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New York Bill Aims To Restrict Games Containing Profanity
GamePolitics notes a new bill out of New York which seeks to prohibit "the sale to minors of certain rated video games containing a rating that reflects content of various degrees of profanity, racist stereotypes or derogatory language, and/or actions toward a specific group of persons." It goes on to say: "These games, containing adult images such as morbid violence, rape, alcohol and illegal drug use, as well as other malicious acts, are not appropriate for children under 18. This legislation will regulate the sale of such games." The full text of the bill is available. It also suggests that children who are exposed to in-game crimes are more likely to participate in real-life crime.
Yes. I did become a street fighter, after all.
No, wait, I didn't.
I wonder what game of my youth was about going to an office and working for hours and hours until my soul died.
Another way would be if parents actually played the game first. Then decided based on their own childs maturity level.
I just bought Guitar Hero: Aerosmith it had a M rating (15 +) due to maybe a couple of cursae words in the lyrics. Would I let my six year old son play it. You damn right I would. My son has made it out of the house and has heard these words. He knows better than to repeat them. There is no way I can prevent him from hearing curse words, its not even remotely imaginable. The rating system is a farce, and poeple who practice parenting know this. People who don't practice parenting shouldn't be parents, sadly this isn't the case.
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson:
CALVIN: [as he's watching a TV show] Graphic violence in the media.
Does it glamorize violence? Sure.
Does it desensitize us to violence? Of course.
Does it help us tolerate violence? You bet.
Does it stunt out empathy for our fellow beings? Heck yes.
Does it CAUSE violence? ... Well, that's hard to prove.
The trick is to ask the right question.
I wouldn't say it does all the things you said. Glamorizing yes as it is something the media does but the rest is how it affects our personalities.
I am 19 years old, played DOOM etc. as a very small kid, began playing a LOT when Operation Flashpoint (a shooter aiming for as much realism as possible) was published when I was 11 or so. I played that game practically daily for three years. Afterwards I have played violent games such as Max Payne, DOOM 3, CS (both 1.6 and source), Battlefield 2, Painkiller, Manhunt, the Punisher... The list goes on. I also watch my fair share of violent movies.
How have I ended up? I am a pacifist, physically disgusted to see any real violence.
Why? Well, I think that my father (a software engineer and a gamer to some extent who also happens to be a pacifist) likely had something to do with how my morals ended up. Much more than any videogame of which I know "THIS ISN'T REAL".
So while my single case is not enough evidence for or against anything, I am sure I am not alone in my situation. So until I see some real evidence that graphic violence in media desensitizes us, stunts our empathy or helps us tolerate violence, I really don't believe it one bit. I guess could believe statistics showing that violent people look for violent media to project themselves into but not the other way around.
Unless you were talking about news of course. I admit that after seeing starving children so many times in the news it might get easier to push it to bury the feelings to some part of your brain and try to not care. I just assumed you referred to video games, movies, etc. when speaking of media.