Games and Music, the New Book Burning

It seems that a Newport News, VA pastor finally got around to reading Fahrenheit 451 and has decided that it was a good idea. Despite several studies claiming the contrary, Rev. Richard Patrick is blaming violent video games and music for crimes that he say has affected 90% of his congregation in one way or another.

Comments

The difference is the context

[EmbeddedJanitor]

In the 50s, rock music was radical - compared to society - but society was pretty rigid back then. You called your teacher/cop/authority figure "Sir" otherwise your father gave you a thrashing.

Now rap music is radical - compared to society - but society has lost those controls that it had. Extreme now != extreme then.

In the 50s very, very few kids would have taken "Kill the fucking cop" songs to heart.

Re:read the interview

[NeutronCowboy]

Here's what cracks me up: apparently, the kids are so easily influenced that just listening to some rap song or playing some video game corrupts their minds. However, the parents and community, with whom the kids interact far more than with their music and games, is incapable of influencing them.

The only conclusion I can draw: parents and preachers are less involved in their kids lives than music and videogames. Either that, or they are less interactive than Nico Bellic.

Shameful

[^_^x]

We are considering having something similar to a rally where parents and children can bring CDs and video games that they consider are destructive to the mind set of our youth and have a burning...

  Young people are being influenced by what they see and what they hear. They are being influenced by television ... television and videos are telling young people a vision but something that's not reality...

How sad is that? Kids have all kinds of games that bask in sex and violence, and if you ask most of them, they'll tell you it's just a game and that's what they're like. Then you have people like him, inciting grown adults to go out and do this empty, ignorant, exercise in hating a common enemy so they can feel like they've made a difference. The adults are behaving more foolishly and suggestibly than the children!

If these crimes have effected 90% of his congregation, maybe the common factor to the crimes is not gaming but... his congregation?

Re:read the interview

[porcupine8]

What your kid does is entirely within your control. if "they spend a lot more time talking to their friends and being on-line," try being a parent and exercising some parental control.

Bold words from someone who has "chosen not to have them until I'm in a position to raise them in a way that they deserve." I'm sure you'd also freak if this guy tried to ban his 16-year-old from playing GTA.

It's been shown over and over again that once children enter school, their peers have greater influence over their personality and decisions than their parents do. You've got genetics plus about 5-6 years to instill your values, then do what you can and hope for the best. Both the genetics and the first few years can be very strong influences, but they're both often rebelled against during the teen years and their true influence might not be seen til after college.