It's been a while since FOX found an excuse to talk rubbish about videogames, but luckily if you can't find something real to talk about, you've always got "videogame addiction" on standby. Not only that, but FOX has brought back a familiar face -- Cooper Lawrence, the woman who made stuff up about Mass Effect, and got soundly owned for her ignorance.
Quite why we're expected to believe the words of a woman who has already admitted that FOX tells her what to believe, I don't know. What I do know is that they at least say some nice things about games, suggesting that intelligence can be improved, but quickly bring it back to the "dangerous" elements. Like how videogames don't make kids exercise or talk to anybody.
Oh, and apparently because waving your arms around is exercise, that makes the Wii "a more benign videogame." Great terminology there, and a good way to justify the only game console they've likely even heard of. The way they try and convince themselves that videogames are worse than TV without having anything to back that up is pretty cool too. Not to mention the fact that most of the game footage shown is from an N64. Seriously? Could they not even pretend that someone at FOX owns a relevant gaming device?
I call bullsh*t on this "story," however. We have a 5-year-old kid here, and not only does he not keep still when playing games (he does what I can only describe as "Riverdance" with a controller in his hand), he's constantly yapping his mouth. As always, FOX refuses to place the blame for so-called "game addiction" where it belongs -- on the parents. Maybe if kids were raised right, like this incredibly active, talkative kid who always shouts in my ear (bless him), then we wouldn't have a problem.
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.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
HELP ME! IM ADDICTED TO VIDEO GAMES! I haven't eaten in days, or showered in weeks! Please Mrs. Lawrence help me! Gotta love that N64 footage eh! and I think I saw some GTA3 aswell. The stock footage CNN got is so dated, common wheres the GTA4 bashing Im kind of disappointing.
Old or not, the video is still incredibly annoying. Cooper's so called definition of addiction sees to be nothing more than prolonged enjoyment. Because I like to talk about videogames when I'm not playing them, it means I'm an addict? Please. You could say just the same for TV, cinema or even reading. Discussing something which has grabbed your interest doesn't make you some mad, socially inept junkie -- just, you know, someone with a goddamn interest.
so wait, talking about video games when they aren't around them means they're addicted? All the kids at my school and now at my work need some serious treatment for sports addiction, and if developers would stop this nonsense of only including 2 player split instead of 4 then social gaming parties would be easier. While i spend as much time playing video games as I can I definaitly don't go into withdrawal without them. *sigh* /fail for fox news
WAOH! People can become addicted to games! They only ever become addicted to bad things like DRUGS or GAMBLING! GAMES must be EVIL!
Surely it isn't a suprise people can be addicted to games. I'm pretty sure a lot of people have the capacity to become addicted to just about anything. I used to freaking love scrunching sockless feet on welcome mats, so much it looked like I'd been raped by a tentacle monster made of nettles.
My point I suppose is... if your kid plays lots of games, he isn't molesting himself with astroturf.
Towards the end of the video she gives this awful smile to the camera, and says "I still play Pacman". This woman should have been run off the face of the earth when she lied about Mass Effect. Epic fail.
Why do parents get a free ride these days?
The amount of bullshit in there was unreal - kids don't communicate? What about Bebo, Myspace and all that bullshit? Yes I hate them, but you can't deny that kids these days probably communicate more than in the past. And I didn't even mention mobile phones! These people fear change - hardly surprising that FOX thinks gaming is worse than watching TV.
Also, 15 hours-lolwut? Only super retarded hardcore WoW players put in that much time to games.
What I found most disturbing was what the host of the show said about Video Games being "a babysitter in a box". That alone shows poor parenting in my opinon. Have I played video games since I was about 3 or 4? Yes. Did they raise me? No. My parents did.
But, there is even more to it than a lack of proper parenting. By saying its a babysitter in a box, they are attempting to make the medium less legitimate, at least unintentionally.
Combined with the complete lack of knowledge of anyone in that broadcast makes this truly scary for me. They're hurting gaming with shoddy reporting, because new media is evil apparently.
Hmmm let's see. I love video games. I still think of them when I'm playing them if the games are that badass. I DO still go out often and I DO socialize with friends and people still. And when you're playing online with people what do you do? Socialize!! Even if you're talking shit to one another, it's still socializing and communicating. Man that chick needs to get laid.
Was it just me, or did they all seem really jittery and overly defensive? If gamers would only aspire to be just like them. A better world we'd be in, I'm sure.
I love how she says "The Research" like there's an authority on all research that negates all other research that says otherwise. We all know that any psychologist that says one thing there's promptly another that says the opposite.
I stopped about 5 seconds into the vid. I really could care less what some nobody newsreporters and some "random chick" think on games period.
Games aren't rocket science people. Either buy a 360 and set a limit of how long you want them to play, or keep the damn thing in your room until it's time to play. I don't understand why an analyst is even need to be brought in for such a thing. Either the kid has too much damn free time or the parents obviously aren't doing their "parenting".
Getting angry over Fox News is like speaking color to one struck blind; a complete and utter waste of energy.
Worst case scenerio: nerds take up arms and write dozens of "I'M GONNA FILL YOUR MOUTH WITH MA DICK" hatemail to Fox News, which in turn, further fuels the story in Fox's favor. Remember how much mileage they got out of Mass Effect?
Best case scenerio: Rupert Murdoch builds a DeLorean time machine with his massive amount of money, travels to the past, directly encounters himself and creates a time/space paradox. Fox vanishes with nothing more than the dull pop as the vacuum of the now-vacant space where it once stood fills in. Said space is replaced by a Denny's.
