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MP: Politicians should stop thinking about game violence photo

Shadow Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey is one of the few politicians in Britain who actually understands and appreciates the good that videogames do, and has been a supporter of the industry for a long time. While registering for the London Games Conference, Vaizey spoke highly of games and criticized his fellow politicians for focusing entirely too much on the violence issue.

"I’m delighted to be speaking to the London Games Conference. The games sector is one of the most successful creative industries in the UK, but it has been forgotten by Government," Vaizey claims. "While Canada and France aggressively compete to attract talent, all our politicians can talk about is video games violence.

"Yet games should be a dream for a politician -- it recruits people qualified in difficult subjects, like maths and computer science; it’s regional; and it’s successful and world-beating. Government backing should be a no-brainer."

I can't disagree with anything he's said. The British government benefits tremendously from the impact videogames have had on the economy, and I think it's disgusting that politicians demonize the industry while at the same time making money from it. It's small wonder that the UK games industry has fallen so far. Politicians in general need to stop focusing on meaningless pet peeves and worry about what they can do to help industries thrive.


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24 comments | showing # 1 to 24

PenKaizen's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 11:22
PenKaizen
He's a tory though.
CaptainBus's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 11:24
CaptainBus
A likable Tory politician? Jim has clearly found a quote from an alternative universe.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 11:24
Xzyliac
But, but, they need SOMETHING to demonize so people can be distracted from the fact that government overall is sucking so bad right now.

Maybe we can go retro and demonize music again. Quick someone play a song backwards! Maybe it has a message to Al-Qaeda!
PenKaizen's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 11:26
PenKaizen
I mean it's great and all that he likes video games and everything but then we have the Daily Telegraph. Meaning that this man is behind a party that is the The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit to the Telegraph.
D Sane's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 11:39
D Sane
I don't claim to know anything about British politics, but the way I see it is this: Most politicians are going to talk about being anti-video game because that gives them something tangible to talk about that voters can understand. At the same time, this gives the politicians an opportunity to rest on their laurels regarding actual policy or maybe to work on their hidden agendas. Games are just another buzzword topic that they use as a distraction from what they're really doing.
Shin Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 11:40
Shin Oni
politics won't stop bashing games cause they haven't found the next big thing that's not AS popular but the fanbase can't do anything about.

in due time I guess. In the meantime, how about giving those politics give us a reason to care they do something for the world.
Scion of Mogo's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 12:15
Scion of Mogo
@Shin Oni

Comics are coming back into the mainsteam. Maybe we can get another Freddie Wertham. YAY! Comics are ruining are chindrens with their viloence and their tight costumes. THEYS MAKINGS THEMS ALL GAYS AND KILLERSES!

wait. that will be coming after gaming finally has a full on "Seduction of the Innocent" or PMRC moment. Which I don't think has full happened yet. It takes more than an insane rambling Jack THompson to create that huge moment that will shift it to another medium. My bet is on Australia doing something.
super2j's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 12:20
super2j
You know what? I never thought about the influence games have on a country in that way. I am glad i live in canada. I just hope they don't jump into the bandwagon of hate anytime soon.
WarZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 12:23
WarZombie
Regardless if he is a Tory or not, it's still someone in government that isn't using video games as a distraction when there are much bigger things to worry about. Hell, the fact that this guy has the balls to actually state his opinion like this is surprising, given how many people are against video game violence in England. It's refreshing to see someone actually acknowledge the good that games can do for a struggling economy, rather than on the negative that still hasn't been proven to even be true (Video game violence).
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 13:28
Dexter345
Whoa, you guys have smart politicians over there? Not that he's smart because he said something nice about games, but he's smart because he realizes what the game industry can do for the government.
TeeHee's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 13:29
TeeHee
@ WarZombie
Actually he's not in the governemnt and the fact that he is a tory plays a large role in wheater his views will be taken seriously or not, in the british system the voice of one man is not enough, it's the party that counts, and that doesn't look good either when you consider, earlier this year (could have been late last)the most powerful Tory in the country, Boris Johnson, was waffling on about GTA being connected to knife crime and then you've got their leader trumpeting the phrase "broken Britain"and the need to return to "core values", not i direct assault on video games but i wouldn't put on any bets that cameron will end up a champion for the medium.

Too be fair none of the major parties over here have been outspoken agianst games, bar the occasional loon. Good on Vaizey, first time i've read of someone from westminster treat Videogames in the context of an economic issue rather than a social one.
TeeHee's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 13:31
TeeHee
the major parties over here have never been outspoken against games*
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 13:34
Holyetheline
Is "tory" some kind of UK term for "republican" or something? I'm so uneducated...
Everyday Legend's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 13:45
Everyday Legend
Politician + smattering of common sense = 1st sign of the Apocalypse.
Zantetsuken's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 14:06
Zantetsuken
@Holyetheline
Tories were traditionally right wing, but have now drifted more the the centre-right.

Hurr durr Keith Vaz.
HiddenAHB's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 14:06
HiddenAHB
Well they can't all be assholes... can they?
Here in Brazil most are stupid and corrupt and don't even know how to spell VIDEOGAMES.
matrixdude171's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 14:15
matrixdude171
videogames not be the pinata? bah, crazy! they'll all complain they want about it, but they'll never shun them
Timmeh's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 14:42
Timmeh
The problem is that there aren't any top dogs in the gaming industry taking Lord Mandelmort to lunch on their yachts.

Does anyone believe our government gives a shit about what is good for the economy or the public?
AkumaLovesYou's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 15:46
AkumaLovesYou
Why on earth is Ed Vaizey in the Tory party? He has the thinking pattern of a center lefty.

I'll never vote for a dirty right wing party but Cameron has got a couple of decent people in his team. Shame he's got more douche bags than he does decent people......Daniel Hannan being the biggest douche bag of them all.
zeroword's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 17:14
zeroword
Video games will never lose the political attacks until they do what Banking and the Movie/Music industry does, become one of the largest contributors to political campaigns.
The Phazer's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/11/2009 18:51
The Phazer
"Why on earth is Ed Vaizey in the Tory party? He has the thinking pattern of a center lefty."

Not really. He's a despicable shit about most things, he just happens to very rarely be right about something.
lewness's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/12/2009 00:06
lewness
*reads article* Man I should start cutting back on my caffeine.
Batthink's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/12/2009 14:37
Batthink
Holyetheline;

I don't think so. The Tories is slang for the Conservative Party.
AkumaLovesYou's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/13/2009 12:46
AkumaLovesYou
@Batthink & Holyetheline

Tory's are the Conservative Party.

Conservatives are the UK equivalent to the USA's republican party. Except they're not quite a stupid and down right scummy. They're still complete scum though.
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