Written by Mtt Gallant - Editor of Computer Games Magazine
We were on TV. Technically. It was CNBC. I don't know why anyone who watches CNBC would be interested in videogames apart from how much money they make, but apparently CNBC host Donny Deutsch was looking to make some sort of point apart from that. To that end, our Ziff-tastic competitor/compatriot John Davison found himself playing Poland to Donny's fatherlandly namesake.
Donny's show, The Big Idea, had John on supposedly to talk about a variety of videogame subjects, but in actuality to be ambushed with the sole focus of the discussion stemming from the premise "all games are violent".
That's where we came in. Donny held up a copy of Computer Games, saying that every single game in the magazine was violent. All right, free TV plug! You can sort of guess where things went from there. Columbine student Brooks Brown was also on the show, and John ended up leaving early rather than staying and having fun, the way I would have. Because really, CNBC. But John's blog post about the whole affair is a good read, with a good quote from Brooks, followed immediately by a bad acronym.
John Davison's side of the story:
http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=517 ... Id=5345401
Not only that, now we have assemblymen saying the ESRB has failed parents once again for not making San Andreas Adults-Only because of the sex mini game. I guess the M rating wasn't enough to stop parents from buying it for their son.
"all games are violent"
You already fuck the government atticus.
But whats this crap?
I don't mean to sound like a wise man or anything but John should've stayed and tried to embarass her/him(havn't seen the show. I mean like with it opening and showing that video of CJ stopping a prostitute's head into the pavement. "Hey Donny do you kind of think an E looks like an M on its side? Cause im just wondering why this game is rated M and not E...maybe because its violent, but you don't seem to understand that."
Eh im not into law and legal alot so I dunno if its possible he would get into trouble for that...of course Donny calling him "darling" isn't exactly what I would call light either. *shivers*
That darling thing is exactly the reason I dunno if its a guy or a girl or a fag. Is that his pic on the right of the page with the story?
Man thats just BS. Ill post this on a couple othr forums as well in order to get the word out.
But whats this crap?
I don't mean to sound like a wise man or anything but John should've stayed and tried to embarass her/him(havn't seen the show. I mean like with it opening and showing that video of CJ stopping a prostitute's head into the pavement. "Hey Donny do you kind of think an E looks like an M on its side? Cause im just wondering why this game is rated M and not E...maybe because its violent, but you don't seem to understand that."
Eh im not into law and legal alot so I dunno if its possible he would get into trouble for that...of course Donny calling him "darling" isn't exactly what I would call light either. *shivers*
That darling thing is exactly the reason I dunno if its a guy or a girl or a fag. Is that his pic on the right of the page with the story?
Man thats just BS. Ill post this on a couple othr forums as well in order to get the word out.
-
BreakmanX
- The Creator
- Posts: 4476
- Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2003 8:32 pm
- Xbox Live GamerTag: BreakmanX
- Location: Kansas
- Contact:
Public = Sheep
They will believe whatever the TV tells them. Hopefully Mr. Lowenstein gets on TV before they are completely programmed against Video Games.
There's an interesting film, Heart of the Beholder, about how a town was offended by a movie offered by a local rental store, and the town's "crusade" to shut the man's business down. Based on a true story too. I believe they even kidnap his daughter. http://beholder.com/blogland.htm for more info.
Here is my understanding of how a grand democracy, such as ours, works with this sort of thing. Anyone is free to release any kind of entertainment product, and then release it for sale. Once it reaches the market, those who like it buy it, and those who don't ignore it. If it doesn't sell well, this is noted, and the product's fate is sealed. Why has it changed to this insane tyrade of people trying to ban things they don't like, disagree with, or don't understand? If you don't like it, DON'T BUY IT. Or even worse, offer it up as a torrent on the net to take away a big part of the purchases and thus show the executives this product is drivel. It is as simple as that.
We even have nutrition facts on games now (ESRB.) Look this game contains violent shit. Maybe Tommy has a propensity for lighting cats on fire. Think parents.. think... maybe it would be a better idea to buy him a nonviolent game. That is why it is left up to parents. Some kids can handle things and some kids can't. I guess I could just say one word, freedom. Of course, we aren't truly free with all the anti-drug laws, and other things that prohibit freedom supposedly in the name of safety, but I just can't believe that people are actually thinking that an entertainment medium is responsible for any kind of action in the real world. Books (which put you more in the mind of the killer than ANY medium, including video games,) movies, comics, and EVERY type of entertainment should also be banned. Also, women should be banned as they encourage thoughts of rape. I mean, this line of thinking may never stop.
Just remember this when arguing with these people. If you don't like it, don't buy it. If it is really that bad of a product, then that will take care of it. Maybe they should look beyonf the shallow answer and see the big problem relating to parenting. Protest and talk on shows about parents. Maybe even offer mandatory parenting classes for those parents that fail on some level. At any rate, we should never give up freedom in the name of anything, least of all safety. Freedom is what we fight and die for, lets not kill it ourselves.
As Ben Franklin said, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
They will believe whatever the TV tells them. Hopefully Mr. Lowenstein gets on TV before they are completely programmed against Video Games.
