Gaming News: "It's a Tradeoff"
Posted: Friday July 6th, 2007
by
About the same time the ESRB slapped an AO rating on Manhunt 2 a special interest group called the CCFC (Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood) demanded the AO rating be upheld stating "harmful effects of ultra-violent video games on children will be magnified by playing them on the interactive Nintendo Wii system." [more info] Then yesterday I read an article about a new study that showed kids not only like violent video games, they have little trouble getting access to them. [more info]
I think what annoyed me about these kinds of articles, studies, ignorance, etc. is how the word "video" is tacked on to the front of the word "games". The truth is, kids (particularly boys, who are also the primary target group from these kinds of studies) like playing violent games, period and it's actually encouraged. So, it's only natural that the same mindset is evident now that playing games has gone digital. But while special interest groups, parent organization, politicians, headline seeking "reporters", and self-promoting, attention whoring lawyers focus on video games the nerf weapons, cap guns, plastic swords, knives, and nunchucks stay fully stocked on store shelves, never sticking around long enough to collect dust.
Honestly, I don't care about those things, because I expect parents to be responsible enough to properly monitor how and what their children play (even though personal experience seems to indicate otherwise). I also have this bad habit of considering kids to be intelligent enough to know when a toy is just a toy. **shrugs** I keep my rose colored glasses in a protective, fire-proof, hardcase tucked neatly into the space between my "everything is rosey" life perspective books, and my stack of greenpeace shirts.
[Please Note: I ask that each of you re-read the forum rules before you post. I have no qualms about editing posts liberally, or shutting down the thread if need be. Thanks for understanding.]
[ discuss ]
I think what annoyed me about these kinds of articles, studies, ignorance, etc. is how the word "video" is tacked on to the front of the word "games". The truth is, kids (particularly boys, who are also the primary target group from these kinds of studies) like playing violent games, period and it's actually encouraged. So, it's only natural that the same mindset is evident now that playing games has gone digital. But while special interest groups, parent organization, politicians, headline seeking "reporters", and self-promoting, attention whoring lawyers focus on video games the nerf weapons, cap guns, plastic swords, knives, and nunchucks stay fully stocked on store shelves, never sticking around long enough to collect dust.
Honestly, I don't care about those things, because I expect parents to be responsible enough to properly monitor how and what their children play (even though personal experience seems to indicate otherwise). I also have this bad habit of considering kids to be intelligent enough to know when a toy is just a toy. **shrugs** I keep my rose colored glasses in a protective, fire-proof, hardcase tucked neatly into the space between my "everything is rosey" life perspective books, and my stack of greenpeace shirts.
[Please Note: I ask that each of you re-read the forum rules before you post. I have no qualms about editing posts liberally, or shutting down the thread if need be. Thanks for understanding.]
[ discuss ]
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