03-28-2005, 08:06 PM
They probably do lump those games together with the following rationalization: they all have guns in them, you shoot those guns at living things in a realistic setting, so they're all bad.
We both know that rationalization doesn't stand up. Halo 2 and GTA San Andreas are incredibly different. Doom 3 is also completely different from the aforementioned two. It's the equivalent to comparing a Sci-fi movie to a Horror flick. Really, the only common thread between these games is that there are guns and the player controls who gets shot. That's a scary thing for certain parents.
That kid in the PSA is adorable, though. My favourite line is, "There's a cop there who sees what I did, and he's got body armour on, so I can't shoot him. So, I throw gasoline on him and light it. He screams and runs around and dies." That's comedy gold right there.
Seriously, though, that kid is just describing GTA. It's one thing to describe a video game, it's completely another to believe that what he is describing is possible, acceptable, and tolerable. So long as that child is actually parented properly, the graphic depictions in video games shouldn't affect his well-being, his ability to abide by the law, and to safely and respectfully socially interact with others. The most important thing for the child is that he understand the difference between reality and fantasy. If the child isn't mature enough to make those distinctions, then he shouldn't be playing that game. How do you find out if he is or is not? Well, that's where a parent should excercise their best judgement. If the parent still doesn't know, then that's what the rating system is for.
That kid, though, he's adorable. "There's this prostitue, they're super hard to kill, so I grab my machete and cut her head off." Haha, classic. He actually makes me want to go play GTA San Andreas.
We both know that rationalization doesn't stand up. Halo 2 and GTA San Andreas are incredibly different. Doom 3 is also completely different from the aforementioned two. It's the equivalent to comparing a Sci-fi movie to a Horror flick. Really, the only common thread between these games is that there are guns and the player controls who gets shot. That's a scary thing for certain parents.
That kid in the PSA is adorable, though. My favourite line is, "There's a cop there who sees what I did, and he's got body armour on, so I can't shoot him. So, I throw gasoline on him and light it. He screams and runs around and dies." That's comedy gold right there.
Seriously, though, that kid is just describing GTA. It's one thing to describe a video game, it's completely another to believe that what he is describing is possible, acceptable, and tolerable. So long as that child is actually parented properly, the graphic depictions in video games shouldn't affect his well-being, his ability to abide by the law, and to safely and respectfully socially interact with others. The most important thing for the child is that he understand the difference between reality and fantasy. If the child isn't mature enough to make those distinctions, then he shouldn't be playing that game. How do you find out if he is or is not? Well, that's where a parent should excercise their best judgement. If the parent still doesn't know, then that's what the rating system is for.
That kid, though, he's adorable. "There's this prostitue, they're super hard to kill, so I grab my machete and cut her head off." Haha, classic. He actually makes me want to go play GTA San Andreas.
"Yay! We did it!"
"Who are you?"
"Um, uh... just ... a guy." *flee*
"Who are you?"
"Um, uh... just ... a guy." *flee*