"Stuart was 11 or 12 when I bought him the PlayStation. For a long time I didn't even realise games had age limits on them. We'd just buy him the game that all the other kids had. I didn't really know what they were about. I think most parents are the same."
"I know these games are played by kids across the world, but some are truly horrific. And if they can cause a trigger to be pulled in someone's head they should be banned."
Yes, that's nice luv. As long as you don't blame yourself. We wouldn't want that would we? It's so much easier isn't it if you believe parents don't have to have any influence or responsibility into the upbringing of their children.
Oh my gosh, that is the most effed up thing. Ever. I cannot believe that she is not holding herself responsible! Now, given, people have their own personality, but it's ridiculous that she blames the games and not herself. If my child ever did that....I would wonder where I went wrong, not start blaming it on video games! And, even if it was the video games, she bought then, so it's still her fault! What a stupid woman.
I really love people like this. The other day, I was working in the video game section of Toy "R" Us and this one lady comes up holding an opened copy of "The Godfather" video game (which any sane person should know wouldn't be a happy romp through simulated flowers).
LADY: I want to return this.
ME: Uh, I'm sorry, but it's our policy not to give returns on opened video games.
LADY: But you should see what this game has in it!
ME: Well, ma'am, it IS rated "M", which is for Mature, meaning that it really shouldn't even be played by anyone under 17. It's also our policy to check for ID and inform you when you purchase an "M" rated game. Did the employee tell you this?
LADY: Yes, but how was I supposed to know what was on the game?
ME: It says right there...on the back...
LADY: I don't care, it's ridiculous that you won't take this back. I can't belive that.
At this point, I called my manager over, and after about five minutes of her yelling at him that we were "disgraceful" and had "terrible customer service", she left, shouting that she would be taking her complaints to whoever was above my manager.
Some people really are stupid. Even if it is the video game that "encouraged" your kid, at some point the parent must have bought them the game. Good God.
"Ta ta ta taaaa! Look at me... I'm a snowman! I'm gonna go stand on someone's lawn if I don't get something to do around here pretty soon!"
Yes, I always find it baffling - having worked in a customer service situation where parents have complained about a film's content - that people don't read the warnings, then blame everybody but themselves for monitoring their child's content.
I'm in a bind. I'm one of the biggest advocates of free speech around. I think that speech extends to most things. However, I still believe there are limits, and some people should not have access to all things. By that I mean censorship ratings on games and films are there for a reason, as they provide a guideline to what content might be suitable for certain age groups. Granted, it is going to differ in various circumstances. Each child/adult will have a different maturity level. If that maurity level is below the standard, then the duty of care on the responsible adult is even higher.
"Stuart was 11 or 12 when I bought him the PlayStation. For a long time I didn't even realise games had age limits on them. We'd just buy him the game that all the other kids had. I didn't really know what they were about. I think most parents are the same." And she still doesn't see the problem there. She must realise that television, film and even music has advisory warnings? She must realise she has a son? As a parent, aren't certain parental responsibilities taken for granted? If he was in the care of a babysitter or after school care service, you'd assume the same duty of care. Why does a parent not have that same responsibility when video games are involved? Is it possible a game called "Manhunt" is violent?
See the main problem with the "games = violence" argument is that there is just as much evidence against as there is for. I know that 2099net plays violent games, as do I, and most of the member of this board have probably dabbled from time to time. We have all seen violence in the media at least. I'm being presumptious, but none of us have killed (yet). The other fault to the argument is that it assumes we are all empty vessels waiting to be filled.
Ok, so there is a certain amount of give and take on both sides. Video games are an interactive medium that work on a different level to film. Perhaps they should be given a different classification? On the flip side, taking off my freedom of expression hat for the moment, is excessive violence in games justified? Take the recent Manhunt 2 bannings. If all of the classification systems have come down hard on it - and we can agree that the classification systems are a set of guidelines that on some level reflect community standards (although in Australia they are well outdated) - then is it not possible that those games have breached a certain level of community acceptibility as well? On this level, you have to wonder whether the games themselves are acceptable. That does not, however, lead me to the conclusion that a violent game automatically causes violent behaviour. As many anti-gamers/music/films have claimed, not everybody driving a car will kill someone, but some people will, just as some gamers will kill someone. Does that call for a complete ban on cars as well?
Ultimately, the games themselves cannot be seen as solely attributable. Often, it is a combination of treatment at school; parental treatment; maybe the the other media influences (lord knows there is enough crap on telly). Besides of which, this boy was convicted at 18. He is not some impressionable child, he is an adult capable of making decisions within the socialisation limits he experienced as a child. As such, no one factor can be taken in isolation to explain his behaviour. It might be easier to blame the games than consider the possibility that the media as a whole and parental neglect could lead to murder, or even that he is just a 'bad' person who killed because they wanted to.
There, I'm a complete fence sitter. Still, viva la games!
My opinion is that it wasn't the video games that made her son murder, he just played the violent video games until he could carry out the act in reality. Video Games didn't make him this way
you could put the rating and what it means in giant red letters, but parents will still buy it because "All the other kids had it" and nothing is to good for junior.
