Yeah, exactly. Don't pay attention to anything other than what is in plain view! Don't even bother to think about the rest of society or future problems it may have. Good decision right there.
"I suspect it's simply impossible to create a non-corrupt government that manages a country that big and is so far removed from its citizens"
If you elect a few officials in and give the people almost zero power, yes. However, if you were to force the government to hold a vote for every action they try to make (new laws, bills, etc) that will affect the people, there would be far less corruption (if implemented correctly and enforced, that is).
Really, there are people who didn't know this? Come on. This is exactly why our rights are slowly being stripped away (part of the reason, anyway) in favor of corporate interests (ACTA, DMCA, and every other idiotic anti-piracy bill in existence that hurts the average citizen).
"Altering our behaviour isn't really that hard or expensive."
See, I think you're putting too much faith in human beings. Not only are many of them selfish and shortsighted, but they want to do anything that could inconvenience them, even if only for a short time. They will see "altering our behavior" as an inconvenience and try to write it off as unnecessary.
Pollution is still a harmful thing even if global warming isn't real. It's true that we don't know much about our environment, but cutting down on pollution would be a good thing no matter what.
What popular vote? As far as I'm aware, the people can't even vote on 99% of the laws that these idiots try to pass. If they could, there would be much less corruption going around.
Technically, yes. Not all types of "terrorists" are bad, however. Against a foe with a seemingly unlimited supply of money (which is used to lobby the government), laws almost always must be broken in some way to stop or hurt them. Otherwise, nothing will get done.
What exactly do you expect people to do? Absolutely no one is doing anything about these criminal corporations, and DDoSing does little. When someone comes up with a viable peaceful strategy, you let me know (no, getting everyone to stop buying corporate shit is not viable because it is so unlikely that it will actually happen). Even the corrupt governments support these corporations.
"and it would be legal to walk into any Walmart and buy a device that walked you through ripping DVDs to it, so they wouldn't have to worry about kids scratching their discs"
But... but... if you copy the file onto another disc instead of buying another copy, you're stealing potential profit from the artists! How could you support such thievery?
Don't worry, I'm sure humans will still be destroying the planet and its inhabitants for many years to come! Well, if they somehow manage to avoid killing themselves with their shortsightedness about future consequences and pointless, idiotic wars.
"Would you tell the people protesting publication of that game ("Hate Crime!") to shut up because they're whining pussies who can't tell reality from a game?"
No, I'm not telling them to shut up now. I'm telling them that their concerns are silly because they don't even have to buy the game (my criticism of their criticism) and that they shouldn't expect it to be censored just because they don't like it.
"and just shut the fuck up and stop trying to censor me?"
It's freedom of speech, isn't it? They can criticize all they want, but they should not expect it to be censored by any means simply because they find it offensive.
"So would you support my right to create a game called "Hate Crime! - the game where hate crimes come to life!" In which you, as an up-and-coming member of a white supremacist group, get to kill Matthew Shepard, drag James Byrd, Jr. behind your truck, firebomb an Atlanta church, and rape a few minority women in the inner city?"
Yes, I would. It's merely a game and nothing more. Do you lack the ability to differentiate between reality and a video game? Or do you lack the ability to think for yourself and merely not buy things that you don't like, instead of trying to get something that doesn't even affect you banned (censored, self-censored, whatever) for everyone?
Apparently you don't understand at all. If we continue to bend over backwards for these oversensitive, weak-minded idiots and get rid of things that offend them, it will have strikingly bad results. The fact that something was removed (yes, it was a small feature, but it is the principal) to appease to these idiots is disgusting. The only thing I care about is the censorship and those that want it when they don't even have to buy the game, not the feature itself.
Quite easily! You remove content that was in your product to begin with to appease people who were offended by it. This was a completely pointless decision (well, the people complaining about the content, I mean).
Did you check the link? Sure, they make some fun games and listen to some suggestions, but that doesn't mean that they're not corrupt money whores more so than other companies. Certainly not a company I will ever support.
"I think it's more likely that they just "want it" because they can't have it anymore."