We're modern men, we're dependant on technology, everybody has at least one machine which they need to live comfortably, some people need their Blackberry, we need our videogames, we could both live without them, but our lives are better with them.... How is this addiction?
Most of the symptoms seem to be iffy, kids can get irritable easily at such an emotional stage in their life, and talking about something while it's not their would make everybody addicts about everything...
They claim that Asteroids, Pac-man, and Tetris qualify someone as a gamer. As bad as using a 30 second long repeating clip of random N64 and PS2 images/play is it shows that they're at least not even pretending to know what they're doing.
Not social? So I'm not actually interacting and talking to people when I play Left 4 Dead or World of Warcraft? Jeez, and here I thought I was conversing with actual people.
I guess we're all screwed. Now we don't get to be "conversationalists" and talk with wonderful people like the hosts of this incredible FOX "news" show.
I have a major problem with their comments on social interaction and communication. Has anyone ever seen 4 kids playing LBP, or Mario Kart DS together? Cooperation, and communication (not to mention laughter) are not just side effects of those games they're inherent in its design.
Games are just like any other hobby or diversion. They can be extremely effective at honing any number of skills. They can give you a profound sense of personal accomplishment, and hours of enjoyment, but there is always a point where love for a hobby becomes obsession, and in turn addiction. It is your job as a parent not only to recognized and intervene before a problem arises, but also to teach your children to understand this behavior and treat it with responsibility.
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
9:40 AM on 01.08.2009
| 
Surely it isn't a suprise people can be addicted to games. I'm pretty sure a lot of people have the capacity to become addicted to just about anything. I used to freaking love scrunching sockless feet on welcome mats, so much it looked like I'd been raped by a tentacle monster made of nettles.
My point I suppose is... if your kid plays lots of games, he isn't molesting himself with astroturf.
And that's just fine.
I love when he says "they're not talking to each other." Ever heard of online games. Or L4D?
/double turbo facepalm
Esp. when that one lady said, "It's like a babysitter in a box"
/end my op.rant
The amount of bullshit in there was unreal - kids don't communicate? What about Bebo, Myspace and all that bullshit? Yes I hate them, but you can't deny that kids these days probably communicate more than in the past. And I didn't even mention mobile phones! These people fear change - hardly surprising that FOX thinks gaming is worse than watching TV.
Also, 15 hours-lolwut? Only super retarded hardcore WoW players put in that much time to games.
She says addiction's addiction, and doesn't say playing videogames are dangerous....but just points out the 'warning signs'. whatever.
http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/videos/19983/XPlay_Editorial_Fox_News_and_Mass_Effect.html
But, there is even more to it than a lack of proper parenting. By saying its a babysitter in a box, they are attempting to make the medium less legitimate, at least unintentionally.
Combined with the complete lack of knowledge of anyone in that broadcast makes this truly scary for me. They're hurting gaming with shoddy reporting, because new media is evil apparently.
I love how she says "The Research" like there's an authority on all research that negates all other research that says otherwise. We all know that any psychologist that says one thing there's promptly another that says the opposite.
Games aren't rocket science people. Either buy a 360 and set a limit of how long you want them to play, or keep the damn thing in your room until it's time to play. I don't understand why an analyst is even need to be brought in for such a thing. Either the kid has too much damn free time or the parents obviously aren't doing their "parenting".
Worst case scenerio: nerds take up arms and write dozens of "I'M GONNA FILL YOUR MOUTH WITH MA DICK" hatemail to Fox News, which in turn, further fuels the story in Fox's favor. Remember how much mileage they got out of Mass Effect?
Best case scenerio: Rupert Murdoch builds a DeLorean time machine with his massive amount of money, travels to the past, directly encounters himself and creates a time/space paradox. Fox vanishes with nothing more than the dull pop as the vacuum of the now-vacant space where it once stood fills in. Said space is replaced by a Denny's.
Most of the symptoms seem to be iffy, kids can get irritable easily at such an emotional stage in their life, and talking about something while it's not their would make everybody addicts about everything...
They claim that Asteroids, Pac-man, and Tetris qualify someone as a gamer. As bad as using a 30 second long repeating clip of random N64 and PS2 images/play is it shows that they're at least not even pretending to know what they're doing.
I guess we're all screwed. Now we don't get to be "conversationalists" and talk with wonderful people like the hosts of this incredible FOX "news" show.
I like the little subtitle they have too. "Habit or Addiction?" Ummm, what about Hobby?
When I heard that, I made a face I'd make as if I'd just seen someone break their leg. That was really painful to hear.
And not once was the word "parent" mentioned. Unbelievable and irresponsible. That's FOX!
Games are just like any other hobby or diversion. They can be extremely effective at honing any number of skills. They can give you a profound sense of personal accomplishment, and hours of enjoyment, but there is always a point where love for a hobby becomes obsession, and in turn addiction. It is your job as a parent not only to recognized and intervene before a problem arises, but also to teach your children to understand this behavior and treat it with responsibility.
...not to say that's a bad thing, the human race has GOT to GO!
Back on topic: I would do her....and I would do that other chick....shi't, I would do all three of them! Todd style *high fives next poster*
---
*facepalm*
Also, I love how they got the footage of the Fat kid playing some kind of MMO, probably WoW. Ah fun times.
Fuck Fox.
---
testicles, that is all.XD