to me implies this person doesn't have the desire or knowledge to vote.

apathy?

[tomstdenis]

Isn't apathy the publics way of saying "we're tired of your bullshit"?

I mean honestly vote for Bush or Kerry the net result will be the same. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class remain terrified about what tommorow will bring.

I don't think people "forget" to vote or just don't care to. I think they honestly don't think that it matters one way or the other. So long as the sheep [re: public] watch TV and believe what they see the actual vote doesn't matter.

This vote has long since been decided. So long as Bush and his fellow cronies can push that big bright red terrorist button the masses will fall in line.

See what I don't get is people go on about how "we are safer with Bushes leadership". Well you know what? Life isn't safe. You could be flying on a terrorist free plane and shit could hit the fan [literally] and boom you're dead.

You could be waiting in a doctors office when an earthquake hits and you get smushed by a ton of cement, etc, etc, etc.

It's what you do with your time that makes your life. If people accept "Big Brother" on their street corners with machine guns [like in New York] how free are you to live what precious life you have left?

Now I won't presume to tell people how to vote. Personally if I lived in the USA I would vote for a non-major party like the Libertarians. Fuck I would vote for Arnold any day. At least he got rich making movies and not foreign policy.

My dear brotheren Americans cherish what precious commodities of freedom you have left. Another decade of "fighting terrorism" and you guys won't know which way is up. You'll have to turn to polly shore movies to see how "good" life used to be. And that my friends is truly sad.

Tom

Re:apathy?

[Telepathetic Man]

Actually, not voting is just like a vote for one of each of the candidates.

The better way to show your disgust or lack of confidence in the government is to make a protest or third party vote. I know I plan to vote for Michael Badnarik of the libertarian party and mostly 3rd party for state and local elections. Here in Minnesota, the recent state legislation session got absolutely nothing done due to political deadlock between the two major parties. I think its time that sort of possibility is broken up.

Re:apathy?

[Ephemeriis]

Problem is, apathy doesn't do you any good. If you're tired of the same old bullshit, but don't do anything about it and rely on your failure to vote to send a message, nothing is going to change. You need to actually do something to make the same old bullshit go away.

Doing nothing, being apathetic, refusing to vote in some form of protest just isn't going to get you anywhere.

yrs,
Ephemeriis

Reality check

[jasmusic]

a) Who do you think MTV wants to see as president? b) Who do you think is underrepresented at the polls? While legitimate, don't believe for a minute that campaigns like these are without partisan motive.

Re:Reality check

[C32]

On the flipside, are there any conservatives willing to go on record saying they don't want people to vote? (especially young people and minorities (racism++)) :)

Re:Mario... A member of the Communist party?

[Anonymous Coward]

I seem to remember Mario flying the Red Star every time he annexed a new level in Super Mario Bros.

And only two days AFTER voter reg has CLOSED

[aristus]

In Florida, Ohio and a few other of the crucial States. Good timing, people.

Re:Bad Idea

[mcmonkey]

I'm all for high voter turnout. But I also think people should be informed before rushing to the ballot box.

What is the standard? How informed is informed enough? When is an opinion enough of an opinion? So voting based on the last yard sign I saw isn't enough. Is listening to talk radio? Reading one newspaper a day? Reading slashdot?

I respond to every time someone presumes to have some standard on who should vote and who is better off staying home. None of the big shots who presume to tell other people they shouldn't vote ever steps up with some specifics.

What is the standard for "informed"?

I don't really care for a lot of these recent "get out the vote" efforts.

I agree a lot of "get out the vote" efforts are silly. (Though the video game characters have more credibility than MTV.) However I strongly disagree with the stand, 'if you have to do ____ to get people to vote, they don't care/aren't informed enough to vote.'

Someone who votes because Mario told them to is one extreme. What about get out the vote drives by political parties? What about someone who would have missed voting until seeing it in the newspaper on election day?

I don't buy the idea that an election is some kind of secret club and if you have to be told about it or reminded to vote than you shouldn't.

If these people flock to the polls, they'll simply dilute the votes of people like you and me

"These people"? Who are "these people"? What does that mean, "dilute the votes"? What is the standard? How informed does someone need to be before their vote counts? Since you think opinion is so holy and shouldn't be diluted, by what measure do you decide one vote should count and another is just noise?

If someone registers and votes, they've already demonstrated they care. That's what I say.

Re:Some people never learned the importance of vot

[gfxguy]

The problem in this particular case is that people are not motivated by parents, teachers, other family members, friends, or all the headlines... but they are motivated by a fictional video game character? That is scary.

The truth is these ads are pointless - if someone's not motivated to vote by real life events, I think a very small number will actually be swayed by a fictional game character. It boils down to just a giant waste of money... another "public service" that was not completely thought through.

Re:What next, GI Joe and the Transformers?

[elrick_the_brave]

Lol... whats scary is I can relate totally to this... although I would throw in some Family Guy/Futurama

Scene: Drunken Clam with Peter and Brian at the bar watching TV
Peter (Hand on beer): "Holy crap Brian, there's an election!"
Brian (Sipping martini): "Yeah, doesn't democracy turn your crank?"
TV - Commercial with monster trucks & bikini babes: "Monday Monday Monday.. vote your mind.. see Bush-zilla go against Scary Kerry!"
Peter: "Holy crap Brian, there's monster trucks coming to town!"
Brian: "Yeah, I vote for the babe in the red."
Everyone: "Get out and vote... or miss awesome democratic action.. Monday Monday Monday."

Scene: Fry and Leela in the Hall of Heads - Presidents section.
Fry: "Look Leela! It's former President Bush Jr. and former presidential candidate Kerry."
Leela: "Weren't those guys the odd couple from your century... destroying countries for oil and imposing Western civility on everyone?"
Fry (blank look): "Riiight... something like that."
Bush Jr. Head: "I stand by my decision to defend and pummel their asses!"
Kerry Head: "I stand by him and say I would have made similar but different decisions that saves lives but costs money!"
Everyone: "Vote your conscience! Vote for Candidate Blarg from Ceti-Alpha Six!"

Re:Some people never learned the importance of vot

[allism]

If choosing your elected officials isn't motivation enough to vote, than you shouldn't be voting. With a lottery, you'd end up with people voting that just went in and marked the first candidate on the ballot in each category, or marked the ballot 'randomly'. It would be a simple matter for election officials to garner a few more votes for their favored candidates by making sure they were first in their categories.

Get out the vote not the registration

[Anonymous Coward]

It's "Get out the vote!" not "Get out the registration"

There are always tons of people who are registered to vote but don't actually vote. When I registered this year to vote they suggested that I get an absentee ballot because I would be more likely to vote that way.

There's a huge difference between getting people to register and getting them to vote. Say everyone in the United States is registered but only 2% vote. That's a lower turnout that having 50% of the population registered if only half of those vote.

In a sentence: It doesn't matter if people are registered to vote, it matters that they vote.

Re:I'll start voting when

[Arnos]

I was wondering when someone would bring this up. Though I've voted every chance I got, my States electoral votes still go to the other guy.
And as for voting for the guy who wants to take that out.... can you name one career politian that really wants to get rid of the electoral college?

I vote because it's my right, and I came from a regime that did NOT allow it, and so I understand my priviledge to the USA- However don't blow smoke by saying the popular vote will put a President into office. All these ads saying "One vote caused this.." (on MTV) simply don't apply to this REPUBLIC in which we live.

How sad

[blueforce]

Mod this however you like....

What a sad narrative of our society that it takes cartoon characters from video games to encourage voters to do their civic duty.

It's depressing to think that these people are going to choose the person to occupy one of the most powerful positions in the world.