I think it's more of the fact that people are afraid that other things they like will end up getting censored because of whiners who don't even need to buy it in the first place. If they can play the "I have a right to not be offended, so censor everything that offends me" card, I wonder what will get censored next? Things that they decide offend them.
"Having one little piece of text being replaced isn't going to affect the game negatively."
No, but having a feature that was originally in the game removed because of oversensitive, weak-minded idiots is disgusting. Just because this was a small change doesn't mean that it isn't a big deal.
"It's not even forced censorship, it's self-censorship"
Slightly better, but not by much. The fact that they crumbled to a few people who were not even going to buy it in the first place and removed a feature for everyone because of them is what is angering people.
"because they're going to be able to make more money if their game is stocked in more places."
Yeah, and it should be stocked everywhere where it would normally have been stocked without the content. There's no reason for people to want this censored.
"What would you think about a game where you could play as the Ku Klux Klan and the missions were to lynch black people?"
I wouldn't care because it isn't actually happening. It's a game. At most, I would exercise my right to not buy the content, not try to ruin it for anyone, who, for some reason, wants it.
Yes, that is true, but the fact that those oversensitive, weak-minded idiots managed to get content that they didn't even need to view/play censored for everyone is absolutely disgusting (both EA for bending over to them, and the people themselves). Sure, they can complain, but don't expect people to listen to your idiotic complaints!
No, we have to ignore them, not bend over backwards for them. Censoring and banning things simply because someone is offended by them is not a good way to go about things. Might as well adopt a "don't ask, don't tell" policy on many topics of discussion because certain people are offended by said topics! Ban anything offensive to these oversensitive, weak-minded idiots. Such a good idea!
Slashdot Mirror
Precisely. Normal lives that never change are far more important than silly things such as the future.
Yeah, exactly. Don't pay attention to anything other than what is in plain view! Don't even bother to think about the rest of society or future problems it may have. Good decision right there.
Yeah! Those silly things known as "freedom" and "rights" are far less important than mowing your lawn or picking up children from daycare centers!
"I suspect it's simply impossible to create a non-corrupt government that manages a country that big and is so far removed from its citizens"
If you elect a few officials in and give the people almost zero power, yes. However, if you were to force the government to hold a vote for every action they try to make (new laws, bills, etc) that will affect the people, there would be far less corruption (if implemented correctly and enforced, that is).
Plus anyone who supports the ACTA.
Really, there are people who didn't know this? Come on. This is exactly why our rights are slowly being stripped away (part of the reason, anyway) in favor of corporate interests (ACTA, DMCA, and every other idiotic anti-piracy bill in existence that hurts the average citizen).
Yeah, but there are other harmful effects of pollution than just (supposedly) global warming.
"Altering our behaviour isn't really that hard or expensive."
See, I think you're putting too much faith in human beings. Not only are many of them selfish and shortsighted, but they want to do anything that could inconvenience them, even if only for a short time. They will see "altering our behavior" as an inconvenience and try to write it off as unnecessary.
Pollution is still a harmful thing even if global warming isn't real. It's true that we don't know much about our environment, but cutting down on pollution would be a good thing no matter what.
Now, if this works out, we can ignore the actual problem! Pollution? These trees will take care of most of it...
"even if it contradicts popular vote"
What popular vote? As far as I'm aware, the people can't even vote on 99% of the laws that these idiots try to pass. If they could, there would be much less corruption going around.
Technically, yes. Not all types of "terrorists" are bad, however. Against a foe with a seemingly unlimited supply of money (which is used to lobby the government), laws almost always must be broken in some way to stop or hurt them. Otherwise, nothing will get done.
Ah, of course. Let's protect these worthless corporate tools but not protect the people they're constantly badgering and ruining. Makes sense!
What exactly do you expect people to do? Absolutely no one is doing anything about these criminal corporations, and DDoSing does little. When someone comes up with a viable peaceful strategy, you let me know (no, getting everyone to stop buying corporate shit is not viable because it is so unlikely that it will actually happen). Even the corrupt governments support these corporations.