It's amazing how stupid parents can be now. I was in Blockbuster and a woman was with her 2 13 year olds, and they were trying to convince her to rent Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The woman asked me if I had played it, I told her the simple truth I tried it, the swearing in it alone is reason enough to avoid it IMO. Her kids didn't look happy after I told not to rent it
Chernabog_Rocks wrote:It's amazing how stupid parents can be now. I was in Blockbuster and a woman was with her 2 13 year olds, and they were trying to convince her to rent Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The woman asked me if I had played it, I told her the simple truth I tried it, the swearing in it alone is reason enough to avoid it IMO. Her kids didn't look happy after I told not to rent it
Woah... I think I'm about to show my age, but... Video games now have swearing in them?! I did not know this. The video games from my generation didn't. Even the most violent ones. What the hell kind of crap are people playing these days? Honestly, in my day, even the violent video games were for kids. Which is why they didn't have a bunch of swearing and, I don't know- some of them have nudity in them too (simulated)?? I think I heard something about that, which is utterly insane! When games have all the same content that movies have, they ain't games anymore. They're interactive movies.
This is not me siding with the parents, but... Well, I think the parents are being left out of the fact that these games are going too far now. They don't exactly advertise in the commercials that they swear and show fake nudity. When the hell did this trend start? How are people supposed to know that games suddenly started becoming R-rated in other ways than just violence?
Video games are not supposed to be for 17 and up. In my day, video games were made for kids, younger teens, and people in touch with the child-within. I think the parents should teach their kids values, but that also, sorry to burst the bubbles of these Kids who aren't 17 playing Adult-themed Video Games, but Parents deserve to know that these games aren't games anymore.
Well Laz, the simple fact is as gameplayers have grown up, they still want to play games. And, just as you like Horror Movies as well as Disney animated films, most gameplayers want more "adult" games as well as cute little platformers or Harry Potter games. Also as we gameplayers have grown-up, so has the technology. Before, gaming systems couldn't really offer interactive movies. Today, they almost can.
I don't think its that unknown. Most people with a passing interest in video gaming are familiar with Resident Evil and know of the films. The same is probably true for Silent Hill and Mortal Kombat too. I think people know not everything is Mario. In the UK too, they've started to put BBFC ratings on exceptional games - these are the same as we have on cinema and video releases. If people don't know about ratings, its up to the video game publishers to make them more visible.
Note: On the Xbox 360, parents can set the machine so it won't play titles over a certain age rating, if they so wish (but again, they won't, because the parents can't even be bothered to show any interest what-so-ever in what ever it is that keeps their little Johnny silent all day).
Don't get me wrong, I love those other types of games too (I'm talking up the new Harry Potter game to everyone I know, I love it so much), but (as many people will know) my absolute favourite game of all time is Silent Hill 2. SH2 is a game which has blood and gore, but the reason I like it so much is for the story, and the themes of the narrative. It really is an adult story; all about the pain of loss, denial, love, betrayal, death, temptation... It has concepts that endure many years after the game was released (just go to a Silent Hill forum and read some of the posts still being made as fans discuss elements of the narrative). In short, its not just a shooting game, or an exploration game... it's a whole entertainment experience.
That doesn't mean I agree with some of the games coming out. I sort of do agree Manhunt 2 should be banned. It's a difficult subject though - when do you draw the line on the vast majority of people's "innocent" enjoyment because a small minority may be affected by playing the game? There's not even any firm, definitive proof playing a violent computer game does make a person more violent (in fact, there's just as much research that it makes a person less violent because they release their agression in a safe, non-harmful "virtual" way).
But I'm not a particular fan of the recent trend of "horror porn" titles such as Hostel and Saw. Does it mean I want them banned? Not really. I just have no interest in seeing them.
On the topic of clueless neglectful parents. When I was in the theater with my friends to watch Sin City a lady comes in with her two children, both of them looked to be under 10 easily. They didn't even make it 10 minutes into the movie, left during the first scene if I remember correctly. At least she had the good sense to pull them out of the theater!
One of my pet peeves is all these whiny parents who complain about tv shows or video games or movies.. Hello people! Take an interest in what your kid is doing! If someone is that concerned about the content of a game woudln't they preview it before letting their child play it? Or at least read the back of the gosh darn box! IMO if a parent is just going to sit their kid down in front of a tv or game console unsupervised then the have no right to complain about the content of the media they're absorbing...
Oh great, here we go again . People always want to blame video games on the way people act. I have played a few violent games such as the Grand Theft Auto games and I have never killed anyone yet. Why didn't the mother SEE what the game looked like?
Well, I have to say as a parent AND a video gamer that there really is no simple right or wrong here... I agree that parents should be the main source of guidance and policing of what is and isn't available to their children, but lets face the obvious truth... when a kid wants to play a game, they will find a way... many of us probably would have said anything to get the game you wanted when you were younger and make up ANY excuse , even going to a friends house and lie about it. I've known many kids that did this back with the first Grand Theft Auto game. This kind of violence is still not known to be the norm by all parents, even though that first GTA games gave them some notoriety. As a parent I try very hard to make sure that my kid (only 5 years old) is not exposed to random TV violence, and its very hard!.. If I want to watch The Sopranos,Pulp Fiction, etc.- its not around her, even just flipping through the stations can be daunting .But still,
its always going to be our job to try our best to keep our kids minds healthy.
Just being a little older though, I cant help but see how violent and extreme most forms of media have become. ... and lets remember that all these violent games, movies, TV shows, and music are still supposed to be considered entertainment
Jules: You know the shows on TV?
Vincent: I don't watch TV.
Jules: Yeah, but, you are aware that there's an invention called television, and on this invention they show shows, right?
Her kids didn't look happy after I told not to rent it 
. People always want to blame video games on the way people act. I have played a few violent games such as the Grand Theft Auto games and I have never killed anyone yet. Why didn't the mother SEE what the game looked like?
