Jack Thompson on Nightline

2:57 PM on 12.15.2006   |   Anthony Burch

32 comments

In a surprisingly well-done interview, Jack Thompson gets his ass handed to him by a Nightline correspondent. Some highlights after the jump, but my personal favorite moment must be on the home page, as Jack talks about his perseverence in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds:

JACK: "The most favorite story in the Bible is David and Goliath."

REPORTER: "...But you know how that story ended. He knocked him down with a slingshot [Bully ftw] and beheaded Goliath. If there was a David and Goliath video game, would you be fine with that?" 

JACK: "I wouldn't want my son, hour after hour, practicing violence."  

Another legitimate question successfully dodged! Looks like Jack's been upping his Verbal Agility level. Discuss after the jump.

"Nobody in their right mind says that a videogame or a movie can turn their little angel into a demon."

Really? Then what are you complaining about?

He then goes on to reference Harvard studies using MRI machines that say playing videogames activates your midbrain ("the animal part of the brain," according to Jack), before drawing the absurd conclusion that since part of your brain is active during this activity, that you are actually "learning" how to kill. Ignoring, of course, the fact that the midbrain is responsible for visual system reflexes, auditory system function, and normal motor function. Which are kind of, you know, the parts of your brain that you USE to play video games. Maybe THAT's why the midbrain becomes overactive, and not because your subconscious is learning some sort of murder method?

And how does Jack respond to the fact that since 1994, as the sales of violent video games has risen, violent crime amongst teenagers has steadily decreased?

"It's not true."

Two points for Jack! You and Bill O'Reilly should start a debate team or something.

Granted, most of the discussions would consist of everyone holding their fingers in their ears and going "LALALA, I can't hear you," but that isn't to say it wouldn't be entertaining as hell.

Anyway, it's really nice to see the mainstream media asking him questions that we gamers have been asking since the beginning, instead of mindlessly giving credence to his complaints like all the other news outlets on Earth.