The debate over Bully: Scholarship Edition continues to rage as concerned teachers, still yet to actually play the game, continue to talk about it based merely off the title, while stating that we in the media and the games industry don't "get it" -- a most ironic statement coming from people who believe Bully is entirely about bullying people.
Mary-Lou Donnelly, head of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union wrote a little editorial in which she claimed that Bully "contributes nothing positive to youth culture," and "contradicts everything that educators are trying to accomplish." She also reminded us that bullying is never fun ... although maybe she needs to aim that at the dirty little unwashed cretinous children who seem to think otherwise (and don't need a game to encourage their nasty behavior).
Game developer Clint Hocking, however, approached the argument from a different and very admirable perspective, when he wrote:
"Since I haven’t even played Bully - and probably neither [have the teachers who are protesting it], I wonder if we even can contribute anything? Ought we enter into debate about public access to media that we have not even engaged ourselves? That seems unethical to me…
Instead, I am going to invite [the teachers] to examine it with me, and to enter into a critical discussion of its merits and the difficulties it may or may not pose to students and to teachers… I extend an open invitation to play Bully with me, and once we have all finished we can collectively engage in an informed dialogue about the merits or failings of the game."
Executive director of the International Game Developers Association, Jason Della Rocca also subscribes to Hocking's idea, claiming that "The teachers are missing a prime opportunity to make progress… I’d argue that teachers could have leveraged Bully to both better understand the social politics of high school (by embodying a troubled teen) and open a much needed dialog with students about bullying."
You'd think that teachers, of all people, would take the time to educate themselves before mouthing off. While I don't intend to own any kids, I'm not sure I'd want a hypothetical child of mine taught by these "educated" men and women.
Contest:
8:49 AM on 03.13.2008
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It was and in the UK Rockstar actually had to change the name of the game to Canis Canem Edit (the latin moto of Bullworth academy) for it to be released.
Finally the voice of reason speaks! It's good to see that there are some open minded intelligent individuals out there. I'm skeptical though that this will change the attitude opponents of Bully will have towards the game. Something tells me they will be biased against it not matter what.
Idiots are idiots no matter the profession or level. See GWB for details.
That's a great point. It also proves that people are generally lazy.
But seriously, if U asked me, (and I know U didn't) I think uninformed, ignorant teachers who don't know anything about their students lives, nor the goings on in their classroom half of the time and criticize games they've never played are the 'enabler' to bullying and bullies to begin with. A 'laissez faire' authority figure like a teacher, or any authority in denial about the real problems may just help to create the sort of environment that bullies thrive in. :oP
If they didn't blame games (like Bully, d&d, and back in the day they probably blamed chess), music (rap, metal, and back in the day-Jazz), or even books (everything from Harry Potter, Catcher in the Rye, and back in the day the crime comics) they would have to place the blame exactly where it belongs with themselves: the parents, teachers, and politicians.
As you can see we've been hearing this argument for ages and now it's really too transparent of a cop out to work any more.
@Gonzo - I think the big difference now is that the end user gets a voice in the debate thanks to the internets. Back when D&D was turning perfectly functioning young minds into devil worshiping killers we had no voice...well especially considering I was just a pup. I remember when one of my childhood friends was barred from being my friend for my audacity in introducing some Magic the Gathering to him. Craziness.
The game is not about bullying at all, its about going against them, Jimmy even talks to the administration and they chalk it up to school spirit. So Jimmy takes does what he must to survive, he bullies the bullies and gets back at them.
Hell in Bully there are consequences, more than I can say for real life at times.
speak for yourself sir! child slavery FTW!
Anywho, silly controversy.