Grand Theft Auto IV hits the streets--it's a '10'

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You shouldn't have started it.

Personally speaking, I believe this synopsis of a response is inaccurate. I am not at all what I choose to entertain myself; I likewise do not make decisions based on feelings recieved while playing violent video games or any other media for that matter.

But, I do see your point. People not thoughtful enough about their chosen hobby, in some cases, are doomed to be improperly influenced by them, even in adulthood.

Entertainment is not a matter of selective influence, it is a getaway fro real life. Or a supplement to it.

I do not think a person who chooses to play violent video games is any more likely to kill or be injurious (in fact, I believe having an outlet like games can diffuse violent tendencies and behaviours, which when looked at honestly, are had by every person regardless of lifestyle or method of entertainment). Neither do I think a person who enjoys romance novels/pornographic media have abnormal sexual behaviours.

You must remember that it is people that are creating these things, and it's always been that way. It is never the media's fault for the degradation of our moral compass; it is our own. People are people, and media is an outlet that is used for many reasons.

Antoher thing, Video Games are under scrutiny in the same way every medium has been from the beginning.

The moment mankind was able to communcate, we began to transcribe violent, sexual, "immoral", or otherwise unapproved feelings that we had. It was not the books fault; or even the writers...but human nature. But when compsoed correctly, we, as civilized people, separate filth from art.

It is possible to have a storyline so violent, rauchny, abject to the better emotions of men, and wrong that, by our standards, we would oppose any behaviours like those in real life...and still regard it as a pinnacle of artistic expression. It has been the case from 'The Romance of the Three Kingdoms', through 'The Godfather' to right now with Grand Theft Auto IV.

As a contemporary medium, I don't expect for it's acclaim to be understood by those who have not been fans of the media itself because of innaccurate descriptors (for children) or News' unfair portrayal of it as something different from previous media (It's the same as movies, folks).

But if you attempt to attack GTAIV, or gaming as a whole, without previous experience with gaming, or apply metrics to quantify the affect of gaming on humans as something different from the effects other media have (when no reputable or accurate scientific proof exists to date), expect to be met at the gate with opposition.

Some of it will be juvenile (as it would be, and has been, for every entertainment medium)...but some of it will be thought-out, cohesive, and frankly utterly destroy you point because it is categorically wrong.

The bottom line of this wordy post is this:

Games are like all other media. Some is for children, some for adults. Human nature is at fault for Human behaviour, not the media used to express these behaviours.

Consider yourself defeated by a ******** gamer (20 years...only 23 years old).

Posted by: MaSTA_SoLIDUS   Posted on: 04/30/08 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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