Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
I'm at a loss for words after reading this article. I'll give you the basic rundown: husband of victim (a teacher) is shot dead in school shootout. Widow proceeds to sue twenty-five media companies for a total of FIVE BILLION dollars in damages, as well as damages ranging from $5.000 to $10.000.000 for individual parties.
Are the manufacturers / distributers of video games responsible for the actions of a 'few' mentally twisted persons who obviously were not able to distinguish between fiction and reality? By the same token, should we sue the newschannels for the content they broadcast each and every day?
I am getting sick of this ongoing "are the media the cause of society's violence?" debate. It is time parents start raising and educating their children again. For some reason, that is what seems to be sorely lacking. Furthermore, the 'claimculture' which has grown in the U.S. over the years isn't helping at all. It's no longer a matter of common sense (absent in most), it's about lawsuits and big fat $$$-signs.
The article concludes with: "We need to wake up. These kids don't need to be playing violent games. But corporations don't have social consciences. You have to force them through economics."
Odd, how the quotee blissfully ignores the fact that most games aren't played by kids, but by mature (though that is questionable as well) adults. Do we see people charging down the highways, mowing down pedestrians a la Carmageddon? The answer, as anyone with a few braincells is able to understand, is no. If we follow his logic, we should try, for instance, the weapon industry. Or car companies because their vehicles can kill. Or... you fill in the absurdities.
"It is guaranteed that more monsters will be created and more school killings will occur" - yes, if drastic educational measures aren't taken to stop this kind of crap from being spewed in the first place. Is it some form of mass delusionism that prevents us from seeing the bigger picture? Or are we only concerned for the $$$ ?
America, land of limitless possibilities, land of limitless ways to draw attention to yourself and make big money out of an argument that any rational person can refute easily.
------------------ "Cry havoc and let's slip the dogs of Evil"
[This message has been edited by The_Evil_Lord (edited April 24, 2001).]
posted
I protest. America is not a country, it is the total landmass comprised of North and South America, which includes many countries. So, take a pick. The US? Canada? Columbia? Brazil? Mexico? etc
------------------ "Of course I'm paranoid! Everyone's trying to kill me." - Weyoun, "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River"
posted
Wait. He sent a letter to John Carmack, one of the founders of ID software, and asked him to "prohibit the sale and distribution of all video games rated for mature audiences to children under 17 - and to do it by April 30".
What's he expect Carmack to do? Hang around Walmart game sections, and attack any kid who tries to by Deus Ex?
And since, apparently, in the US, it's illegal to actually enforce ratings on computer games and films, what exactly can the software companies do anyway? Change the law? Burn the always-correct Constitution?
------------------ You know, when Comedy Central asked us to do a Thanksgiving episode, the first thought that went through my mind was, "Boy, I'd like to have sex with Jennifer Aniston." -Trey Parker, co-creator of South Park
posted
At least it's Deus Ex. Not Deus Goatse Ex. The terrifying sequal banned by all countries except Algeria.
------------------ "Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence, neither steel nor fire can eradicate the erroneous opinions of the mind."
-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.
posted
The expansion pack Deus Sheeps Ex sold well in Scotland and New Zealand, or so I heard.
Interestingly, the BC provincial government just passed a law requiring 18+ games to be sold and rented in a separate areas of stores closed off to minors, somewhat akin to adult videos. *shrug*
------------------ "I can be creative when I have a good idea. That just happens way too rarely." -Omega, April 6
posted
Look if you are an idiot and think that what you do in a videogame, or see ona movie should be done in real life, well then that video game or movie wasn't made for morons like you, it's that simple
. . . . . . . . Disclaimer: --Directed towards no one, this is an example statement There is usually no need for this kind of clarification, but people seem to enjoy twisting my words from their original and BLATANTLY OBVIOUS meaning to suit their own purposes, this is why from now on I will include these disclaimers.