"and it would be legal to walk into any Walmart and buy a device that walked you through ripping DVDs to it, so they wouldn't have to worry about kids scratching their discs"
But... but... if you copy the file onto another disc instead of buying another copy, you're stealing potential profit from the artists! How could you support such thievery?
Don't worry, I'm sure humans will still be destroying the planet and its inhabitants for many years to come! Well, if they somehow manage to avoid killing themselves with their shortsightedness about future consequences and pointless, idiotic wars.
"Would you tell the people protesting publication of that game ("Hate Crime!") to shut up because they're whining pussies who can't tell reality from a game?"
No, I'm not telling them to shut up now. I'm telling them that their concerns are silly because they don't even have to buy the game (my criticism of their criticism) and that they shouldn't expect it to be censored just because they don't like it.
"and just shut the fuck up and stop trying to censor me?"
It's freedom of speech, isn't it? They can criticize all they want, but they should not expect it to be censored by any means simply because they find it offensive.
"So would you support my right to create a game called "Hate Crime! - the game where hate crimes come to life!" In which you, as an up-and-coming member of a white supremacist group, get to kill Matthew Shepard, drag James Byrd, Jr. behind your truck, firebomb an Atlanta church, and rape a few minority women in the inner city?"
Yes, I would. It's merely a game and nothing more. Do you lack the ability to differentiate between reality and a video game? Or do you lack the ability to think for yourself and merely not buy things that you don't like, instead of trying to get something that doesn't even affect you banned (censored, self-censored, whatever) for everyone?
"Perspective. You lack it."
Apparently you don't understand at all. If we continue to bend over backwards for these oversensitive, weak-minded idiots and get rid of things that offend them, it will have strikingly bad results. The fact that something was removed (yes, it was a small feature, but it is the principal) to appease to these idiots is disgusting. The only thing I care about is the censorship and those that want it when they don't even have to buy the game, not the feature itself.
I meant censorship.
"How do you censor yourself?"
Quite easily! You remove content that was in your product to begin with to appease people who were offended by it. This was a completely pointless decision (well, the people complaining about the content, I mean).
Did you check the link? Sure, they make some fun games and listen to some suggestions, but that doesn't mean that they're not corrupt money whores more so than other companies. Certainly not a company I will ever support.
"I think it's more likely that they just "want it" because they can't have it anymore."
I think it's more of the fact that people are afraid that other things they like will end up getting censored because of whiners who don't even need to buy it in the first place. If they can play the "I have a right to not be offended, so censor everything that offends me" card, I wonder what will get censored next? Things that they decide offend them.
"Having one little piece of text being replaced isn't going to affect the game negatively."
No, but having a feature that was originally in the game removed because of oversensitive, weak-minded idiots is disgusting. Just because this was a small change doesn't mean that it isn't a big deal.
"It's not even forced censorship, it's self-censorship"
Slightly better, but not by much. The fact that they crumbled to a few people who were not even going to buy it in the first place and removed a feature for everyone because of them is what is angering people.
"because they're going to be able to make more money if their game is stocked in more places."
Yeah, and it should be stocked everywhere where it would normally have been stocked without the content. There's no reason for people to want this censored.
"What would you think about a game where you could play as the Ku Klux Klan and the missions were to lynch black people?"
I wouldn't care because it isn't actually happening. It's a game. At most, I would exercise my right to not buy the content, not try to ruin it for anyone, who, for some reason, wants it.
Yes, that is true, but the fact that those oversensitive, weak-minded idiots managed to get content that they didn't even need to view/play censored for everyone is absolutely disgusting (both EA for bending over to them, and the people themselves). Sure, they can complain, but don't expect people to listen to your idiotic complaints!
No, we have to ignore them, not bend over backwards for them. Censoring and banning things simply because someone is offended by them is not a good way to go about things. Might as well adopt a "don't ask, don't tell" policy on many topics of discussion because certain people are offended by said topics! Ban anything offensive to these oversensitive, weak-minded idiots. Such a good idea!