Earlier today, we reported that Thailand stripped Grand Theft Auto IV off their store shelves after a teenager robbed and stabbed a cab driver. The claim was that the act of senseless violence was done because of an unhealthy fascination with the game. Recently, Don Reisinger outlined in his blog at CNet that videogames should not be the target of government, nor should this act of violence be taken as some sort of sign of their negative effects on young minds.
The fact of the matter is this: more than 99 percent of individuals playing video games don't kill people, don't want to reenact what they see in a video game, and don't perform these kinds of acts. Sure, it may be difficult for the average anti-gamer to fully comprehend when they don't hear the other side of the story, but it's true: video games are not the root of all evil and they shouldn't be the scapegoat when people try to make them evil.
Mr. Reisinger brings up a brilliant point. I often think about the millions of videogame deaths that have been wrought by my hands and reflect on how they may have invaded my psyche. I always find that they haven’t, because like the majority of gamers, I am able to create that very clear distinction between reality and fantasy.
What do you guys think about this issue? Are videogames at the root of the majority of today’s social issues? Are games too real and too violent? Should
GTA IV have been pulled in Thailand?
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Contest:
6:42 PM on 08.04.2008
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Aside from Jack Thompson, anyway. I hear he reads it, at least whenever his name is mentioned.
On a more serious note, I'm glad someone besides the people here have finally said something intelligent on this issue. To think that people can find a way to get out of being responsible for their actions is absurd.
As times change, the older generations always complain about how society is crumbling because of the new fads and media of the younger generations that they don't understand. At one point, Elvis was the antichrist and was corrupting American's youth. Now it's movies, music, and video games. The older generations will die out eventually and when our generation takes over, those in charge will start to blame new things for the downfall of society.
And so the cycle continues....
If I kill someone and say God told me to do it, they won't ban the bible. Odd. In fact people would be angry as HELL if you DARED suggest the bible be banned because of the actions of one possibly bat shit insane person. Strange how these things work.
Fucking idiots.
I've rarely seen a mature, open minded, thought provoking discussion regarding this issue of video game violence. Both sides of the issue tend to irrationally voice their opinions in completely reactionary ways. Gamers and lobbyist need to step back a few paces and look at the deeper issue: Why is more and more of our free time being taken up exploring immersive alternate realities that drench us in the very worst aspects of human nature? Since when did war, murder, criminal behavior, and a bleak and barbaric future society become cool? How times have changed from my parent's generation.
QFT
Maybe religion is the root of al evil...
(please note that I'm quite religious myself, this my friend is called "humour" )
Of course, most religions... maybe all of them, make it pretty clear in their scripture that they think killing is bad. I won't hold it against any one religion if a few of its members try to cleanse the world. Those are the guys who don't get it. Those are the guys who don't realize that religion nowadays is only supposed to act as a moral code, though we also have laws and parents for that sort of thing.
I'm not gonna get into a religious debate on a video game website though.