So yeah, as Mike has similar posting on his blog today, but there are some real shenanigans going on over “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” recently… Essentially, there are a bunch of folks (mainly Republicans and old people…but not entirely…) getting pissed off about “GTA” and its violent content, not to mention the sexually explicit material that’s also included. Mike cites an article at ABC News mentioning how a grandmother is suing Rockstar Games (the publisher) because she bought “GTA” for her 14-year-old grandson without knowing about the violent/sexual material portrayed within. In a second article, which I posted in my “Articles” section, Steven Johnson has an editorial about how dumb Hillary Clinton’s attack on video game manufacturers is equally as stupid…this one was published by the LA Times. In that one, he discusses how activities like football are arguably more dangerous and violent than video games, which can instead be therapeutic for youngsters.
First of all, Johnson is entirely correct: video games today are helping develop cognitive skills, strategy and hand-eye coordination much more than the games of old (i.e. Monopoly, Cutes and Ladders, etc.). A parent today can play a board game against their child relatively easily, but if you drop them into “Halo 2,” they’ll get schooled quickly. Secondly, these games all have ratings on their packaging. A kid can’t just go into a store and buy the games rated “Mature;” a parent/adult has to do it. “Oh, I didn’t know it would have that terrible material in it,” the parents say… Well, maybe they could have read the packaging, researched the game on the internet, asked other parents, etc. before purchasing the game for their child and then complaining about it. Thirdly, these parents that are complaining are the ones who are already relying on video games and TV to babysit their kids. Maybe if they’d actually spend some time with them…you know…go to a park and throw a baseball or something…they wouldn’t spend all their time playing video games…or perhaps they could play some of these games with the kids so they know you’re taking an interest in their lives, rather than just assuming that the TV is cheaper than paying someone else to watch your kids while you avoid taking responsibility for their lives and how they’re raised… Why not stop blaming the media/TV/video games for your screwed up kids and try making a difference yourself in their lives, eh?
Just a thought…
yep, agreed. a lot of parents aren’t parents anymore
So, first I want to say I whole heartedly agree. Secondly… as I was reading the bottom part their I couldnt help but want to agree with you but somehow it seems illogical. Why would the older, ultra conservative parent type be upset over these type of video games if all they were in their kids lives for was to buy them a babysitter game. I mean, GTA is one hell of a time killer and what do they care other than that.. why complain? It seems that the type you describe as the ones provoking all of this are more of the over protective keep my kids from the world type, whereas the kind of individual who probably is guilty of the latter half of the post here is more likely to be some younger (as parents go..) more ‘don’t care if your video game has sex _with_ you’ kind of people who probably couldn’t afford lawyers.
Just wanted to share that with you, see what you thought
Andy – judging from your skill at most video games, I would say that you are doomed to a life of poor cognitive skills, strategy and hand eye-coordination.
Yeah, I said it.
First off, I just wanted to metion what Jon Stewart said on the Daily Show (for those miserable souls out there who don’t watch it and therefore missed this witty comment), not verbatim of course. Jon, or Jonny as I like to call him (not seriously though), was describing how these parents are outraged at this hidden sex scene in GTA:SA, for that is far worse then the graphic violence portrayed in the game through the means of carjacking cars while killing the drivers, buying whores and then kiling them, and just going around and killing people. Now, Steven Johnson’s comment about video games being therapeutic, or at least possbily being so, for youngsters is a little disturbing. I don’t really care but c’mon. You have to realize that these politicians are making the same common sense connection that anyone who remembers Columbine, etc. would. That aside, I whole heartedly disagree with everyone who doesn’t realize that it’s just a game, i.e. everyone andy rambled on about.
Most of you are perhaps too old to remember this, but the exact same sort of uproar occurred with “violent/negative” whatever song lyrics and stuff in the 80’s/early 90’s. (google for PMRC for more info). Result of all that nonsense? Nothing. Same thing here. It’s a temporary political uproar for personal gain only. It will go away.
The most amusing thing for me wrg the PMRC nonsense is that they focused mostly on rap and heavy metal (think megadeth, etc..) lyrics… bands like Cannibal Corpse and Carcass probably would’ve made their heads explode, had the PMRC folks been aware they even existed.
(If you have a MD designation after your name, google for early carcass lyrics for some amusement).