There's an interesting film, Heart of the Beholder, about how a town was offended by a movie offered by a local rental store, and the town's "crusade" to shut the man's business down. Based on a true story too. I believe they even kidnap his daughter. http://beholder.com/blogland.htm for more info.
Here is my understanding of how a grand democracy, such as ours, works with this sort of thing. Anyone is free to release any kind of entertainment product, and then release it for sale. Once it reaches the market, those who like it buy it, and those who don't ignore it. If it doesn't sell well, this is noted, and the product's fate is sealed. Why has it changed to this insane tyrade of people trying to ban things they don't like, disagree with, or don't understand? If you don't like it, DON'T BUY IT. Or even worse, offer it up as a torrent on the net to take away a big part of the purchases and thus show the executives this product is drivel. It is as simple as that.
We even have nutrition facts on games now (ESRB.) Look this game contains violent shit. Maybe Tommy has a propensity for lighting cats on fire. Think parents.. think... maybe it would be a better idea to buy him a nonviolent game. That is why it is left up to parents. Some kids can handle things and some kids can't. I guess I could just say one word, freedom. Of course, we aren't truly free with all the anti-drug laws, and other things that prohibit freedom supposedly in the name of safety, but I just can't believe that people are actually thinking that an entertainment medium is responsible for any kind of action in the real world. Books (which put you more in the mind of the killer than ANY medium, including video games,) movies, comics, and EVERY type of entertainment should also be banned. Also, women should be banned as they encourage thoughts of rape. I mean, this line of thinking may never stop.
Just remember this when arguing with these people. If you don't like it, don't buy it. If it is really that bad of a product, then that will take care of it. Maybe they should look beyonf the shallow answer and see the big problem relating to parenting. Protest and talk on shows about parents. Maybe even offer mandatory parenting classes for those parents that fail on some level. At any rate, we should never give up freedom in the name of anything, least of all safety. Freedom is what we fight and die for, lets not kill it ourselves.
As Ben Franklin said, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
The odd thing is that it seems the vast majority of people think that all games are for kids, as evidenced by the fact that maybe 40% of all copies of GTA 3/VC/SA that I've ever sold or rented to people were for kids under the age of 10. And only maybe 1 in 10 parents decide against it after I explain to them the nature of the game and the nature of the "M" rating.
Some people are just bad parents, some people are just dumb, don't blame the game.
Some people are just bad parents, some people are just dumb, don't blame the game.
-
THE MANDREW
- Lurker
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:01 pm
Oh its because its becoming human nature to hate someone who doesnt agree with you. Take fanboys for example.
You get these people that hate games and movies and stuff but then, GOD FORBID!, there are those who disagree with them so the bitches just wanna shout and yell and bitch and moan and groan more than the girls in the God of War sex minigame and then they want to completely get rid of the product to "prove" they were right.
Man just......fucking.....SHOOT EM!
You get these people that hate games and movies and stuff but then, GOD FORBID!, there are those who disagree with them so the bitches just wanna shout and yell and bitch and moan and groan more than the girls in the God of War sex minigame and then they want to completely get rid of the product to "prove" they were right.
Man just......fucking.....SHOOT EM!
All of this mature, violent games crap is getting very annoying. Pretty much anything is violent then. Most cartoons have good guys fighting bad guys. No one really ever dies, but it's violent.
Also, good post Break. I'll have to check out that movie. All these video game laws of late are so goddamn stupid. The ESRB is there, there's standards in place. Making 7 different redundant laws to make a bigger logo isn't going to do anything except make the box art look stupid. If people can understand the movies rating, but not the games rating, when it's spelled out for them, it's their own problem. Learn to read, and make a compitant decision for your kids.
I'm just hoping this all will pass soon. It's just the media's and government's hot topic right now. Which is disturbing in itself with all the real problems going on in the world right now. Actual killing, distasters, and terrists are fine, but virtual violents is so much worse, and is the difinitive training for our kids. Yeah...
I know I exadurated things a bit, but I just wanted to make the point. I was interested for a while, in what was going on, but I'm not so much any more because it's getting sickning. The only reason I still pay attention is because I don't want some huge law in place that would restrict companies from making games for adults. The way it's going, I wouldn't be surprised if that's their next attempt.
Also, good post Break. I'll have to check out that movie. All these video game laws of late are so goddamn stupid. The ESRB is there, there's standards in place. Making 7 different redundant laws to make a bigger logo isn't going to do anything except make the box art look stupid. If people can understand the movies rating, but not the games rating, when it's spelled out for them, it's their own problem. Learn to read, and make a compitant decision for your kids.
I'm just hoping this all will pass soon. It's just the media's and government's hot topic right now. Which is disturbing in itself with all the real problems going on in the world right now. Actual killing, distasters, and terrists are fine, but virtual violents is so much worse, and is the difinitive training for our kids. Yeah...
I know I exadurated things a bit, but I just wanted to make the point. I was interested for a while, in what was going on, but I'm not so much any more because it's getting sickning. The only reason I still pay attention is because I don't want some huge law in place that would restrict companies from making games for adults. The way it's going, I wouldn't be surprised if that's their next attempt.