------------------ "Well if it's gonna be that kind of a party, I'm putting my dick in the mashed potatoes!"
posted
I think media does influence people. Certainly not to the extent some people claim it does, but ...
I'm going to ocme back to this when I'm not quite so trashed.
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted) *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001 *** "I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen" - Rush Limbaugh, Feb. 23, 1994.
posted
I to am tired of people placing the blame entirely on TV and video games. It is up to parents to watch their children and talk with them, not just ignore them.
------------------ God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the weaponry to make the difference.
posted
Okay, this is utter bullshit. Videogames do not make people do this! Obviously no one here disagress with that, but the fucking morons who blame videogames, movies, TV, anything convient but themselves, really piss me off. I play Aliens vs Predator among other violent, graphic and bloody games and you don't see me trying to maul someone to death or literally bite their head off, do you? When that shit starts happening, then I'll believe games are the problem. I wonder how many of these people were alive back in the 60's and 70's when Rock 'n Roll was the devil's music and made people do Satanic things
------------------ �
[This message has been edited by TLE (edited April 24, 2001).]
posted
My favorite game when I was young was "Wolfenstein". And yet, to this day, I have never killed a real-life Nazi. I guess I'm just some sort of non-murderous freak, eh?
------------------ "Although, from what I understand, having travelled around the Mid-west quite a bit, apparently Jesus is coming, so I guess the choice now is we should decide whether we should spit or swallow." -Maynard James Keenan
Orion Syndicate
He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!
Member # 25
posted
As said earlier, this has got nothing to do with moral and social responsibility and everything to do with using their family members deaths to make lots of money for themsleves. It's sickening! You lot will sue for anything - it's only a matter of time before someone sues someone else for the emotional and psychological trauma caused by a broken fingernail.
This is off topic now but those cases against the tobacco companies are nonsense too. "I was smoking 60 cigarettes a day for 50 years of my life and it gave me cancer. I blame the manufacturers for giving me cancer". For fucks sake, IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE FOR HUMANS TO BE THIS STUPID!
Your lawyers perpetuate this nonsense too so it is partly their fault. They don't care if justice is served or not as long as they make lots of money from it.
------------------ The Worlds Ten Greatest 'Fucks' #9
Who let that fucking woman drive? - Captain of Space Shuttle
[This message has been edited by Orion Syndicate (edited April 24, 2001).]
posted
The Jurers don't help, they agree with the stupidity...
------------------ "One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget Star Trek: Gamma Quadrant Star Trek: Legacy Read them, rate them, got money, film them
"...and I remain on the far side of crazy, I remain the mortal enemy of man, no hundred dollar cure will save me..." WoV
posted
You know how it is, anything can be proven with statistics...
When I grew up and watched movies such as Jaws, Alien, Escape From New York, Highlander and soforth, I was physically shaken and sometimes very scared by the sights, music and actions in these movies. "Platoon" was no picnic either, for a 11-year old. I was really scared sometimes. That's why I've had problems playing AvP, I don't want to encounter those hissing things.
But it never affected my attitude towards violence, other people's rights or anything the puritans claim. It didn't blunt my psyche either, more likely it made me feel sympathy and remorse sometimes.
Then there's "martial arts"-movies. If kids go out and beat eachother bloody, in the street or the schoolyard, that bullying, abnoxious and proud attitude was there even before they watched the Bruce Lee movies (who is king, btw). Some kids are brought up to loathe weak persons, some have wonderful parents and grow up in a favorable environment, yet turn out 'evil' anyway. Food for thought...
posted
We are all Star Trek geeks, to varying degrees.
Star Trek has influenced our lives. Otherwise, why would we all be posting at Flare?
Paramount produces Star Trek. It does. Universal produced Back to the Future, Paramount produced Star Trek.
Therefore, Paramount is partly responsible for turning us into Trekkies.
We are partly responsible for turning into Trekkies, because no one forced us to like the show.
... food for thought.
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted) *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001 *** "I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen" - Rush Limbaugh, Feb. 23, 1994.
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