You know the drill by now. A teenager has torched three cars in Lyon, France, and told police that he wanted to imitate Grand Theft Auto IV. According to the 13-year-old schoolboy, he wanted to copy scenes from the title after being seduced by the PC version. The PC version that has not yet been released, we may add.
Naturally, British tabloid rag The Daily Fail has jumped all over this, running with the headline: "Teenager torches cars after watching Grand Theft Auto video game." It also uses the common -- yet false -- claim that GTA IV awards you points for destruction. The Lyon police are all too happy to accept the teenager's excuse as well, quite eagerly blaming the videogame instead of the little c*nt who burnt the cars of his own free will.
"He said he played the game for a few hours, then wanted to go out and [see] what it felt like to burn out some cars," stated a police rep. "This kind of entertainment is clearly having a negative effect on some young people."
Once again I must point out how irresponsible and dangerous it is for "news" outlets and the police to accept these excuses offered by criminals. Kids are learning -- they are learning that if they blame their actions on videogames, the adults in charge are going to swallow it whole because they're gullible, ignorant twits. If anybody's helping to encourage crime, it's these tabloids, cops, lawyers and politicians who go out of their way to stop criminals feeling responsible for their actions.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
4:02 PM on 09.22.2008
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What if the world turns into some V for Vendetta, future style thing and we all have to kill people so we can play our video games?
At least we will have been properly tained in the at of murdering...
LAWL
Also, I agree with Wedge.
Oh. You're one of those.
But on a more related note, what process does "torching a car" involve, exactly?
It worked out great!