old question violence and video games with a new twist

[H2O Waitingkill]

I don't know if anyone here reads maximumpc but the June,2008 edition had an interesting story about a book coming out called Grand Theft Childhood.
It took a scientific approach to understanding video games and the people who play them with out a bias one way or the other:)
It's got a lot of interesting facts about some of the myths surrounding video games. some are posted on there website

http://www.grandtheftchildhood.com/GTC/Home.html ("http://www.grandtheftchildhood.com/GTC/Home.html" )

Looks like a really good book.:mvboogie:

[pauliedanger]

I might have to check that out. I had a discussion at work last night with two of my employees telling me that games like GTA 4 shouldn't even be made because of what they might do to kids.

I completely shut them down with, "I'm 30, why shouldn't I have the choice to buy a video game where I can shoot some aliens, or run over some hookers in a car?"

This is after they had absolutely no comeback for "What's the difference between a video game and horror, action, war, adventure, sci-fi or kung-fu movies?"

Then I showed them my ECA membership card.

[H2O Waitingkill]

wow, nice...lol score 1 gamer Vs. co-workers zip^^

yea, man differently check it out, most of it's

on the subject on the effect of violent video games

on children and what they discover is really surprising kindy they

find the news is more harmfully to children than video games. Not to much of a

surprise considering we live in a culture of fear.

[pauliedanger]

The best part is, I'm their boss.

And I've worn my ECA T-shirt, and a couple of my gamer shirts to work. Not trying to "fly my colors", I just work in a warehouse, and the shop manager comes in wearing flip-flops, so why should I get all gussied up?

Anyway, I'm all for kids not being exposed to sex and violence. But this country is just awesome at misassigning blame and accountability.

If I have a son, and he turns out to be an asshole, that's my fault. It's not because of Quentin Tarantino movies, or GTA 4, or that damned rap music. It's because I didn't do my job as a parent. The whole censorship issue drives me crazy. We're supposed to be a country full of freedom, but all these "awesome patriots" like Tipper Gore and John McCain want to censor everything to "protect our children". You know who's job it is to protect children? Parents.