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Jack Thompson Claiming Games Industry in Collusion with DoD

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-word-on-dick-cheneys-duck-hunt-sequel dept.

mytrip brings us a Wired blog about Jack Thompson's recent press release, which claims an "unholy alliance" exists between the gaming industry and the U.S. Department of Defense. Game Politics also has a discussion of Thompson's main points. From Wired: "Jim Blank, the head of the modeling and simulation division of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, says that commercial games don't meet the demand of the military, adding, 'first-person shooter games really don't apply in this environment.' Blank's point is that game-like simulations are a valuable tool for training soldiers in situations that would be too expensive to simulate in reality."

8 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. Re:and? by TitusC3v5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Whatever. Will someone just shoot this guy already?

    Don't be alarmed, everyone. That's just the video games talking.

    --
    And the masses cried out, "09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0!"
  2. Re:It's the gamers! The gamers and the DOD! by fastest+fascist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But his whole thesis is that video games make people violent, and obviously he's pissed off a lot of said video gamers. How is he still alive?

  3. Re:WTF? by 0racle · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yvan eht nioj

    --
    "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
  4. Re:and? by Seumas · · Score: 5, Funny

    By Thompson's logic, cars are training simulators for driving tanks and APVs and and RISK is a training simulator for conquering and destroying to build a fascist global empire.

    Why is this guy still allowed to tie up the media and court system? Why isn't he in jail or disbarred or institutionalized? He is the Jerry Falwell of videogames and at least Falwell finally had the decency to fucking die.

  5. Re:Mr. Thompson, should I interpret it in this way by innerweb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am pretty sure that was meant to be funny, but the truth of what is really being said is startling.

    He is anti-american, like so many other neo-cons. The reason they want to change so many things of such consequence is they do not like the US. They want a new country with their rules in place. Something much more akin to the fundamentalist Muslim countries or Mussolini's government. A place where their ideals and beliefs reign supreme without that bothersome interruption from people who would think or believe differently.

    I guess the scary part for me is that at one time, when I started learning about the neo-cons, I agreed with much of what I had learned. It was not until much later when I started seeing through the lies that I really got a grasp on what they stand for. It almost lends plausibility to those who believe they are trying to create a new world order. Because it sure seems like they are.

    InnerWeb

    --
    Freud might say that Intelligent Design is religion's ID.
  6. Re:and? by Derosian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A madman is a madman until someone kills him and turns him into a Martyr.

  7. Re:and? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Perhaps something more like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

  8. Re:and? by Fmuctohekerr · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I agree with you that no one is very good at following whichever "word" they consider to be from "God," however they define it.

    But let's be accurate:

    • The early Israelite leaders (Moses, Joshua, David, ect) clearly interpreted "thou shall not kill" to specificaly mean murder. Killing first born Egyptians, warfare, ect., all OK to them. David on the other hand repented for "killing" a fellow soldier over a hot chick. So there is a difference in Judaism.
    • Islam (the Qur'an) has the concept of Jihad, and spells out rules for warfare (not in a holy month, ect). 'Nuff said.
    • Christ was a complete pacifist in every way. "Turn the other cheek" and "he who seeks to save his life will lose it" spell out a very clear message of non-violence, even for self-defense. I don't think Bush has read this part of the bible. This does not apply to God, however, He gives and takes as He pleases.
    • Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism Dharma all consider non-violence to be a virtue. A primary virtue, in fact. I'm not sure elevating the concept to "sin" or "commandment" is quite accurate. I'll leave that question to someone who knows more than I do.

    Obviously I'm down with JC. Just a disclaimer. I am biased.

    But my point is that hypocrisy is harder to nail down in some religions than in others. Christianity, IMHO, makes glaring hypocrites of us all in short order. Christ set the bar ridiculously high. As was His point.

    Sorry for the appologetics on the nerd site.

    On topic, I'm all for video games depicting violence. I play FPS with my nephew all the time. Being human and intelligent requires some basic discernment, after all. Thompson should probably keep his mouth shut and not claim to represent "values" or any religion whatsoever, if he does.